You know that feeling when you finish a movie and just sit there in the dark because the atmosphere was so heavy you can't quite get up yet? That’s Hwaran—better known to international audiences as Hopeless. It hit the screen in 2023 and immediately started making waves, not just because it’s a gritty noir, but because of the sheer intensity brought by the performers. If you’re looking into the cast of Hopeless 2023, you aren't just looking for a list of names. You’re likely trying to figure out how a newcomer held his own against a global superstar like Song Joong-ki, and why the chemistry felt so dangerously real.
It's a dark film. Brutal, honestly.
The story dives deep into the guts of a fictional, decaying town called Myeongan. It's the kind of place people don't leave; they just sink further into the mud. Directed by Kim Chang-hoon, the film hinges entirely on the relationship between a teenage boy trying to escape domestic hell and a mid-level thug who has already accepted that there is no escape.
The Breakout: Hong Xa-bin as Yeon-gyu
Let’s talk about the heart of the movie first. Hong Xa-bin plays Yeon-gyu. Before this, most people hadn't really heard of him, unless you were deep into the indie short film scene or saw his brief appearance in Duty After School.
He’s incredible here.
Yeon-gyu is an eighteen-year-old kid who just wants to take his mother and move to the Netherlands. Why the Netherlands? Because in his mind, it's the opposite of his violent home. Hong Xa-bin plays him with this vibrating, nervous energy. You can see the bruises on his face, but it’s the bruises on his psyche that he communicates through these long, silent stares. He doesn’t have much dialogue. He doesn't need it.
The casting of an unknown for this role was a massive gamble that paid off. If you put a famous "idol actor" in this spot, the grit wouldn't have felt authentic. We needed to see a face that felt like it belonged in the dirt of Myeongan. Hong Xa-bin won the Best New Actor award at the 44th Blue Dragon Film Awards for this performance, and if you've seen the "earring scene," you know exactly why. It's visceral.
Song Joong-ki as Chi-geon: A Career Pivot
Then there’s the big name. Song Joong-ki.
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Most fans know him as the "Big Boss" from Descendants of the Sun or the sleek lawyer-consigliere in Vincenzo. He’s usually polished. Even when he’s playing a "bad guy," he’s usually a charming one. In the cast of Hopeless 2023, he completely strips that away.
He plays Chi-geon, a mid-level boss in a local criminal organization. He’s scarred—literally. There is a jagged scar on his ear that tells a story of a childhood trauma involving a fishing hook, which becomes a central motif in the film.
Song Joong-ki actually took no payment for this role.
Think about that for a second. One of the highest-paid actors in Korea did this for free because he loved the script's "dark energy." He wanted to support a small-scale production. It’s a transformative performance. He moves differently here—heavy, sluggish, like a man who has died inside a long time ago. His interaction with Yeon-gyu isn't a typical "mentor-mentee" relationship. It’s more like a mirror. He sees his younger, suffering self in the boy, and he doesn't necessarily want to save him; he just wants to show him how to survive the inevitable.
BIBI (Kim Hyeong-seo) as Ha-yan
If you follow K-pop or R&B, you know BIBI. She’s a provocateur, a brilliant songwriter, and apparently, a natural-born actress.
She plays Ha-yan, Yeon-gyu’s stepsister. Their relationship is the only thing in the movie that feels remotely like "love," though it’s filtered through shared trauma and poverty. BIBI brings a jagged, defensive edge to Ha-yan. She’s not a damsel. She’s a girl who will throw a brick to protect her brother.
What’s interesting about her inclusion in the cast of Hopeless 2023 is how she grounds the movie. Amidst all the "gangster talk" and violence, Ha-yan represents the world that Yeon-gyu is trying to protect. She’s the anchor. Her performance at the Cannes Film Festival—where the movie was screened in the Un Certain Regard section—earned her a lot of praise for her "raw and unrefined" screen presence.
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The Supporting Players Who Build Myeongan
A movie like this lives or dies on its atmosphere. The background characters need to feel like they’ve been breathing polluted air for decades.
