Welcome to the fourth edition of Koreanfilm Weekly. In this weekly column you can find the latest news on DVD releases from Korea, along with plenty of DVD reviews. For any information, question, complaint or correction, contact KoreanFilmWeekly@hotmail.com.

Note: DVD release dates and specs are subject to change.
Disclaimer: The DVD reviews might contain minor/major spoilers.

CORRECTION:Pop Entertainment Asia's Looking For Bruce Lee! Special Edition DVD has been postponed until 1/14. Specs haven't changed. Seoul released a week later than expected, the 13th. No English Subtitles on this DVD as expected.

**This Week on DVD**

R.U. Ready?[2002]
Release Date: 1/14 - Company: enterOne - Running Time: 108 Minutes - Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean DTS, Korean Dolby Digital 5.1 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R0
Special Features: Making Of, Interview, Theatrical Trailer

NOTES: One of this year's flops to start the 'Copywood' trend of wannabe Hollywood Blockbuster, R.U. Ready's DVD release seems to suffer the same fate as Champion, with a relatively bare bones disc. Featuring two ofFriend's stars, Jung Woon-taek and Kim Bo-kyung. 

Ardor  ["Mirae" 2002]
Release Date: 1/17 - Company: Cinema Service - Running Time: 112 Minutes - Package: DVD+OST CD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround 2.0 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R3
Special Fatures: Audio Commentary by Director Byun Young-joo, actor Kim Yoon-jin - Special Documentary - Deleted Scenes with Director's Commentary - Cast & Staff Interview - Interview with Music Director Cho Young-wook - NG Cut - Theatrical Trailer - 19/only Internet Trailer - TV Spot - Music Video - Production Notes - Poster Shooting - Storyline - Kiss Scene - Other Trailers: Jail Breakers - OST CD

NOTES: Byun Young-joo's erotic drama is on DVD! Kim Yoon-jin won Best Actress at this year's Blue Dragon Awards for her role in this film. The director previously made some of the most acclaimed short films of the 90s. Cinema Service's next release will probably be Jail Breakers in mid February.

--Hong Kong Releases

Story of a Man ["Namja Iyagi" 1998]
Release Date: 1/6 - Company: Winson - Running Time: 96 Minutes - Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Stereo 2.0 - Subtitle Options: Chinese Traditional Subtitles, Chinese Simplified Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1, Full Frame - Format: Single Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R0
Special Features: None

NOTES: Another older release for Winson. This time it's the Choi Min-soo, Park Sang-min starred, Shim Seung-bo directed drama Story of a Man. Judging from Winson's past releases, you should lower your expectations by a LOT. Still, even if it's like a VCD slapped on DVD and with bad subtitles, it's better than buying a 4 year old Korean VHS which will likely cost much more than the 4 odd dollars this title is selling for.

*Coming Soon On DVD**

Road Movie [2002]
Release Date: 1/21 - Company: enterOne - Running Time: 115 Minutes - Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Digital 5.1 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R0
Special Features: Director's Audio Commentary (Kim In-shik), Critics Audio Commentary (Tony Rayns), Actor's Audio Commentary (Hwang Jung-min, Jung Chan, Sarin) - KBS Tv Documentary - Gallery - Storyboard - Steal Cut - Music Video - Theatrical Trailer - Making Of


NOTES: Of course the major news is that Tony Rayns recorded an audio commentary for this film. It will be in English with Korean Subtitles. This should be a great release, with three audio commentaries, the usual Tv Documentary enterOne has been adding lately, and some more extras.

Sex of Magic ["Mabeop-ui Seong" 2002]
Release Date: 1/21 - Company: Starmax - Running Time: 118 Minutes - Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Digital 5.1, Korean Dolby Surround 2.0 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R3
Special Features: Making Of, Interview, Theatrical Trailer, Photo Gallery

NOTES: The latest film from the director of Prison World Cup (Pang Sung-woong) was quickly forgotten at the box office. The film seems to be forgettable, but decent fun. Now the Starmax site mentions English and Korean Subtitles. I'm not sure if the few sites who updated the DVD's page are just following what Starmax is saying (they were wrong with the Four Toes DVD before), or it it's reliable information. Postponed two weeks.

Love Me Once Again Boxset Collection ["Miwodo Dashi Hanbeon" 1968~2002]
Release Date: 1/21 - Company: Daekyung - Running Time: N/A - Package: 6-disc Boxset
Audio Options: Korean DTS (certain titles only), Korean Dolby Digital 5.1 - Subtitle Options: None
Aspect Ratio:  1.33:1, Full Frame - Format: Single Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R0
Special Features: None

NOTES: A collection of the Love Me Once Again saga, spanning from the late 60s to this year's release. The boxset is pretty barebones, but it's also cheap at around 65,000 Won retail. Most interesting is that the 68 film will have a DTS track. No subtitles here, so probably of little interest to fans outside Korea.  This tile was postponed three weeks.

