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 JASON K	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol HOPE BANCORP INC [ HOPE ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) SEVP, Western Regional Pres.
(Last) (First) (Middle) 3200 WILSHIRE BLVD., SUITE 1400	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 5/24/2021
(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	5/24/2021		M		1813	A	$15.39	57046	D
Common Stock	5/24/2021		F		627	D	$15.39	56419	D
Common Stock								4677	I	By spouse

*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⁾							⁽¹⁾	⁽¹⁾	Common Stock	4864		4864	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽²⁾							⁽²⁾	⁽²⁾	Common Stock	1946		1946	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽³⁾							⁽³⁾	⁽³⁾	Common Stock	1946		1946	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁴⁾							⁽⁴⁾	⁽⁴⁾	Common Stock	972		972	D
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁵⁾							⁽⁵⁾	⁽⁵⁾	Common Stock	6667		6667	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁶⁾							⁽⁶⁾	⁽⁶⁾	Common Stock	5000		5000	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁷⁾							⁽⁷⁾	⁽⁷⁾	Common Stock	5000		5000	D
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁸⁾							⁽⁸⁾	⁽⁸⁾	Common Stock	2689		2689	D
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽⁹⁾	5/24/2021		M			1813	⁽⁹⁾	⁽⁹⁾	Common Stock	1813	$15.39	1813	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽¹⁰⁾							⁽¹⁰⁾	⁽¹⁰⁾	Common Stock	2719		2719	D
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽¹¹⁾							⁽¹¹⁾	⁽¹¹⁾	Common Stock	2719		2719	D
Time-based Restricted Stock Units	⁽¹²⁾							⁽¹²⁾	⁽¹²⁾	Common Stock	1600		1600	D
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)	$17.18							⁽¹³⁾	9/1/2026	Common Stock	30000		30000	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Total 4,864 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 1,621 each will vest annually on May 19, 2022 and May 19, 2023, and 1,622 shares will vest on May 19, 2024.
(2)	1,946 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)	1,946 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)	972 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 10,000 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 3,333 each will vest annually on April 22, 2021 and April 22, 2022, and 3,334 shares will vest on April 22, 2023.
(6)	5,000 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)	5,000 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 5,377 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 2,688 and 2,689 shares each will vest annually on March 6, 2021 and 2022 respectively.
(9)	Total 5,439 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 1,813 shares each will vest annually on May 23, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
(10)	2,719 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)	2,719 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 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)	Total 8,000 RSU were granted on September 1, 2016 pursuant to the 2016 ICP. Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock. Shares will vest annually in five equal installments on September 1st of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
(13)	Non-qualified stock options granted on September 1, 2016 pursuant to the 2016 ICP. These options vest annually in five equal installments on September 1st of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
KIM JASON K 3200 WILSHIRE BLVD. SUITE 1400 LOS ANGELES, CA 90010			SEVP, Western Regional Pres.