From left, actors Go Soo, Kim Shin-rok, Shin Hyun-been, director Yeon Sang-ho, actors Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan and Ji Chang-wook pose during a press conference for the upcoming movie “Colony” at a theater in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
Director Yeon Sang-ho, best known for the global zombie hit “Train to Busan” (2016), is back with another zombie film, gathering big-name stars in Korean cinema.
“Zombie films are a great genre for revealing the latent fears of society,” Yeon said during a press conference in Seoul, Monday.
“Just as ‘Train to Busan’ tried to capture the fears of its time, I hope audiences will see ‘Colony’ as the fear I feel now, 10 years later.”
“Colony” is set inside a sealed building where survivors trapped by a mysterious infection must fight back against evolving infected beings. The film stars Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-been, Kim Shin-rok and Go Soo.
Actor Jun Ji-hyun speaks during a press conference for her movie “Colony” at a theater in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
The film marks Jun’s return to the big screen after more than a decade, following “Assassination” in 2015.
“I am so excited to be back,” she said with a bright smile. “I have always been a fan of Yeon, and I was happy to join knowing I would work alongside such outstanding actors.”
Yeon said the wide spectrum she showed in films like “My Sassy Girl” (2001) and “Assassination” appears in a more concentrated form in “Colony,” describing her as an actor who can be sharp, playful and sincere all at the same time.
Director Yeon Sang-ho speaks during a press conference for his movie “Colony” at a theater in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
Yeon also had warm words for Ji.
“I wondered whether someone that good-looking was allowed to work that hard,” he said, drawing laughter from reporters. “There is nothing he cannot do, from emotional acting to action. His action in particular is at a jaw-dropping level.”
The director also revealed that Ji had sent him a text message after a shoot apologizing for not having prepared more, which left a deep impression. “I thought that this actor is really this sincere,” he said.
Koo, who previously worked with Yeon in “Peninsula” (2020), plays the role of a biology professor in the film.
“He has his own logic but no certainty,” Koo said of his character.
Yeon said he hopes to continue working with Koo as his on-screen persona, calling him “a true film lover and a genuine genre fanatic who knows every corner of cinema.”
Shin plays a biotechnology professor who tries to find the cause of the terror from outside the sealed building. Having been involved with Yeon’s projects such as Netflix movie “Revelations” (2025) and “The Ugly” (2025), she said “Colony” is her first creature film with the director.
“I filmed my scenes from outside the building, watching what was happening inside on a monitor. It made me feel helpless, like I was just a spectator who could not do anything,” she said.
Yeon hinted that the film will keep its balance between intensity and accessibility.
“Colony” is set to hit theaters in May.