Production notes

It was announced in October 2024 that Yeon Sang-ho, director of Train to Busan (2016) and Peninsula (2020), was preparing the zombie-thriller film titled Colony, planned for a theatrical release. The film would feature large-scale action scenes, combining human groups with zombie themes. Choi Gyu-seok collaborated with director Yeon on the writing. It is produced by Wow Point and Smilegate, and distributed by Showbox. By February 2025, Showbox's executive director Lee Hyun-jung confirmed the investment and distribution of the film. The production budget was approximately ₩17 billion (approximately $12 million).

"This will certainly be the most commercial film I've made so far. (...) I'm trying to make a film that can be fun, drawing on the strengths of Train to Busan and Hellbound." The initial concept for the film, as envisioned by Choi Gyu-seok and director Yeon, centered on emphasizing the suspense generated by the constant shifting of roles. The zombies, being in a state of constant evolution, inevitably undergo changes, while human characters are assigned missions akin to a game, necessitating role-switching to achieve survival. Zombies in the film, possess mechanisms for interaction, and as the infection spreads and their numbers increase, their thinking speed accelerates and intelligence strengthens. However, their thought processes, learning patterns, and failure modes diverge significantly from humans, creating an eerie, unconventional nature that's uniquely theirs. Meanwhile, the humans battling them adapt, forging a distinct form of existence.

Casting announcements began in late October 2024, with Jun Ji-hyun receiving an offer and in talks. Shin Hyun-been, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Shin-rok, and Ji Chang-wook would also be joining the cast. The appearances of Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Shin Hyun-been, Kim Shin-rok, and Ji Chang-wook, along with Go Soo for a special appearance, were officially confirmed by March 2025.

Principal photography commenced in early March 2025, and was completed at the end of June of the same year. Filming took place three times in two locations in Dangjin, South Chungcheong. Choreographer Jeon Young, who worked with Yeon Sang-ho on Train to Busan, Peninsula, and Hellbound (2021–2024), teamed up with dancer-choreographers Song Seung-wook, Lim Hee-jong, and Jung Eui-young to create unique zombie movements.

It grossed $44 million at the Korean box office, including a $9.6 million opening weekend.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 115 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Layering modern anxieties about technology onto a nightmarish outbreak, Colony lacks the vivid characterizations that distinguish director Yeon Sang-ho's best work but mostly reaffirms his mastery over zombie mayhem." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 57 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Chad Collins of Dread Central rated the film of 4 out of 5 and wrote, "Yeon Sang-ho’s Colony is 'Train to Busan' on steroids. It’s a rip-roaring, terrifying zombie epic, and the best undead movie in years." Joanne Soh of The Straits Times gave the film a rating of 3 out of 5, writing, "Colony is entertaining and easy to consume. Just don’t expect any deeper bite." Nikki Baughan of Screen International wrote, "As a modern zombie movie, Colony certainly has a satisfying bite." Ritesh Mehta of IndieWire gave the film a rating of C+ and wrote, "Yeon might be a very good student of the genre, and the deck he crafts is often masterful. It’s just that the communication lessons and memory of human loss don’t hit hard enough." Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com wrote, "Maybe Sang-ho needed the confined space of a train to really hit his mark. Let’s get him back on board one soon." Zachary Lee of TheWrap wrote, "Zombie projects can be smart, but this project seems too unsure of its own identity to fully commit to the zany ideas Yeon has in store. It would have been better to stick to being brainless."