- Jung Jae-kwang as Seung-mu: He plays Chi-geon’s right-hand man. You might recognize him from Nevertheless or The Roundup. He’s the muscle, the one who reminds us that this world is dangerous and that Chi-geon’s "kindness" toward Yeon-gyu is an anomaly.
- Kim Jong-soo as Jung-do: He’s a veteran. He’s been in everything from Kingdom to Smugglers. He plays the boss of the criminal ring. He represents the systemic rot. He isn't a cartoon villain; he’s just a businessman who treats human lives like disposable assets.
- Park Bo-kyung as Yeon-gyu’s mother: Her role is heartbreaking. She plays a woman trapped in an abusive marriage, unable to protect her son or herself. Her performance is quiet, but it’s the catalyst for everything Yeon-gyu does.
Why the Chemistry Matters
The core of the film is the bridge between Yeon-gyu and Chi-geon.
When you look at the cast of Hopeless 2023, you see a hierarchy. You have the veteran (Kim Jong-soo), the superstar (Song Joong-ki), the rising musician (BIBI), and the newcomer (Hong Xa-bin). This hierarchy mirrors the power dynamics in the film.
The scenes between Hong and Song are tense. There’s a specific moment involving a motorcycle where the power shift begins. Song Joong-ki doesn't play the scene as a hero; he plays it as a man passing on a curse. The lack of a "happy ending" or a traditional redemption arc is what makes their performances stick. You don't leave the theater cheering for them. You leave feeling heavy for them.
Behind the Scenes: The Cannes Connection
It’s worth noting that this film was a "small" project. It didn't have the massive budget of a summer blockbuster. When the cast of Hopeless 2023 walked the red carpet at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, it was a huge moment for Korean noir.
Song Joong-ki’s presence brought the cameras, but the critics stayed for Hong Xa-bin.
The film explores the "vicious cycle" of violence. It’s a theme we’ve seen in Korean cinema before—think Breathless (2008) or Pieta. But Hopeless feels more claustrophobic. The director, Kim Chang-hoon, mentioned in interviews that he wanted the town to feel like a character itself. The actors had to reflect that. They all look sweaty, tired, and grey.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Movie
A lot of people went into this expecting a "gangster flick." You know, cool fights, flashy cars, maybe a heist.
That’s not this.
The cast had to play characters who are fundamentally miserable. There are no "cool" moments. Even the violence is clumsy and painful. If you're watching for the cast of Hopeless 2023, prepare for a psychological study rather than an action movie. Song Joong-ki’s Chi-geon is a tragic figure, not a "cool boss." If you misunderstand that, the movie feels slow. If you get it, the movie feels like a masterpiece of tone.
Actionable Insights for Viewers
If you haven't seen it yet, or you're planning a rewatch to appreciate the performances, here is how to approach it:
- Watch the eyes, not the hands: The dialogue is sparse. Hong Xa-bin communicates 90% of his character's fear through his pupils. In the scenes where he's being beaten, look at his refusal to close his eyes.
- Notice the physical transformation: Look at Song Joong-ki’s skin and hair. They made him look "parched." He looks like he hasn't drank water in days. It’s a brilliant bit of character work that supports his performance as a hollowed-out man.
- Track Ha-yan's reactions: BIBI’s character is often the only one reacting "normally" to the horror. When everyone else is stoic, her flickers of fear or anger provide the moral compass for the audience.
- Research the Director: Since this was Kim Chang-hoon's debut feature, it's worth seeing how he managed to get these high-caliber performances out of such a diverse cast.
The cast of Hopeless 2023 succeeded because they didn't try to make a "likable" movie. They made a real one. They leaned into the ugliness of the setting and the hopelessness of the title. Whether it's Hong Xa-bin's breakthrough or Song Joong-ki's reinvention, the film stands as a testament to the power of character-driven noir.
If you want to see where Korean cinema is heading beyond the glossy big-budget hits, this is the cast to follow. They aren't just playing roles; they're inhabiting a very dark, very specific world that stays with you long after the credits roll. It’s a tough watch, but for the acting alone, it’s essential.