If The Sun Rises in the West ["Haega Seojjokeseo Ddeundamyeon" 1998]
Release Date: 2003, 1/24 - Company: SRE - Running Time: 100 Minutes - Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Digital 5.1, Korean Dolby Surround 2.0 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R0
Special Features: T.B.A.

NOTES: One of '98's most underrated films, Lee Eun's If The Sun Rises In The West stars Ko So-young, Im Chang-jung and Cha Seung-won. Should be similar to SRE's other releases of older films (The Contact, Harmonium in My Memory).

Phantom: The Submarine ["Yuryeong" 1999]
Release Date. 2003, 1/24 - Company: SRE - Running Time: 103 Minutes - Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Digital 5.1, Korean Dolby Surround 2.0 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R0
Special Features: T.B.A.

NOTES: Another chance to catch this blockbuster starring Choi Min-soo, Jung Woo-sung and Sol Kyung-gu (in a small cameo). At the moment the Modern Audio HK DVD is a pretty good option, with an anamorphic transfer and DTS. The Japanese DVD is without subtitles and not much better. The Korean DVD is long out of print and wasn't too good to begin with. No idea if this will be a new transfer, or just a port of the Japanese DVD. Special Features and Audio specs could change.

The Way Home["Jibeuro" 2002]
Release Date: 2/10 - Company: CJ Entertainment - Running Time: 87 Minutes - Package: 2DVD
Audio Options: Korean DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround 2.0 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles (Normal/For Hearing Impaired), English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R3
Special Features: Director's Audio Commentary, Theatrical Trailer/Tv Spot/Making Of Spot - Still Gallery - Making of Documentary - Cast & Crew - Animated Menus - Game - The Way Home Episode 1 & 2

NOTES: One of the most acclaimed films of the year is finally on DVD, with a packed release. Plenty of extras here, but most interesting will be Lee Jung-hyang's Audio Commentary. The film is already selling well on pre-orders, appearing on Top 10 all over Korean online retailers. This should be one of the best releases of the year. Postponed another three weeks.

Yesterday [2002]
Release Date: 2003, 1/31 - Company: CJ Entertainment - Running Time:  - Package: 2-disc Special Edition
Audio Options: Korean DTS, Korean Dolby Digital 5.1 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R3
Special Features: Production Notes, Cast & Crew Profiles, Cast Interview & Making Of (Kim Seung-woo, Kim Yoon-jin, Kim Sun-ah) - Crew Interviews - Outtakes - Supporting Actors Behind Story - Art Interview & Sketch - Deleted Scenes - Costume Collection - Still Gallery - CG Before & After - Theatrical Trailer - Teaser Trailer - Tv Spot - Easter Eggs

NOTES: This is a really interesting sci-fi blockbuster, despite its major flop at the box office. The release is not surprisingly packed, and this could be a sleeper hit for Korean film fans.  That is, if they actually release it before 2004...

Can't Live Without Robbery ["Dodook-makkon Mot Sara" 2002] 
Release Date: 2003, January - Company: Starmax - Running Time: 107 Minutes - Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Digital 5.1 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R3
Special Features: Not announced

NOTES: Park Sang-myun's latest comedy hasn't been well received by critics, and disappeared from theaters after a few weeks. Subtitle options are shaky, because the Starmax site is pretty unreliable, but there's a good chance for a release of medium importance like this we'll get English Subtitles. Release date will probably change, too.

A Single Spark["Areumdaun Cheongnyeon Jeontaeil" 1995]
Release Date: 2/27 - Company: Cinexus - Running Time: 96 Minutes - Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Surround 2.0 - Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, Letterboxed - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R3
Special Features: T.B.A.

NOTES: Very early specs for a title which has been delayed for months. Cinexus's release could have English Subtitles, and even anamorphic enhancement, but all this is up in the air, as well as the content of the extra features. Park Kwang-soo's acclaimed film starring Moon Sung-keun has never released before on DVD (and VCD, to my knowledge), so this could be an interesting purchase. Unless they delay it again. There you go..delayed again! I shouldn't write things like that.

