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 ^* Malone David P	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) SEVP, Bank President & COO
(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								43525	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		11349		⁽¹⁾	⁽¹⁾	Common Stock	11349	⁽¹⁾	11349	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽²⁾	5/19/2021		A		4540		⁽²⁾	⁽²⁾	Common Stock	4540	⁽²⁾	4540	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽³⁾	5/19/2021		A		4540		⁽³⁾	⁽³⁾	Common Stock	4540	⁽³⁾	4540	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁴⁾	5/19/2021		A		2269		⁽⁴⁾	⁽⁴⁾	Common Stock	2269	⁽⁴⁾	2269	D
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁵⁾							⁽⁵⁾	⁽⁵⁾	Common Stock	13667		13667	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁶⁾							⁽⁶⁾	⁽⁶⁾	Common Stock	10250		10250	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁷⁾							⁽⁷⁾	⁽⁷⁾	Common Stock	10250		10250	D
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁸⁾							⁽⁸⁾	⁽⁸⁾	Common Stock	3909		3909	D
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁹⁾							⁽⁹⁾	⁽⁹⁾	Common Stock	8566		8566	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽¹⁰⁾							⁽¹⁰⁾	⁽¹⁰⁾	Common Stock	6424		6424	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽¹¹⁾							⁽¹¹⁾	⁽¹¹⁾	Common Stock	6424		6424	D
Non-qualified stock option (right to buy)	$17.18							⁽¹²⁾	9/1/2026	Common Stock	20000		20000	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Total 11,349 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 3,783 each will vest annually on May 19, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
(2)	4,540 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)	4,540 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)	2,269 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 20,500 RSU were granted on April 22, 2020 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 6,833 each will vest annually on April 22, 2021 and April 22, 2022, and 6,834 shares will vest on April 22, 2023.
(6)	10,250 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)	10,250 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 7,817 RSU were granted on March 6, 2020 pursuant to the 2019 ICP. Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock. Installments of 3,908 and 3,909 shares each will vest annually on March 6, 2021 and 2022 respectively.
(9)	Total 12,849 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. Installment of 4,283 shares each will vest annually on May 23, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
(10)	6,424 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 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.
(11)	6,424 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.
(12)	Non-qualified stock options granted on September 1, 2016 pursuant to the 2016 ICP. 1/3 of the options vested immediately on the grant date, with the remaining 2/3 vesting in two equal annual installments thereafter.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Malone David P 3200 WILSHIRE BLVD. SUITE 1400 LOS ANGELES, CA 90010	X		SEVP, Bank President & COO