Jun Ji Hyun’s new zombie thriller Colony is already shaping up to be a major box office hit.
As of 9:30 AM on May 21st KST, the film had surpassed 252,000 advance ticket sales, easily topping Korea’s reservation charts ahead of its release. The film significantly outpaced second-place title Michael, which recorded around 54,000 advance bookings, putting Colony in a strong position to debut at No. 1 at the box office.
If the momentum continues, industry watchers expect the film to dominate the weekend box office as well.
Directed by Yeon Sang Ho, Colony follows a group of people trapped inside a quarantined building after a mysterious outbreak spreads, forcing them to fight for survival against the infected.
The film features a star-studded cast including Jun Ji Hyun, Koo Kyo Hwan, Ji Chang Wook, Shin Hyun Been and Kim Shin Rock.
Colony also generated buzz internationally after being invited to the Midnight Screening section at the Cannes Film Festival, where it held its world premiere on May 15th.
Meanwhile, on May 20th, Michael topped the daily Korean box office with 48,850 moviegoers, followed by The Devil Wears Prada 2 in second place. Despite not officially opening yet, Colony placed third with 14,236 viewers from preview screenings, while Gintama: Yoshiwara in Flames debuted in fourth place with 11,685 moviegoers. Salmokji: Whispering Water rounded out the top five with 9,621 viewers and a cumulative total of 3.19 million admissions.
How Many Moviegoers Does ‘Colony’ Need to Break Even?
Colony is a major production with a net production cost of 17 billion won (approximately $11 million) and a total budget of around 20 billion won ($13 million), including marketing expenses. However, its break-even point is estimated at around administering 3 million moviegoers. Under normal calculations, the number would be higher, but overseas sales significantly lowered the break-even threshold.
Director Yeon Sang Ho previously achieved a similar result with his hit film Train to Busan, which recorded strong sales at the Cannes Film Market and substantially reduced its break-even point through international deals.
What Are Korean and International Audiences Saying About ‘Colony’?
Colony recorded a CGV Golden Egg Index score of 89% in Korea and a verified audience rating of 8.84 on Naver on its opening day. The film also earned an 8.8 rating on IMDb and a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes following its screening at Cannes.
Korean viewers who watched the film shared reactions such as:
“Unlike typical zombie movies where people transform instantly, this film shows zombies gradually evolving over time, which felt really fresh. Rather than relying only on horror elements, it focused on the transformation process itself, making it incredibly immersive.”
“This movie will definitely divide audiences. I enjoyed it because I’m fascinated by the phenomenon itself, but if you view it purely as a character drama, there are many parts that may feel unrealistic.”
“Without spoilers, I completely understood why this film was invited to Cannes. Yeon Sang Ho’s signature use of confined spaces to create tension, along with the actors’ intense eye acting, was incredibly powerful.”
“Koo Kyo Hwan’s acting is absolutely insane. His character is completely unhinged, but he pulls it off perfectly.”
“Don’t go into this expecting Train to Busan. The zombies here are on another level. Yeon Sang Ho’s universe really is unmatched.”
“Honestly, this was way better than expected. I’d even say it surpasses Train to Busan.”
Reviews from international viewers are as follows:
>> Jun Ji Hyun and Ji Chang Wook’s ‘Colony’ Earns 7-Minute Ovation at Cannes Premiere
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