The beloved South Korean actor will soon be seen in his new theatrical release titled Hopeless (화란), also known as Hwaran, but there’s a lot about the noir thriller film that we need to know first! Read on to find out all there is to know about the upcoming South Korean film’s cinematic premiere.

We’ve come across many dark storylines that have featured its protagonists being trapped at the centre of an ugly, unfair and abusive reality. The forthcoming film will also convey a similar idea, but with an even harsher fictional imagination that may not be untrue for some after all. Directed and written by Kim Chang-hoon, the dark thriller flick has a runtime of 2 hours and 13 minutes, which will bless the cast members’ fans with some hard-hitting themes and action sequences.

Hopeless Movie Cast

The Vincenzo actor, Song Joong-ki will be playing the role of Chi-geon, a middle boss of a local gang. Hong Xa-bin will be taking the lead as Yeon-gyu, a teenage boy. The K-pop soloist BIBI will be seen as Hayan. Additionally, Jung Jae-kwang and Jung Man-sik will also be seen in the movie in supporting roles.

Hopeless Korean Movie Plot / Synopsis

Following moral struggles faced by Yeon-gyu, a teenage boy who’s never had a father figure, the film captures his desire of wanting to escape his harsh reality. On this unlikely journey, he chances upon Chi-geon, the middle boss of a local gang, and the serendipitous meet-up and his need to make money push him down the dark road of crime. Ironically, in order to “escape hell”, Kim Yeon-gyu must first become a part of it and then “give them hell” too.

While Yeon-gyu may have initially made it out alone, when he’s pushed to the corner to save his step-sister Hayan, he’s left with no choice but to turn to Chi-geon for help. Their initial relationship dynamic makes Yeon-gyu feel safe in Chi-geon’s corner, who soon assumes an elder brotherly image, but Yeon-gyu learns it the hard way that fighting to survive in Chi-geon’s gang is no piece of cake.

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Hopeless Release Date

The neo-noir thriller title first premiered at 2023 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section in May 2023. Now, it’s all set to release theatrically for the South Korean audiences on October 11, 2023. The movie has already been making a lot of noise owing to Joong-ki and BIBI’s contribution, but it again made headlines on October 4 as its team was invited to the 28th Busan International Film Festival 2023 in the ‘Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere’ section.

Will the Movie Release in India?

With the rising tide of the Hallyu Wave, movies like The Childe starring Kim Seon-ho and The Moon staring EXO’s Kyungsoo aka Doh Kyung-soo were also released in Indian theatres in 2023, so it’s quite likely that this new Song Joong-ki Movie may also see the light of the day in Indian cinemas, given Joong-ki’s popularity among his fans and even non fans alike. However, no official announcements regarding the same have been made by PVR Cinemas, so the movie may receive a late theatrical premiere in India, or not at all. We will update this copy in case any announcements are made.

Watch the Hopeless Trailer

Here’s the English-dubbed trailer of the movie.

Are you ready for Joong-ki’s return to the film sphere after his last role in the Korean Netflix film Space Sweepers in 2021? Let us know your thoughts on the upcoming release in the comments section below.

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