Yeon Sang-ho's 'COLONY' Begins Global Box Office Domination with Record-Breaking Success in Malaysia

While director Yeon Sang-ho's film 'COLONY' surpassed 2 million viewers in just five days domestically, it has also kicked off its box office race overseas.

'COLONY' had already recorded pre-sales to 124 countries worldwide before its domestic release. It premiered in Taiwan and Malaysia on May 22, and is scheduled for sequential releases in France, Singapore, and the Philippines on May 27, Australia and New Zealand on June 11, and North America on August 28.

Among these, it is achieving outstanding results in Malaysia. As of May 25, 'COLONY' has heated up local theaters by recording MYR 7,000,000 in box office revenue. Most notably, on May 24—its third day of release—the film surpassed MYR 5,750,000, instantly overtaking the lifetime box office record of the 2024 hit 'Exhuma' (MYR 5,500,000).

Furthermore, director Yeon Sang-ho is drawing immense attention by occupying all of the top three spots for the highest-grossing Korean films of all time in Malaysia. Currently, the number one and two highest-grossing Korean films in Malaysia are 'Train to Busan' (MYR 21,500,000) and 'Peninsula' (MYR 10,500,000), which, along with 'COLONY', form director Yeon Sang-ho's zombie universe.

Additionally, 'COLONY', which drew enthusiastic responses from global audiences after being officially invited to the Midnight Screening section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, is receiving consecutive love calls from prestigious international film festivals. Following invitations to the Sydney Film Festival and the Fantastic Zagreb Film Festival in June, it has been selected as the opening film for the New York Asian Film Festival in July. With an additional invitation to the Fantasia International Film Festival, the film is proving both its cinematic quality and massive buzz.

'COLONY' is a film about isolated survivors inside a sealed building during an unidentified infection crisis, confronting infected beings that evolve in unpredictable ways. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho of 'Train to Busan', the film stars Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyohwan, Ji Changwook, Shin Hyun-been, and Kim Shin-rok.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)