Survival Thriller ‘Hope’ Adds “Squid Game” Breakout Star Jung Ho-yeon to Cast

Casting continues to heat up for Hope, a new survival thriller from Korean director Na Hong-Jin (The Wailing). 

Deadline reports that “Squid Game” star Jung Ho-yeon will join previously announced cast members Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.

The outlet says, “The largely Korean-language film will follow the residents of Hopo Port, where a mysterious discovery is made on the outskirts of the remote harbor town. Before long, the residents find themselves in a desperate fight for survival against something they have never encountered before.”

What’s the mysterious discovery? If The Wailing is any indication, it’ll likely get very intense.

Jung Ho-yeon, also known as Hoyeon, is a South Korean model and an actress who made her acting debut on Netflix’s popular “Squid Game” series as the breakout character Kang Sae-byeok. Her portrayal earned the actor a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.

Additional casting and pre-production on Hope are underway, with filming expected to begin later this year in Korea. 

Hong Kyung-pyo (The Wailing, Parasite) reteams with Na Hong-Jin as cinematographer.

“Everything about Hoyeon aligned with what I envisioned for Sung-Ae,” Na told Deadline. “Her bold, bright energy will be a great source of strength for this film.”

In the meantime, The Wailing is available to stream now to help stave off the anticipation for Hope.