ENTERONE'S  FUTURE  RELEASES
All specs and specific release dates are TBA, but this is the current enterOne releasing plan for the next few months. More releases will be added later, and expect a lot of changes.   Film Name [Top Star (Release Year) - DVD Release Year/Month]

The Coast Guard [Jang Dong-gun (2002) - 2003/02], I Wish I Had a Wife [Sol Kyung-gu (2001) - 2003/02], She Brings Us Danger [Park Sang-myun (2002) - 2003/03], Madeleine [Shin Min-ah (2003) - 2003/04], Natural City [Yoo Ji-tae (2003) - 2003], Anarchists [Jang Dong-gun (2000) - 2003], Plum Blossom [Bae Doo-na (2000) - 2003], Indian Summer [Lee Mi-yeon (2001) - 2003], Summertime [Kim Ji-hyun (2001) - 2003], Chunhyang [Cho Seung-woo (2000) - 2003], Ghost Taxi [Im Ho (2000) 2003]

RELEASE  RIGHTS  UPDATE

All the information here is collected from DVD inserts, info from companies, official website announcement, and other info. Titles could change distributor at the last moment though, since production companies and even DVD companies license their rights to smaller companies.

Bus Stop [2002 - w/Kim Tae-woo] - To Be Released by: CJ ENTERTAINMENT (March/April 2003)
Who Are You? [2002 - w/Lee Na-young, Cho Seung-woo] - To Be Released by: CJ ENTERTAINMENT (March/April 2003)
The Happy Funeral Director [2000 - w/Im Chang-jung, Choi Kang-hee, Jung Eun-pyo] - To Be Released by: CJ ENTERTAINMENT (2003)
Happy End [1999 - w/Jeon Do-yeon, Choi Min-shik, Joo Jin-mo] - To Be Released by: CJ ENTERTAINMENT (2003)
YMCA Baseball Team [2002 - w/Song Kang-ho, Kim Hye-soo] - To Be Released by: CJ ENTERTAINMENT (2003)

Mago [2002] - To Be Released by:IVISION (2003)

Lies [2000 - w/Kim Tae-yeon] - To Be Released by: ENTERONE (2003)
Fin De Siecle [1999 - w/Lee Jae-eun] - To Be Released by: ENTERONE (2003)

I Love You [2001] - To Be Released by: SPECTRUM (2003)

Bichunmoo [2000] - To Be Released by: PREMIER ASIA (UK - February 2003)
Musa: The Warrior [2001] - To Be Released by: PREMIER ASIA (UK - 2003)
Champion [2002] - To Be Released by: PREMIER ASIA (UK - ?)
My Wife is a Gangster [2001] - To Be Released by: PREMIER ASIA (UK - ?)
Volcano High [2001] - To Be Released by:  PREMIER ASIA (UK - ?)

Conduct Zero [2002 - w/Ryu Seung-beom, Kong Hyo-jin, Im Eun-kyung] - To Be Released by: METRO (February/March 2003)
Sex is Zero [2002 - w/Im Chang-jung, Ha Ji-won] - To Be Released by: METRO (2003)

Jail Breakers [2002 - w/Sol Kyung-gu, Cha Seung-won, Song Yoon-ah] - To Be Released by: CINEMA SERVICE (February/March 2003)

*DVD   REVIEWS*

**DVD OF THE WEEK**

[¼º³ÉÆÈÀÌ ¼Ò³àÀÇ À縲"Seongnyang-pari Sonyeo-ui Jaerim" 2002]
Release Date: 2002, 12/27  Company: enterOne  Running Time: 122 Min  Package: 2DVD
Audio Options: Korean DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer - Region Coding: NTSC R0

Opening Day: 2002, 9/23 - Cumulative Box Office:  137,800 Admissions
Directed By: Jang Sun-woo (Lies, A Petal)
Starring: Im Eun-kyung (famous CF Model, Conduct Zero), Kim Hyun-sung (My Beautiful Days, Three Friends), Jung Doo-hung (No Blood No Tears, Champion), Myung Kye-nam (My Wife is a Gangster, The Foul King), KangTa (Top Gayo Star, Emergency Act 19), Jin Xing  (one of the top dance choreographers in the world, and China's most famous transgender), Kim Jin-pyo (Novasonic member)

THE FILM:
(Read Darcy's review of the film here)

"Once upon a time, I, Chuang Tzu, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of following my fancies as a butterfly, and was unconscious of my individuality as a man. Suddenly, I awoke, and there I lay, myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming that I am now a man. "

They just wanted a blockbuster. You know, blazing guns, lots of explosions, the kind of pseudo-Hollywood action potboiler which could make money in Korea and abroad. Tube Entertainment's decision to finance such a project with maverick director Jang Sun-woo at the helm became infamous right from the beginning. The film went overbudget, over schedule, and crashed like the Titanic at the box office. There are critics who see this as the end for Jang, 'Game Over,' in a much too cynical pun on the film. But if this is indeed the end, the most controversial and important Korean director of the last decade will go down with grace, leaving a mark, for better or worse. In the future, blockbusters like R.U. Ready? (which, too, lost billions) or Yesterday will have a hard time even entering principal photography, because of the legendary money loser this film was.  But I digress, you want to know about the Match Girl, right?

