Hoyeon on Na Hong-jin's 'Hope': Risk, Stunts, and Alien Empathy

In an interview with AnOther Magazine, actress Hoyeon discusses her role in South Korean director Na Hong-jin's upcoming film 'Hope', a genre-blending sci-fi action movie. Hoyeon, known for 'Squid Game' and 'Disclaimer', plays Sung-ae, a policewoman in a frontier town confronting an alien invasion. The film, which combines elements of horror, comedy, and drama, required Hoyeon to perform her own stunts, including driving and J-turns, after six months of training. She gained four kilograms of muscle mass and learned to drive a manual car. Hoyeon describes the film's themes of perspective and the complexity of human nature, noting that the director intentionally gave the aliens more depth than the human characters. She also discusses her approach to acting, her admiration for Na Hong-jin, and the Korean film industry's global success. The interview is part of AnOther Magazine's Autumn/Winter 2026 issue, celebrating its 25th anniversary, and features photography by Roe Ethridge.