Shocking surge: Director Yeon Sang-ho’s zombie film Colony stormed to the top of the box office on opening day, signaling a runaway hit from the start.
On the 22nd, according to the Korean Film Council’s integrated box office system, Colony attracted about 199,768 moviegoers on May 21, its opening day, clinching No. 1 overall.
Colony also set the best opening score of the year. It outpaced the previous opening-day record holder, 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' (150,761), by more than 40,000. In addition, it shook up the theatrical landscape overnight, beating titles including The King’s Warden (16.8 million admissions) and Salmokji (over 3 million admissions).
Colony follows survivors trapped inside a locked-down building after a mysterious outbreak as they battle rapidly evolving infected. The cast features Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-bin, Kim Shin-rok, and Go Soo, delivering a powerful ensemble.
Building massive buzz with a pre-sale share topping 50% even before release, Colony proved it at the actual box office. As of 9:21 a.m. on the 22nd, its real-time ticketing share stood at 49.3%, far ahead of Michael (13%) in second place.
With a production budget of approximately 17 billion won, Colony is estimated to break even at around 3 million admissions. Its opening-day haul alone points to strong commercial potential, and the first weekend will likely determine whether it can cross the break-even line.
Following its Cannes Film Festival invitation, the buzz has translated into real turnout, raising the question of whether Colony will cement itself as the defining box office hit of this summer.