Is the 'Cannes Effect' Real? 'COLONY' Dominates Pre-sale Charts, Overtaking 'Michael'

Director Yeon Sang-ho's new film 'COLONY' has signaled a box office green light, topping both pre-sale rates and ticket volume two days before its release.

According to the Korean Film Council's pre-sale data on the 19th, 'COLONY' ranked first in both categories with a 48.7% pre-sale rate and 144,000 tickets sold. This result easily surpasses the current box office leader 'Michael' (13.2%, 39,000 tickets).

'COLONY' is a film about isolated survivors trapped in a building during an unidentified infection outbreak, fighting against infected individuals who evolve in unpredictable ways. The film stars Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-been, and Kim Shin-rok.
Director Yeon Sang-ho returns to the zombie genre for the first time in 6 years since 'Peninsula'. Furthermore, this film was invited to the Midnight Screenings section of the Cannes Film Festival for the first time in 10 years since 'Train to Busan', where it has already completed its world premiere. As 'Train to Busan' went on to achieve the myth of selling 10 million tickets the summer after its invitation to Cannes 10 years ago, expectations are high for another major box office success.

By taking the overwhelming lead in pre-sale rates and ticket volume, the film is building strong anticipation for its theatrical run. 'COLONY' will hold a press and distribution screening on the 20th and open in theaters nationwide on the 21st.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)