‘Colony’ Director Yeon Sang-ho Talks AI Impact, Korean Cinema Revival & Working With Japan
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- Yeon Sang-ho directed the zombie thriller Colony, which premiered in Midnight Screenings at Cannes and is part of a resurgence of Korean cinema at the festival.
- Colony has been sold by Showbox to more than 124 territories worldwide.
- Yeon Sang-ho used minimal CGI for Colony’s zombies, relying instead on choreographers, dancers, and stunt teams, employing CGI only for the final large-scale zombie sequence.
- Yeon Sang-ho said he did not use AI in making Colony but sees the film’s hive‑mind zombie concept as reflecting contemporary fears about AI’s rapid, collective communication.
- Yeon Sang-ho also served as showrunner on a Japanese series slated to debut on Netflix, highlighting his cross‑border collaborations.
Why it matters: Showbox gains worldwide sales across 124+ territories, boosting Korean film export revenues; Korean cinema’s Cannes presence raises its market profile, while Sang-ho’s AI caution underscores a shift toward practical effects and thematic relevance.
