Sec Form 4 Filing - Kim Kevin Sung @ HOPE BANCORP INC - 2018-04-26

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 Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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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) President & CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 3200 WILSHIRE BLVD., SUITE 1400 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 04/26/2018 (Street) LOS ANGELES, CA90010 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction 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) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 62,068 ( 1 ) D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction 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 (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (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) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares Time-based Restricted Stock Units ( 2 ) 04/26/2018 A 30,294 ( 2 ) ( 2 ) Common Stock 30,294 $ 0 30,294 D Performance-based Restricted Stock Units ( 3 ) 04/26/2018 A 15,147 04/26/2021( 3 ) ( 3 ) Common Stock 15,147 ( 3 ) $ 0 15,147 ( 3 ) D Performance-based Restricted Stock Units ( 4 ) 04/26/2018 A 15,147 04/26/2021( 4 ) ( 4 ) Common Stock 15,147 ( 4 ) $ 0 15,147 ( 4 ) D Time-based Restricted Stock Units ( 5 ) ( 5 ) ( 5 ) Common Stock 28,656 28,656 D Performance-based Restricted Stock Units ( 6 ) ( 6 ) ( 6 ) Common Stock 14,328 ( 6 ) 14,328 ( 6 ) D Performance-based Restricted Stock Units ( 7 ) ( 7 ) ( 7 ) Common Stock 14,328 ( 7 ) 14,328 ( 7 ) D Restricted Stock Units ( 8 ) ( 8 ) ( 8 ) Common Stock 16,667 16,667 D Incentive stock option (right to buy) $ 17.18 ( 9 ) 09/01/2026 Common Stock 60,000 60,000 D Non-qualified Stock Option (right to buy) $ 15.88 ( 10 ) 04/11/2024 Common Stock 170,000 170,000 D Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 16.12 ( 11 ) 05/26/2026 Common Stock 30,660 30,660 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Kim Kevin Sung 3200 WILSHIRE BLVD. SUITE 1400 LOS ANGELES, CA90010 X President & CEO Signatures /s/Kevin Sung Kim 04/30/2018 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )Includes restricted stock granted on April 11, 2014 under the BBCN Bancorp Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan with 12,000 remaining shares that will vest annually in equal installments on April 11, 2018 and 2019. ( 2 )Total 30,294 Restricted Stock Units (RSU) were granted on April 26, 2018 pursuant to the Hope Bancorp, Inc. 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan ("2017 LTIP") and BBCN Bancorp, Inc. 2016 Incentive Compensation Plan ("2016 ICP"). Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock. Installments of 10,098 shares each will vest annually on April 26, 2019, 2020, and 2021. ( 3 )15,147 performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSU") were granted on April 26, 2018 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and the 2016 ICP and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting. Vesting of these PRSU depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified increase in the cumulative quarterly earnings per share during the 11-quarter period from April 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020. 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 i s not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded. ( 4 )15,147 performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSU") were granted on April 26, 2018 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and the 2016 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 a 11-quarter period from April 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020. 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 28,656 Restricted Stock Units (RSU) were granted on June 26, 2017 pursuant to 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan [2017 LTIP] and 2016 Incentive Compensation Plan [2016 ICP]. Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Hope common stock. Installments of 9,552 shares each will vest on June 26, 2018, 2019, and 2020. ( 6 )14,328 performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSU") were granted on June 26, 2017 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and the 2016 ICP. Vesting of these PRSU shares depends upon Hope's achievement of a specified increase in the cumulative quarterly earnings per share during the 11-quarter period from April 1, 2017 through December 31, 2019. 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 )14,328 performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSU") were granted on June 26, 2017 pursuant to the 2017 LTIP and the 2016 ICP. 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 a 11-quarter period from April 1, 2017 through December 31, 2019. 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 25,000 restricted stock units were granted on September 1, 2016 pursuant to the BBCN Bancorp, Inc. 2016 Incentive Compensation Plan. Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of HOPE Bancorp, Inc. common stock. 1/3 of the award vested immediately on the grant date, with the remaining 2/3 vesting in 2 equal annual installments on September 1, 2017 and 2018. ( 9 )These options were granted on September 1, 2016 pursuant to the BBCN Bancorp, Inc. 2016 Incentive Compensation Plan. 1/3 of the options vested immediately on the grant date, with the remaining 2/3 vesting in 2 equal annual installments on September 1, 2017 and 2018. ( 10 )Non-qualified stock options granted on April 11, 2014 under the BBCN Bancorp Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan. 50,000 shares remain unvested. 40,000 will vest on April 11, 2018 and remaining 10,000 will vest on April 11, 2019. ( 11 )Employee stock options granted on May 26, 2016 under the BBCN Bancorp Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan. The shares will vest on April 11, 2019.

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