Hyundai's 'Stella' Returns as Scene-Stealer in Film 'Hope'

A clip titled "Seong-ae" has been released, showing lead actress Jung Ho-yeon taking on action scenes while driving the Hyundai model "Stella" in the film "Hope."

According to Hyundai Motor on the 15th, director Na Hong-jin's new film "Hope" opened on the same day, with the nostalgic classic car "Stella" revived on screen. Featured in the film through Hyundai Motor's sponsorship, the Stella appears as a police car used by protagonists Beom-seok (Hwang Jung-min) and Seong-ae (Jung Ho-yeon). The story of "Hope" unfolds in a village near the Demilitarized Zone in the 1980s, and the Stella was launched in 1983. The Stella was Korea's second proprietary passenger car model following the Pony, and is regarded as the beginning of the mid-size car lineage that includes the Sonata. The Stella served both as a device creating the rhythm of the film's chase sequences and as an element evoking the era's emotional atmosphere.

The released clip captures the process of Jung Ho-yeon personally performing high-difficulty driving scenes. Jung explained how she obtained a Class 1 driver's license for the filming and showcased drift techniques with the Stella. The clip also includes behind-the-scenes stories from the car chase sequences and anecdotes about Jung's rapport with the Stella. "Hope" is an SF action thriller directed by Na Hong-jin, who directed "The Chaser," "The Yellow Sea," and "The Wailing," and was officially invited to the competition section of this year's Cannes Film Festival in France.

Hyundai Motor explained that "this sponsorship is intended to naturally convey the brand's heritage and cultural values to global audiences." Hyundai Motor is expanding its support across the film industry, including its self-produced short film "Night Fishing" and "Bedford Park," which won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.