Resurrection of the Little Match Girl takes inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Seller, and Kim Jung-gu's re-adaption, where the Match Girl actually wants to kill herself inhaling gas. But it's not that simple. The film begins in a memorable way, like a silent film from the 20s, (intertitles, appropriate music et al), which quickly reminds us of the Match Girl's story. This, already, was a sign that things wouldn't be like people expected. Adding a tricolored halo and snow to this first part, the film then moves to 'real' life. We meet Chinese delivery guy and perpetual loser Joo (Kim Hyun-sung), who sits talking with his best friend Lee (Novasonic member Kim Jin-pyo) about his latest game-related conquers. His real world is full of disappointments: his father is an alcoholic, he's constantly broke, and the girl he likes never even looks at him. He spends all his free time at a Game Room honing his skills, and keeps staring and trying to talk to Hee-mee (debuting CF model Im Eun-kyung), who works there part time as a cashier. He's an aspiring 'pro-gamer,' but isn't as good as his friend Lee, who even wins a national contest, and makes contact with suspicious figures, offering him future employment. Joo finally meets Hee-mee outside, but it's not the girl he used to stare at, this time with red boots, weird clothes and a terribly detached gaze. She approaches Joo, and asks him to buy a lighter. Befuddled, he pays her, and discovers a number written on the lighter. It's the portal to a virtual reality game. He just met the mysterious Little Match Girl.....

At first, Joo doesn't understand what's happening, and even logs in improperly. The rules of the game are simple: prohibit the Match Girl from selling even one lighter, so that she will freeze to death and face her demise. Of course there are many supporting characters (often purposefully over the top) trying to catch the Match Girl. The clueless Five Men Gang, Oh Bi-ryun (Jung Doo-hung) with his gang, and transgender Lala Croft (!) are trying to keep status quo, to let nothing change. It appears Joo has become a virus, changing the usual course of the game, becoming an alien element to this never changing structure of exploitation and ruthless calculation. He loves the Match Girl, and refuses to let her continue this vicious circle and prostitute her life to keep the system running.  The system wants to 'delete' Joo, at all costs. Keeping normality is too important for them.

That's how it all begins, and to really convey how fragmented and difficult the plot of this film is would take a whole newsletter. Let's just say the many characters' purposes are almost maniacally interlocked. But, that's not what is brilliant about this film. It's how Jang Sun-woo takes this mess of a plot and is able to make it a fantastic spectacle of explosions and CGI; an incredibly smart delve into Taoist philosophy, going as far as mentioning Chuangtzu's butterfly, and the fish which can travel a thousand miles with the power of Tao behind it;  an adrenalinic, breathless ride with amazing music and top notch action sequences. Also, like Oshii Mamoru's Avalon --another 'action blockbuster' trying to extrapolate the essence of virtual reality-- Match Girl has many subtle and not so subtle references to the society we currently live in. The individual rebelling against the system to break status quo, the appeal of virtual reality and its many consequences. It's a wondrous, madly ingenious work which I'll probably never forget.

Part of the strength of this film is how it takes derivative elements, scenes and plot developments from many other films (The Matrix, Ghost in The Shell, Avalon, and many others), and combines them to form something which is still unique. Ever seen someone use jazz for a high-octane, Street Fighter-like combat scene? The brilliance of Dalpalan's score is how it takes sacred cows like the Ave Maria (Aaron Neville's version, that is), and makes it seem new attached to Jang's visual prowess. There's a techno/trip-hop version of the classic Besame Mucho used for Lala's introductions, KangTa's beautiful 'Seom' to show the Match Girl's pain, and much more. It's like watching Opera, with a perfect balance of music, action, and visual technique. Jang Sun-woo figured he couldn't do much which would look innovative with wirework. With a primarily Chinese crew for the action, he decided to forget for a moment about the Yuen Wo-ping and Ching Siu-tung's of the world and finally do something else with wirework. Often the work of people like Yuen (and crew) is compared to a perfectly synchronized ballet. But this film takes it to a further stage.  Just watch the Night Club scenes and you'll understand why.

