Ownership Submission
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

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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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Song David Lee
  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)
EVP, Chief Lending Ofc (West)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
3200 WILSHIRE BLVD., SUITE 1400
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/21/2018
(Street)

LOS ANGELES, CA 90010
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
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 (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 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 08/21/2018   S   5,000 D $ 17.75 4,023 D  
Common Stock (Restricted Stock)               765 (1) D  

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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 (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 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
(Month/Day/Year)
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)               (2)   (2) Common Stock 686   686 D  
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units (3)             04/26/2021(3)   (3) Common Stock 343 (3)   343 (3) D  
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units (4)             04/26/2021(4)   (4) Common Stock 343 (4)   343 (4) D  
Time-based Restricted Stock Units (5)               (5)   (5) Common Stock 1,500   1,500 D  
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units (6)             07/27/2020(6)   (6) Common Stock 750 (6)   750 (6) D  
Performance-based Restricted Stock Units (7)             07/27/2020(7)   (7) Common Stock 750 (7)   750 (7) D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy) $ 17.18               (8) 09/01/2026 Common Stock 20,000   20,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Song David Lee
3200 WILSHIRE BLVD.
SUITE 1400
LOS ANGELES, CA 90010
      EVP, Chief Lending Ofc (West)  

Signatures

 /s/Claire Hur as attorney-in-fact for David L. Song   08/23/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) 765 represents outstanding (unvested) Restricted Stock from previous grants on 4/8/15 and 3/16/16, including accrued dividends to date. These shares will vest in March-April 2018 and 2019 according to previously disclosed vesting schedules.
(2) Total 686 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 228 shares each will vest annually on every April 26th of 2019 and 2020, and 230 shares on April 26, 2021.
(3) 343 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 is not met, and 150% if the Stretch goal is met or exceeded.
(4) 343 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 1,500 Restricted Stock Units (RSU) were granted on July 27, 2017 pursuant to the Hope Bancorp, Inc. 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan ("2017 LTIP") and the 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 500 shares each will vest annually on every July 27th of 2018, 2019, and 2020.
(6) 750 performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSU") were granted on July 27, 2017 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 10-quarter period from July 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) 750 performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSU") were granted on July 27, 2017 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 10-quarter period from July 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) Options granted on September 1, 2016 pursuant to the 2016 ICP. Options vest annually in five equal installments on September 1st of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

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