Jo In Sung is drawing praise for his intense performance in the film Hope, with many viewers saying his acting remains one of the movie’s strongest points even as reactions to the overall story appear divided.
Released on July 15, Hope follows a remote village that faces an unbelievable situation after reports of a tiger sighting. Jo In Sung plays Go Sung Gi, a young hunter who enters the forest to investigate a mysterious presence threatening the community.
The character is shown as highly determined and unwilling to give up, even when facing an enemy far more powerful than himself. Jo In Sung described Go Sung Gi as “a character whose strong survival instinct can be seen as he struggles to stay alive.”
Writer Kang Full, who previously worked with Jo In Sung on the Disney+ series Moving, also commented on the actor’s ability to make audiences support characters who repeatedly survive dangerous situations.
During a special event for Hope, Kang Full joked, “Jo In Sung is extremely difficult to kill off.” He mentioned the actor’s roles in Smugglers and Moving, adding that creators may hesitate to remove his characters because they become too valuable to lose.
Kang Full explained, “Sometimes a character becomes too precious to kill, or the image that the actor has built over time becomes important. Jo In Sung seems to have that kind of appeal.”
For Hope, Jo In Sung reportedly avoided relying on his polished image. He appeared with a thick beard and a rough look while taking on physically demanding scenes that showed his character’s persistence.
The film has also continued to perform strongly at the Korean box office. According to the Korean Film Council’s tracking system, Hope reportedly surpassed 4 million admissions as of August 2.
Jo In Sung is also receiving attention because both Hope and his Netflix film Possible Love are among six films submitted for consideration as South Korea’s entry for the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category.
No final selection has been announced, but industry attention is reportedly centered on Hope and Possible Love due to their international profiles and the recognition of their directors.