Match Girl improves after every viewing, because once you start to understand the plot, you can stop and stare at how much symbolism is crammed into those 120 Minutes. At the end, you're still wondering what was reality, and what wasn't. As a taoist myself, I was impressed by the film's use of Chuangtzu's teachings in the film, and especially how meaningful the role of the butterfly becomes at the end. We're witnessing a continued metaphor on life and modern society, seen through this system. The figure of the game master, the attempts to combat difference and keep things as they are. A different way of approaching the system becomes a dangerous virus to delete....it's all there, easier to grasp than in Avalon (which is amazing, but almost fatally difficult to understand, and without most of the thrills of this film). If you want to watch Resurrection of the Little Match Girl as just the coolest action films in years, you can. There's enough brilliance in that department, to satisfy those who were longing for something different than slow motion and loud rock music. If you're looking to find Jang Sun-woo's usual provocative social commentary, you'll find it, more pungent than ever. If you're looking for Taoist philosophy and how it can fit perfectly with a film like this, you'll find that too.

This is a multifaceted film. It's easy to see why it tanked, for probably the same reason people already are calling it a potential cult classic. Removed from all the chit chat of monetary losses, obtuse storytelling, pretentious anti-commercialism, etc....this film has a certain magic. A chaotic, mad, ingenious rhythm which makes it completely different than anything I've seen in years. I'm sure it will produce polarized opinions, but that's how I see it.  I haven't had so much fun watching a film in ages. And, on second viewing, I was amazed at how a film like this can still be so intelligent and thought-provoking. This is one of the best films of the year. I apologize for taking so long to say it. :) [9.0]

VIDEO QUALITY:  
Film-sourced, and excellent. Taking a closer look at the different styles of the film --using handheld cameras, fuzzy shots, often different contrasts and color palettes-- it's not that easy to understand where the print characteristics end, and the telecine and authoring work begins. Generally, there are no noticeable flaws which would 'smell' like a screw up by the authoring team. There are a few scenes which look soft, but most of the time this film looks great, especially the explosions and the scenes in the Game Master's room. Black levels are excellent, and there's no sign of other problems. It's enterOne, after all. [8.5]

AUDIO QUALITY:
Two tracks to choose from. A truly impressive, scare-your neighbors-away DTS. Plus, a perfectly fine Dolby Digital 5.1 track. There's a few crackles at the beginning with the DD5.1 track, but everything is resolved in 5 minutes. This is truly an impressive experience, standing up there with the best work enterOne has ever done. And, with music and sound effects being so important here, it's even more pleasing. [9]

SUBTITLE QUALITY:
When the news that this DVD would feature no English Subtitles made the rounds, many people started cursing enterOne for one of the stupidest moves they could ever do. I don't think it's that simple, folks. The DVD is the first one to offer no slip-case, there are no subtitles, and there wasn't much fanfare upon the release of the film. I remember DVD inserts up to Lover's Concerto (released in December), which had English Subtitles in the specs section. There's always the possiblity enterOne might have screwed up at the last moment à la Starmax with the One Fine Spring Day DVD, but I somehow find it hard to believe, with the quality control the company is known for. I've heard lots of rumors and asked around many reliable sources, but I couldn't really find anything set in stone. I can speculate, and tell you the rumor which seem closest to reality. A foreign company might have requested enterOne to release the DVD without subs as a condition for acquiring the release rights. Or better, asked Tube Entertainment. Now, if you're Tube, and a company like, say, Miramax offers you high 6 figures for a US release plus DVD rights, would you really turn them down? Even the top Korean movie sellers on DVD didn't reach 50,000 copies, which makes any release considerably less safe than having a company acquire rights. And yes, thinking at how many companies would be so cynic to ask something like that, everything goes back to one person only, and his name starts with H. This is purely my speculation, but it seems the only possible explanation. Trust me, great films need no subtitles, and to enjoy Resurrection of the Little Match Girl on a superficial level you need none. The Korean subtitles are a great help, and are actually excellent. Sadly the intertitles aren't subtitled, and it would have been a huge help, just because the font's too small and hard to read (first time I had to pause to read them). At least they subtitle signs in Hanja, and KangTa's beautiful song, so you can sing along. [7]

