Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

FORM 4 [ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^* Kim Kevin Sung	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol HOPE BANCORP INC [ HOPE ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman, President & CEO
(Last) (First) (Middle) 3200 WILSHIRE BLVD., SUITE 1400	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 5/19/2021
(Street) LOS ANGELES, CA 90010 (City) (State) (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock								631938	D

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)*
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)			11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽¹⁾	5/19/2021		A		41748		⁽¹⁾	⁽¹⁾	Common Stock	41748	⁽¹⁾	41748	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽²⁾	5/19/2021		A		16699		⁽²⁾	⁽²⁾	Common Stock	16699	⁽²⁾	16699	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽³⁾	5/19/2021		A		16699		⁽³⁾	⁽³⁾	Common Stock	16699	⁽³⁾	16699	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁴⁾	5/19/2021		A		8349		⁽⁴⁾	⁽⁴⁾	Common Stock	8349	⁽⁴⁾	8349	D
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁵⁾							⁽⁵⁾	⁽⁵⁾	Common Stock	50210		50210	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁶⁾							⁽⁶⁾	⁽⁶⁾	Common Stock	37658		37658	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁷⁾							⁽⁷⁾	⁽⁷⁾	Common Stock	37658		37658	D
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁸⁾							⁽⁸⁾	⁽⁸⁾	Common Stock	29278		29278	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁹⁾							⁽⁹⁾	⁽⁹⁾	Common Stock	21958		21958	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽¹⁰⁾							⁽¹⁰⁾	⁽¹⁰⁾	Common Stock	21958		21958	D
Incentive stock option (right to buy)	$17.18							⁽¹¹⁾	9/1/2026	Common Stock	60000		60000	D
Non-qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	$15.88							⁽¹²⁾	4/11/2024	Common Stock	170000		170000	D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$16.12							⁽¹³⁾	5/26/2026	Common Stock	30660		30660	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Total 41,748 Restricted Stock Units ("RSU") were granted on May 19, 2021 pursuant to the Hope Bancorp, Inc. 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan ("2017 LTIP") and the Hope Bancorp, Inc. 2019 Incentive Compensation Plan ("2019 ICP"). Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock. Installments of 13,916 each will vest annually on May 19, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
(2)	16,699 performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSU") were granted on May 19, 2021 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and 2019 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU shares depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified relative return on common tangible equity in relation to the bank's stated peer group over a 12-quarter period from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2023. Each PRSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock at Target performance. The "Target" number of shares is reported. Possible payout ranges from 0% of Target if the Threshold goal is not met, 50% to 99% on a prorated basis if the Threshold is met but the Target goal is not met, 100% to 149% on a prorated basis if the Target goal is met but the Stretch goal is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.
(3)	16,699 PRSU were granted on May 19, 2021 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and 2019 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU shares depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified absolute earnings per share in relation to the bank's stated budget over a 12-month period from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. Each PRSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock at Target performance. The "Target" number of shares is reported. Possible payout ranges from 0% of Target if the Threshold goal is not met, 50% to 99% on a prorated basis if the Threshold is met but the Target goal is not met, 100% to 149% on a prorated basis if the Target goal is met but the Stretch goal is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.
(4)	8,349 PRSU were granted on May 19, 2021 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and 2019 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU shares depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified relative ranking of the total stockholder return in relation to the bank's stated peer group over a 12-quarter period from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2023. Each PRSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock at Target performance. The "Target" number of shares is reported. Possible payout ranges from 0% of Target if the Threshold goal is not met, 50% to 99% on a prorated basis if the Threshold is met but the Target goal is not met, 100% to 149% on a prorated basis if the Target goal is met but the Stretch goal is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.
(5)	Total 75,315 RSU were granted on April 22, 2020 pursuant to 2017 LTIP and the 2019 ICP. Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock. Installments of 25,105 shares each will vest annually on April 22, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
(6)	37,658 PRSU were granted on April 22, 2020 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and 2019 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU shares depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified relative ranking of the total stockholder return in relation to the KRX Index over an 11-quarter period from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2022. Each PRSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock at Target performance. The "Target" number of shares is reported. Possible payout ranges from 0% of Target if the Threshold goal is not met, 50% to 99% on a prorated basis if the Threshold is met but the Target goal is not met, 100% to 149% on a prorated basis if the Target goal is met but the Stretch goal is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.
(7)	37,658 PRSU were granted on April 22, 2020 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and 2019 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU shares depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified relative return on average assets in relation to the KRX Index over an 11-quarter period from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2022. Each PRSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock at Target performance. The "Target" number of shares is reported. Possible payout ranges from 0% of Target if the Threshold goal is not met, 50% to 99% on a prorated basis if the Threshold is met but the Target goal is not met, 100% to 149% on a prorated basis if the Target goal is met but the Stretch goal is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.
(8)	Total 43,917 RSU were granted on May 23, 2019 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and the 2019 ICP. Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock. Installments of 14,639 shares each will vest annually on May 23, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
(9)	21,958 PRSU were granted on May 23, 2019 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and 2019 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU shares depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified relative return on average assets in relation to the KRX Index during the 11-quarter period from April 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021. Each PRSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock at Target performance. The "Target" number of shares is reported. Possible payout ranges from 0% of Target if the Threshold goal is not met, 50% to 99% on a prorated basis if the Threshold is met but the Target goal is not met, 100% to 149% on a prorated basis if the Target goal is met but the Stretch goal is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.
(10)	21,958 PRSU were granted on May 23, 2019 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and 2019 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU shares depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified relative ranking of the total stockholder return in relation to the KRX Index over an 11-quarter period from April 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021. Each PRSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock at Target performance. The "Target" number of shares is reported. Possible payout ranges from 0% of Target if the Threshold goal is not met, 50% to 99% on a prorated basis if the Threshold is met but the Target goal is not met, 100% to 149% on a prorated basis if the Target goal is met but the Stretch goal is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.
(11)	Non-qualified stock options were granted on September 1, 2016 pursuant to the 2016 ICP, formerly known as the BBCN Bancorp, Inc. 2016 Incentive Compensation Plan. These options were fully vested as of September 1, 2018.
(12)	Non-qualified stock options granted on June 27, 2014 under the BBCN Bancorp Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan. These options were fully vested as of April 11, 2019.
(13)	Non-qualified stock options granted on May 26, 2016 under the BBCN Bancorp Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan. These options were fully vested as of April 11, 2019.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Kim Kevin Sung 3200 WILSHIRE BLVD. SUITE 1400 LOS ANGELES, CA 90010	X		Chairman, President & CEO