Jun Ji-hyun talks silver screen return, on-set rapport with Koo Kyo-hwan and director of 'Colony'
Published: 27 May. 2026, 13:06
Updated: 27 May. 2026, 13:40
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- KIM JU-YEON
- [email protected]
![Actor Jun Ji-hyun, also professionally known as Gianna Jun [SHOWBOX]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/27/8d000139-f0d9-4125-a5c6-125d06f3a821.jpg)
Actor Jun Ji-hyun, also professionally known as Gianna Jun [SHOWBOX]
Jun Ji-hyun is back on the big screen after 11 years with the zombie thriller “Colony,” a project she said she chose for two main reasons: the screenplay and writer-director Yeon Sang-ho.
“I saw all of his films,” the actor, who also goes by Gianna Jun, said in an interview Tuesday in central Seoul’s Samcheong neighborhood. “The women in his films are often central to the story and proactive as characters, so there were more than a few roles I found myself wanting to play.”
So by the time Jun received the screenplay for “Colony,” she already knew she wanted in, she said. Her first impression was of a story that was “lean and character-driven, with a fast-moving narrative that left no room to look away.”
She didn't need much extra prodding from Gang Dong-won, her co-star in the Disney+ series “Tempest” (2025), whom Yeon had asked for help because he had never worked with Jun before.
“I had already made up my mind, so Gang Dong-won wasn’t much help,” she said with a laugh.
![A still from ″Colony″ [SHOWBOX]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/27/701800ac-0a67-4564-ab2d-cfd65d0048a4.jpg)
A still from ″Colony″ [SHOWBOX]
![Jun Ji-hyun as biotechnology professor Se-jeong in ″Colony″ [SHOWBOX]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/27/9499973e-beed-4492-adbf-a9a284b32e4f.jpg)
Jun Ji-hyun as biotechnology professor Se-jeong in ″Colony″ [SHOWBOX]
In "Colony," Jun plays Se-jeong, a biotechnology professor who, while meeting with her ex-husband, played by Go Soo, encounters a sudden outbreak of zombies. Drawing on her research on superorganisms, she helps a group of survivors escape a blockaded building as the zombies, constantly evolving through their ability to communicate and think collectively, close in.
Jun described the set as “comfortable,” saying Yeon’s clear vision allowed the actors to focus fully on bringing it to life.
“The worlds he creates and the tone of his films are not exactly bright — if anything, they’re dark. So I wondered what Yeon would be like as a person, and whether he might resemble his work," Jun said.
"But he was humorous, easygoing and fun, and that made the set such a great place to be. It made me understand why actors choose to work with him," she added.
![A still from horror thriller film ″Colony″ [SHOWBOX]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/27/d37c4d4b-18bb-4f56-804c-5d4daf67a8b3.jpg)
A still from horror thriller film ″Colony″ [SHOWBOX]
She also formed an easy rapport with Koo Kyo-hwan, who plays Yeong-cheol, the twisted scientist who triggers the zombie outbreak. Their playful chemistry at the Cannes Film Festival, where the film premiered, had drawn attention, with the pair striking comic poses on the red carpet.
“I spent the most time on set with Koo Kyo-hwan, so he was the person I talked to the most,” Jun said. “He is such a cheerful person and always tries to make people laugh. He doesn’t like taking things too seriously, and we clicked.”
“Colony” has topped the Korean box office since its theatrical release last Thursday, a factor Jun said she does consider when choosing a film. While that has made her more “careful” in selecting projects, she said she now wants to “let go a little and choose more freely.”
![Actor Jun Ji-hyun [FRENCH EMBASSY IN KOREA]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/27/8a2ba061-3d41-4bfc-b64a-81fdf26e9245.jpg)
Actor Jun Ji-hyun [FRENCH EMBASSY IN KOREA]
Looking back on her career, now nearing 30 years, she says she has grown as a person as much as she has as an actor while on set.
“I’ve matured and learned along the way. I didn’t really have a separate chance to learn how to navigate society [outside of the spotlight], so I’ve grown through the characters I’ve played. As I’ve gotten older, what has changed is the sense of responsibility I feel in how I carry myself on set as a lead actor.”
Jun debuted in 1997 and went on to star in films and series that showcased her confident comic persona, from “My Sassy Girl” (2001) and “The Thieves” (2012) to “My Love from the Star” (2013-14). That image has endured: Laneige ads from 2004 have recently been making the rounds on social media, showing the star in her early 20s singing and dancing with a sparky, high-energy persona.
![Actor Jun Ji-hyun [SHOWBOX]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/27/4e3c3afe-06b6-4427-b796-17f3a4e77073.jpg)
Actor Jun Ji-hyun [SHOWBOX]
Over time, however, she moved into more dramatic, action-heavy roles, from the films “The Berlin File” (2013) and “Assassination” (2015) to the series “Kingdom” (2020) and “Jirisan” (2021). She'll be returning yet again to the small screen with Ji Chang-wook, her co-star on "Colony," to JTBC's fantasy romance series "Human X Gumiho."
“I’ve often chosen projects with distinctive genres and female characters who weren’t conventional. I don’t think I’ve played many roles that felt entirely grounded in ordinary life. It wasn’t intentional, but I’m grateful because I think those characters helped make me seem more distinctive as an actor," she said.
On global projects, Jun said her focus has turned inward.
“I used to want to take on overseas projects if the opportunity came, to broaden my market and range as an actor," she said. "But as K-content’s global stature has grown, I’ve come to believe that what is most Korean can be the most global. As a Korean actor, I think it makes sense to focus on Korean projects.”
BY KIM JU-YEON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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