Invited to the festival’s Midnight Screenings section, ‘Colony’ premiered at the Grand Théâtre Lumière shortly after midnight on May 16, local time. Yeon attended the screening with cast members Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-bin, and Kim Shin-rock, drawing strong attention from both festival audiences and international media.

The 2,300-seat theater reportedly sold out early, showing how much curiosity had already built around the project before its first public screening.

Cannes Audience Reacts With Cheers and Shock

From the beginning of the screening, the atmosphere inside the theater was unusually energetic.

Audience members reportedly cheered as soon as the distributor and production company logos appeared, while laughter, gasps, and audible reactions continued throughout the film.

‘Colony’ follows survivors trapped inside a sealed-off building during a mysterious infection outbreak. As the infected begin evolving in unpredictable and terrifying ways, the characters are forced into a survival battle that constantly shifts in intensity.

The audience response suggested that the film’s combination of confined-space tension, body horror, and fast-paced action landed strongly with Cannes viewers.

When the end credits rolled, the theater rose to its feet for a standing ovation that lasted seven minutes.

Yeon Sang-ho Calls Cannes Premiere a Dream

Yeon Sang-ho, widely known for reshaping Korean zombie cinema through ‘Train to Busan,’ expressed deep gratitude after the screening.

The director said presenting ‘Colony’ at Cannes felt like a dream and described the night as a memory that would stay with him for a long time. He also thanked the audience in French, saying “merci beaucoup” as applause continued.

The cast also appeared emotional during the ovation. Koo Kyo-hwan playfully repeated the eye-covering pose that had already drawn attention from the film’s trailer, while Jun Ji-hyun received especially loud cheers when her name was called.

International Critics Praise the Film’s Genre Power

Early overseas responses have been highly positive.

New York Asian Film Festival chairman Samuel Jamier praised ‘Colony’ for introducing a new physical language to infected-body horror, describing it as formally inventive and unusually intense within today’s genre landscape.

French magazine Trois Couleurs highlighted Yeon’s ability to create immersive action sequences inside a tightly built thriller-horror structure, while Next Best Picture editor Matt Neglia described the film as a relentless genre ride from beginning to end.

The film has also been selected as the opening title for the North American premiere at the 25th New York Asian Film Festival, signaling that international attention is expected to continue after Cannes.

Why ‘Colony’ Matters for Korean Horror

Based on Wikipicky’s analysis, ‘Colony’ arrives at a moment when Korean horror and thriller films are no longer being treated as niche genre exports. Instead, they are increasingly recognized as some of the most inventive and globally competitive works in contemporary cinema.

Yeon Sang-ho’s latest film appears to build on that reputation by combining infection horror, survival action, and unpredictable creature evolution into a high-pressure story designed for both spectacle and fear.

With its Cannes reception already creating momentum, ‘Colony’ may become one of the most closely watched Korean theatrical releases of the year.

The film opens in theaters on May 21.