EXTRA FEATURES:
A Date With Im Eun-kyung (Audio Commentary)  Director Jang Sun-woo and Im Eun-kyung conduct this great commentary. It indeed sounds like a date, like the two went to a restaurant and started talking about the film. The mood is relaxed, the two talk slowly so it's easier to understand. Also, there's never that sense of urgency that you find on many Audio commentaries, where people rush to deliver as much information as they can. The director often jokes with Im Eun-kyung, and while she's not much active, there's a good atmosphere which makes this an enjoyable experience. The two began discussing the silent-film like beginning, and the musical choices they made. When the film moved to 'reality', Jang talked a little about Kim Jin-pyo's audition being fun. He's a popular rapper from the group Novasonic, and is often labeled the 'bad boy' of the genre. Im hilariously scolded the director for having her shoot animals in one of the videogames she had to play, and they talked about her role as plain normal Hee-Mee. Also, one of the most interesting parts of the soundtrack was discussed, when Joo shoots in the office at the sound of SES's "Dreams Come True" (actually the Nylon Beat remix). The man is actually daydreaming of shooting all those people, because of their reaction to his bringing food there. It's one of those little touches which make this soundtrack great. They talk about the 'system' hiring Lee (Kim Jin-pyo) as an agent because of his gameplaying abilities, then crack a joke about Lee Sang-hyun, who also appeared in Jang's previous work Lies. Discussion about the meaning of the butterfly begins, although he keeps it easy and grounded amongst the game's world. If anything, the director avoids getting too deep in his analysis of the theme of the film, maybe because he didn't want to bore Eun-kyung. But it doesn't really bother me, since it makes the commentary easier to follow (discussions about Taoist philosophy and Chuangtzu's influence on the film's themes would be better in a festival setting. It would clog the commentary with too much info).

