The new zombie-themed film by director Yeon Sang Ho - "Colony" - is stirring up the Korean box office after recording the highest opening day achievement in 2026.
According to the Korean Film Council, "Colony" attracted 199,768 viewers on its opening day on May 21, immediately rising to number 1 on the box office. Considering the film's release on Thursday during the low season, this number is considered extremely rare.
This opening achievement is currently the highest among all films released in 2026. "Colony" has surpassed the opening day sales of this year's blockbusters such as "The King's Warden" (117,783 tickets) and "Salmokji: Whispering water" (89,911 tickets).
As of May 22, the total accumulated viewership of "Colony" was 448,341 tickets, and accumulated revenue reached 4.89 billion won.
Colonia" is set in a skyscraper in central Seoul, where survivors are trapped after a mysterious outbreak blocks the entire building. They have to fight infected creatures that can evolve in unpredictable ways.
This is Yeon Sang Ho's 3rd zombie movie after "Train to Busan" and "Peninsula". However, this time, the director introduces a completely different type of zombie.
In the film, the infected people act as a collective intelligence system capable of learning and evolving, gradually forming higher-level herd behavior.
This idea helps "Colony" differentiate itself from traditional zombie movies, while bringing a feeling of tension full of horror - thriller. In particular, the second half of the movie has many unique visual scenes that are becoming a major topic of discussion for audiences.
The film also received great attention thanks to the famous cast. Leading the lineup is Jun Ji Hyun, marking her first return to the big screen after 11 years since "Assassination". She starred alongside Koo Kyo Hwan, Ji Chang Wook, Shin Hyun Been, Kim Shin Rok and Go Soo.
Speaking about the reason for accepting to participate, Jun Ji Hyun shared: "Everyone loves director Yeon's works, and so do I. Working with a director with a clear style and message like him makes actors feel very free.
Jun Ji Hyun plays Kwon Se Jung, a biotechnology professor and leader of the survival group. Koo Kyo Hwan plays Seo Young Chul, a genius biologist who caused an epidemic outbreak and is the villain of the film.
Ji Chang Wook plays building security officer Choi Hyun Seok, and Kim Shin Rok plays his older sister - Choi Hyun Hee, an IT company employee. Go Soo transforms into Han Gyu Sung, Se Jung's ex-husband and the husband of biotechnology professor Seol Hee played by Shin Hyun Been.
Before being released domestically, "Colony" was invited to participate in the Midnight Screening category at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival. After the screening, audiences at the Lumière Grand Theatre were said to have stood up and applauded for 7 minutes.
Industry insiders believe that the positive word-of-mouth effect from Cannes is contributing to creating a strong opening for the work in Korea. In addition, movie ticket discount vouchers issued by the government are also said to help boost initial ticket sales.
“Colony” is said to have a breakeven score of about 3-4 million views, based on a production budget of about 20 billion won. However, industry insiders say this number has decreased significantly thanks to pre-sales of rights in 120 international markets.
