Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, and Ji Chang-wook to Star in Zombie Blockbuster ‘Colony’

Six years after redefining the K-zombie genre, director Yeon Sang-ho is officially rebooting his cinematic universe. At the production briefing for the highly anticipated film ‘Colony‘ (군체) held at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall, the visionary director promised an “evolution” of the genre, moving beyond the predictable patterns of ‘Train to Busan’ and ‘Peninsula’. But what caught everyone’s attention is the talented cast especially the return of Jun Ji-hyun to the big screen in almost 11 years.

A new kind of zombie story

Unlike the more familiar infected seen in Yeon’s earlier works, the creatures in ‘Colony’ are designed to be far less predictable. According to the director, the film features a new type of zombie that moves with a kind of collective intelligence, creating a more instinctive and immediate form of suspense. Director Yeon explained.

“This film focuses on intuitive suspense and a fresh take on the ‘Yeon-niverse’ expansion.”

Yeon said the film was created to deliver the same kind of genre thrill audiences experienced in his earlier zombie titles while introducing a completely new kind of fear. Rather than relying on familiar attack patterns, the infected in this film behave in ways the characters cannot easily anticipate.

Jun Ji-hyun’s Grand Return to the Big Screen

One of the biggest talking points surrounding ‘Colony’ is Jun Ji-hyun’s return to film, marking her first movie role in 11 years since ‘Assassination.’ She plays Kwon Se-jung, a biotechnology scientist who becomes one of the central figures leading the survivors inside the building. The character is described as strong-willed, principled, and determined to protect the people around her in an extreme crisis.

She explained that she has always been drawn to the discomfort and darkness that define Yeon’s style, and said working with him had long been something she hoped to do. Even though the boundary between film and television feels smaller today, she admitted that preparing for a theatrical release still brings a different kind of pressure and anticipation.

Jun Ji-hyun also highlighted the physical and emotional intensity of the production, saying the on-set experience felt especially vivid because much of the performance work relied on responding directly in the moment rather than leaning on heavy CGI. That rawness, she said, made the fear and tension feel more real.

Yeon Sang-ho remarked,

“It’s rare to find an actor with a spectrum as wide as Jun Ji-hyun’s. She isn’t called a ‘Great Actor’ for nothing.”

Koo Kyo-hwan plays the man behind the outbreak

Koo Kyo-hwan takes on the role of Seo Young-cheol, a biologist tied to the origin of the infection and one of the film’s key drivers of suspense. Koo Kyo-hwan described the character as a man with his own internal logic, someone who pursues outcomes without fear even when confronted by chaos. That dangerous certainty, combined with his brilliance, turns him into one of the film’s most unsettling figures.

Yeon Sang-ho called Koo Kyo-hwan an unusually free actor and said his screen presence was powerful enough to feel almost overwhelming during production. Jun Ji-hyun also praised him, saying his strong personality and unexpected duality left a major impression on set.

Ji Chang-wook takes on his first zombie film

Ji Chang-wook appears as Choi Hyun-seok, a member of the building’s security team who becomes one of the story’s most physically active survivors. His character is also the younger brother of Choi Hyun-hee, played by Kim Shin-rok, and much of his emotional conflict comes from trying to protect his sister while navigating a building overrun by infected creatures.

Ji Chang-wook said he focused heavily on the character’s desperation to survive and his sense of responsibility toward his sister. The role also demands intense physical action, including long-take sequences in which he carries her while fighting through danger. He revealed that some action scenes were initially prepared with wires, but the team eventually removed them when they became more distracting than helpful. He credited the stunt and action teams for helping shape the performance.

Editor’s Insight: ‘Colony’ aims to push the zombie genre forward

Yeon Sang-ho said ‘Colony’ was built to deliver a new kind of movement and action, including updated infected choreography developed with professional dancers to create a more unsettling physical language for the zombies. That approach reflects the film’s biggest ambition: not simply to revisit the zombie genre, but to evolve it.

With a cast led by Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, and Ji Chang-wook, and with Yeon returning to one of the genres most closely associated with his name, ‘Colony’ is positioning itself as one of the most anticipated Korean films of the coming season.

The film is scheduled to open in May 2026.