Jang talks a little about Jin Xing (Jin Shing in Korean), who's actually one of the most famous Chinese transgender celebrities. She is Chinese, but of Korean heritage (North Korean father, South Korean mother), and started an independent dance group in China. Both talk many times about Dalpalan's ingenious soundtrack, including the use of the Ave Maria being different than conventional action style, and how energetic the remix of Besame Mucho is. During Lala's entrance with the bike, Jang reminds us of something we'll see later in the extras: a stuntman hurt himself falling from the bike, and said how he and the action director expressed their sorrow and thanked him for the sacrifice. He also said that things like these are not unusual when doing a film like Match Girl. They talked about the 'dancing fight' inside the night club, and the Matrix-like bullet ballet (Im was actually impressed and asked how they did it). During KangTa's song, Jang said they called his Fan Club to attend the concert (I was confused about the meaning here. Could be that they called the real fan club, or those were just actors impersonating his fan club). They talk about the role of KangTa in the film, as the ghost Ga Joon-ho who was the Match Girl's past lover, and was killed by Oh Bi-ryun. They also talk about the red halo used for the scene. This actually explains a lot better the scene where Joo picks up the Match Girl. She's saying "Joon-ho...Joon-ho....Joon-ho" thinking about the only person she loved, and with her last breath says "Joo...", so he actually believes she's calling him. That's how he breaks the rules, and starts to fall in love for real with the Match Girl. Another thing which I didn't notice is how it's Lee who saves the Match Girl when she jumps from the power plant. He is later killed for his trangression, for still trying to be friendly to Joo. Jang once again recalled problems during the shooting. The explosion scene where the red jeep starts rolling almost hit the stuntman, and he risked big there. He talks about the Game Master's room, looking a lot like The Matrix. I actually think both the room, the way the enemies get killed and the figure of Game Master look straight out of Avalon. After all, The Matrix is just an attempt to ape Ghost in The Shell's brilliance, so we always go back to Oshii Mamoru at the end. He talks about the two endings (another tricky, masterful touch). Since there are many Multi-Ending games, he made a Multi-ending film, simple as that. After explaining how they shot the underwater scene (using a 5 meter pool), Jang quickly talked about the meaning of the butterfly's death, which nicely helps us understand the end of the film. Funny, easy to follow and entertaining. I wish all commentaries were like this. Im Eun-kyung mostly laughed and asked a few questions, but if she wasn't there this would have been much different.  She has a nice voice, too.
Making Of + Documentary  Interesting way of showing this. Like the Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  DVD, they used seamless branching to connect the two features. One is the classic 15 Minutes TV Documentary, the other a 40 Minutes Making Of. You can watch both separated, or combined. When you start the Documentary, you have to press Enter. Then, every time a white fish (again with the philosophy!) appears on screen, press Enter again to enter the clip. I'll review everything together, to make things easier. Every time I add a [Making Of] it means the text following it will be what appears if you press the fish. When the clip is over and we go back to the regular 15 Minutes documentary, I'll add a [Documentary]. I hope it's not too confusing.
Jang Sun-woo starts talking about the film.
[Making Of] Myung Kay-nam is at the presentation of the film, introducing Tube Entertainment's president, the director and cast. Quick interviews mostly related to the film and casting. Im Eun-kyung looks lovely, and also stops once because she's too shy. CF and Cinema are two different worlds, after all.
[Documentary] The narrator talks about casting Im Eun-kyung, and shows a little training for the wirework. Im is interviewed, and talks about the scenario and her character.
[Making Of] Clip from the film showing the rules of the game. It also shows Im Eun-kyung saying the few lines during the 'silent-film' (mostly it's a collection of "Ajusshi, Laiteo Sase-yo!/Sir, please buy a lighter"). Shows Jang is a perfectionist, as he tells her exactly how to look and changes a little her expression.
[Documentary] Im Eun-kyung keeps talking about the film.
[Making Of] Footage from the bike scene is shown, with the stuntman falling hard on the concrete (ouch!) after the contact. Also, the other part of the scene, with Jin Xing coming down with the bike held by wires is shown. Thankfully the stuntman got up quickly, and he was thanked by the whole crew. It looked like a scary fall. More action with the scenes at the bridge.  They show the Matrix-like avoiding of the bullet by Joo, how he trained for it, and the following jump in the water, with wires. First try was a wrong take, as they fell too slowly.
[Documentary] Kim Hyun-sung talks about the game, and what it means for his character Joo. Kim Jin-pyo talks about Lee and his being a great pro-gramer. The system hires him, and he has to challenge his priorities: his friendship with Lee, or keeping the job and kill the 'virus' Joo. They show parts of the scene at the Night Club, and talk about the extras.
[Making Of] The big Dance scene at the Night Club. It's basically  behind the scenes look at how they shot it. Long, and pretty cool.
[Documentary] Jin Xing talks (in English with Korean Subtitles) about how she'd rather do the action scenes herself, instead of using stunts. She also praised the action choreographers for the amazing movements she could achieve thanks to wirework. Jin is actually fluent in five languages, and she gives a pretty impressive physical performance in Match Girl. In terms of acting...well, nevermind.
[Making Of]  They show the shooting of Oh Bi-ryun by the Match Girl at the Power Plant. He's the one who killed Ga Joon-ho, but actually later understands his mistakes and tries to help the Match Girl rebel against the system. Of course, he gets terminated.
[Documentary] A "Mission Impossible" for Pusan? Not really, if you spend the amount of money Tube Entertainment did. To shoot certain scenes, they had to reroute dozens of bus lines, close traffic, use the help of police and fire department, and it shows. They talk about the work police and fire department had to do for certain scenes of the film. Im Eun-kyung talks about working with wires for the first time, then talking about working with Jang, and how demanding it was. Jang Sun-woo talks about the scenes with the chopper, with Im Eun-kyung adding some insight on the physical pressure of such a scene (she was a little uncomfortable with her shoulders, wearing the wire equipment.). Kim Hyun-sung talks about the system, and about the many explosions and stunts of the film. 
[Making Of] This is the fight at the border, to stop Lala and Joo from escaping (beginning of Stage 3). This is some impressive stuff. Not much CGI was used here, if not to enhance the explosions and to generate the special weapons' laser rays. It's funny how to shoot the red Jeep in movement they used a car without doors, and one of the assistants was standing on the edge comfortably, while the car was driving at around 40-50 Km/h. Those men are crazy, I tell you! Lots of cool explosions and shootouts. The jeep rolling after the explosion almost killed Lala's stuntman. Thankfully, he quickly escaped.
[Documentary] Final moments of the piece, with a short comment from Kim Hyun-sung about this level of wirework and explosions never seen before in Korean Cinema, and Jang Sun-woo's final thoughts. Almost a hour of material, great stuff that you mostly can enjoy without the use of subtitles (interviews are very short, it's all action). Excellent!
Music Video   KangTa's 'Seom (Island)". This is a great song. For those who don't know, KangTa is one of the best young popstars in Korea. Unlike many other Gayo acts, he doesn't merely adhere to the boy band-or-dance genre formulas. His music is an eclectic mix of Jazz, R&B, Rock, and traditional Gayo ballads. You'll hear more from this kid soon, he has a ton of talent, and the looks to stay on top for long.
Trailers   Three choices. The first is the teaser with the brass band. Quirky, and visually stunning. The second is the full Theatrical Trailer, which is hands down the best Trailer of the year. Impressive music, great action. Last one is a TV Spot.
**Well, I expected much, much worse than this. There's a great 60 Minutes Making Of, the Trailer is amazing, and the Music Video is one of KangTa's best songs to date. Commentary is entertaining as well. [7.5]

VALUE FOR MONEY (Average):
What to say about Resurrection of the Little Match Girl. It makes similarly themed The Matrix look like an episode of the Power Rangers, and is pretty much as smart as Avalon, even beating it in terms of sheer entertainment. You might even end up hating this film, but you sure as hell won't forget it. Essential viewing, and the DVD is very good, too. Forget about the subs issue,  Match Girl is great with OR without. [8.35]
You can purchase this film at YesAsia.com

