Cannes gives standing ovation to new K-zombie film ‘Colony’

From left, actors Kim Shin-rok, Shin Hyun-been, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook and Jun Ji-hyun, and director Yeon Sang-ho pose at the premiere of the film "Colony" at the 79th Cannes Film festival in southern France, Friday. AP-Yonhap

CANNES — Yeon Sang-ho returned to the Cannes Film Festival with another zombie thriller, and audiences appeared fully hooked by a new twist on the globally popular “K-zombie” genre.

At around 3 a.m. Saturday, more than 2,300 viewers inside Cannes’ Grand Lumiere Theater erupted into applause after the world premiere screening of “Colony,” Yeon’s latest film. The audience gave a standing ovation lasting about five minutes as Yeon and cast members Koo Kyo-hwan, Jun Ji-hyun, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-been and Kim Shin-rok greeted the crowd.

“It is an honor to present ‘Colony’ at the Cannes Film Festival I had always dreamed of,” Yeon said after the screening. “The passionate support from the audience will remain a memory I cherish for a very long time.”

The film was invited to the Midnight Screenings section of Cannes, a category known for unconventional genre works. Before the screening, director Park Chan-wook, who is serving as jury president for this year’s competition section, welcomed guests alongside Cannes delegate general Thierry Fremaux at the red carpet event.

Long lines formed outside the theater more than an hour before the screening began, with many younger moviegoers and “Korean wave” fans visible among the crowd. One audience member from Shanghai said she managed to secure a difficult-to-get ticket because she was a fan of Ji Chang-wook.

“Colony” marks Yeon’s third zombie feature following the global hit “Train to Busan” (2016) and “Peninsula” (2020). All three films received invitations from Cannes, though “Peninsula” was unable to fully enjoy the festival atmosphere due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new film centers on Seo Young-cheol, a biologist played by Koo Kyo-hwan, who launches a biological terror attack after being fired from a biotech company. During a corporate presentation in the middle of Seoul, he injects the company’s CEO with a highly contagious bacteria, quickly turning a skyscraper into a nightmare overrun by zombies.

As the building is sealed off by police, survivors inside — including Kwon Se-jung, played by Jun Ji-hyun; her ex-husband Han Gyu-sung, played by Go Soo; IT worker Choi Hyun-hee, played by Kim Shin-rok; and security guard Choi Hyun-seok, played by Ji Chang-wook — struggle to survive and call for rescue.

A scene from "Colony" / Courtesy of Showbox

While the confined space outbreak setup may remind viewers of “Train to Busan,” the film introduces a major new concept: zombies connected through a shared network of consciousness. The infected move as a collective organism directed by a controlling leader, allowing them to learn and adapt together while hunting survivors.

The concept creates constant tension throughout the film, and although some characters follow familiar genre archetypes, the movie pushes forward at a fast pace, focusing heavily on suspense and large-scale action sequences.

Yeon previously said he hoped the film would deliver “intuitive suspense and entertainment” while also encouraging viewers to think about individuality, collectivism and human identity.

One of the film’s standout features is its zombie choreography, a hallmark of the K-zombie genre. The infected move with acrobatic, dance-like motions that often resemble contemporary performance art. To achieve the effect, 20 professional dancers participated in both choreography and acting roles after Yeon requested the involvement of top contemporary dancers in Korea.

Cast members Ji Chang-wook, left, and Koo Kyo-hwan pose on the red carpet for the screening of the film "Colony," presented as part of Midnight Screenings at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in France, Friday. Reuters-Yonhap

Despite the late-night screening slot — where European festival audiences are often known to leave midway if interest fades — very few audience members exited the theater during the screening.

Audience reactions afterward were largely positive.

Gabriel, a French film student, said, “Korean films have something very unique compared to movies from other countries. It was exciting to see that alongside Korean culture in the film, and the way it handled the zombie horror genre felt very fresh.”

French filmmaker Nicolas Boulasma said the movie reminded him of the Hollywood action film “Die Hard” because of its single-building setting.

“Compared to ‘Train to Busan,’ there was less emotional depth between the characters,” he said. “But it was a rhythmic and effective thriller, and especially the lead actor’s performance was excellent.”

“Colony” will complete its Cannes schedule before opening in South Korea on May 21.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.