For ‘Colony,’ K-zombie film from ‘Train to Busan’ director, Korean box-office success is no surprise

The film “Colony” continues its box-office reign in the third week of its release. Yonhap

It is another success, and another win, for K-zombie films. One might even say they have evolved.

“Colony,” one of the most anticipated zombie films of the first half of the year, is on a record-breaking run. In the third week of its release, “Colony” is eyeing the 5 million admissions mark. It took four days for the film to cross 1 million admissions after its release on May 21. It crossed 2 million the very next day, and cleared the 3 million mark five days later. Exactly two weeks after its release, the film surpassed 4 million admissions.

It is roaring through box-office milestones faster than any other film released in 2026, a lineup that includes “The King’s Warden,” “Project Hail Mary” and “Salmokji: Whispering Water.” That raises an obvious question: What is driving its success?

The key to its success, according to critics, comes from the combination of the genre’s strong, dedicated fandom and trust in director Yeon Sang-ho. And, of course, there is the anticipation surrounding K-zombies, which have more than earned their hype.

At the forefront of the keys to the show's success is director Yeon Sang-ho, best known for “Train to Busan.” The film made him a 10-million-admission director and is widely recognized as a harbinger of a new zombie boom in Korean cinema.

Yeon continued to expand his zombie apocalypse universe through “Peninsula” in 2020, building a devoted following for his cinematic world. He later showed that his singular imagination and commanding sense of direction were not confined to zombies, helming “Hellbound,” “Parasyte: The Grey” and “Revelations,” all works with a strong genre identity.

Admittedly, not all of his works have been successful. This was especially true with his second zombie film, “Peninsula,” which ended on a disappointing note, with some critics calling it a yawn-inducing narrative whose plot felt forced.

Still, over the years, Yeon has become one of the most prominent names in Korean commercial cinema, and news of his new work is always met with attention. Granted, not all of it is hype or anticipation, with some viewers expressing strong distaste for his work. But even controversy reflects the spotlight the zombie-specialist director commands.

It was only natural, then, that “Colony,” his first zombie film in six years, drew immense attention long before its release.

So far, the film has largely received praise as an elevation of Yeon’s formula beyond his earlier works. Critics say the film successfully recreates the claustrophobic tension of an enclosed space and a cross section of humanity under pressure, much like “Train to Busan,” while avoiding the plot progression criticized in “Peninsula” and instead focusing on the strengths of the genre.

Overall, the film is regarded as making the most of its genre by moving at a relentless pace, sustaining tension and avoiding excessive exposition about its characters.

But even as the film moves at a brisk speed, Yeon manages to raise deeper questions than he did in his previous works. Beneath the familiar zombie spectacle, the film explores the clash between collective interests and individual humanity, as well as the way fear spreads through a community like a plague, marking a step beyond pure commercial entertainment and offering another reason for its success.

The film also gives audiences a clear reason to watch it in theaters, something increasingly necessary for movies seeking box-office success. In an era when viewers can easily wait to watch films at home, theatrical releases need to persuade them that the cinema experience is worth the trip.

“Colony” makes that case convincingly. The dread and tension created by the sheer scale of its zombie hordes are best felt on the big screen. Strong reviews appear to be fueling that appeal, drawing more moviegoers to theaters.

Finally, demand for the genre also played a part in the film’s success. Zombies were once considered oversaturated material, with fans growing tired after being repeatedly hit by waves of similar-looking works from Korea and abroad.

But “Colony” proved that moviegoers are still hungry for a well-made zombie film. The genre, capable of combining horror, thrills, action and drama, still has a strong pull with the public, and “Colony” successfully tapped into that appeal.

It would not be an overstatement to say that “Colony” is about as Korean a zombie film as it could possibly be, bringing together Yeon, the formula of K-zombies and broad demand for the genre. And given how the film appears to have evolved from previous works, it also suggests the possibility of further expansion in the future.

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.