BAD GUY

[³ª»Û ³²ÀÚ "Nabbeun Namja" 2002]
Release Date: 2002, 5/17  Company: CJ Entertainment  Running Time: 120Min  Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround 2.0
Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer -Region Coding: NTSC R3

Opening Day: 2002, 1/11 - Cumulative Box Office: 701,700 Admissions
Directed By: Kim Ki-duk (The Coast Guard, The Isle)
Starring: Cho Jae-hyun (Piano, Address Unknown), Seo Won (The Isle), Lee Dae-yeon (Camel[s], Joint Security Area), Kim Yoon-tae, Choi Deok-moon, Kim Jung-young, Choi Yoon-young, Shin Yoon-jin, Lam Goong-min, Lee Hyun-hee

THE FILM:
(Read Darcy's review of the film here)  

It's easy to see why so many female critics hated Bad Guy. This won't be an easy film to digest for those who expect a conventional approach to gender issues. After The Isle, Address Unknown and Real Fiction, people should be aware of his particular style in depicting women, both disturbing and thought provoking. While Bad Guy is probably the first time a Kim Ki-duk film doesn't 'smell' of Guerrilla filmmaking, personally it's also the first time I could truly forget about his many flaws, and focus on the inner fire that his films show. Sure, the plot doesn't make sense from a logical standpoint (at least on paper), and it's difficult to defend the main character's lack of ethical values. But, what really matters is how the director is able to convey emotions through visual and musical means. Not being the recipient of a conventional cinematic upbringing, Kim is bound to show flaws in terms of fundamentals. There are plot holes, and logic often goes out of the window. Also, while the characters' state of mind is well developed visually (the scenes at the beach are masterful at that), they're very little more than stereotypes. Innocent, good looking girls equals wealth and purity for Kim Ki-duk, and  someone like Han-gi instantly is projected as the "Bad Guy." Of course that might be the point!

This film, though, has more visceral power than just about everything I've seen this year. It's full of haunting images and beautifully touching moments. Supported by what is probably Cho Jae-hyun's best acting job to date, and a fine performance from Seo Won and stage actor Kim Jung-young,Bad Guy finally shows Kim Ki-duk has a soul as a filmmaker, not only a keen eye for visual splendor and brutality. I'm not saying we should forgive Kim Ki-duk's 'poetic licenses' in terms of gender issues, or his quick cop out that he wanted to display how inevitable life becomes for these people. But, there are other areas of Kim's work which are tremendously fascinating, and accomplished. If you're willing to forgive Kim's usual controversial touches, without labeling a priori his films as the work of a "misogynic psycho" like some critics do, there's a really involving melodrama lurking beneath the rough edges of his stylistic statements. [8.5]

VIDEO QUALITY:
Trying to explain the (very) minor flaws of this transfer is difficult. It's a combination of several factors, like black levels not being as good as expected, night scenes losing a bit of detail, and colors looking subpar for a CJ DVD (which still means light years ahead of anything coming out of HK). The problem is that with a Kim Ki-duk film you never really know when 'problems' inherent to the film's visual style end, and where authoring flaws begin. The film definitely looks very good, but it's like they were content with that and never went the extra mile. Or maybe it's time to change my glasses? [8]

AUDIO QUALITY:
No problems here. Clear dialogue, the beautiful soundtrack sounds great, and the few 'action' scenes offer good separation and directionality. Kim Ki-duk's films tend to be on the quiet side, and this is no different. Very good track, but your system won't get much of a workout.[8]

SUBTITLES QUALITY:
Big, easy to read font, a few spelling mistakes, but that's about it. Korean subtitles are a little harder to read, and sometimes the translation lacks sophistication, but it's a very good job. [8]

EXTRA FEATURES:
Audio Commentary  Leading man Cho Jae-hyun joins director Kim Ki-duk for this very good commentary. The two offer a lot of interesting insight into the film, and also comment on several other themes. They first talked about Cho Jae-hyun's current popularity thanks to the KBS Drama 'Piano', then introduced the major character Han-gi. They mentioned Lee Dae-yeon's cameo (as the recipient of the 'pickpocket'), and talked about Camel(s), and the awards it won. They focused a lot on the characters, even minor ones, and tried to give some info on the actors as well. Kim explained why he chose the Egon Schiele (he said in other interviews that he's one of his favorite painters) book, and what he tried to convey with that. They also spent a good deal of time trying to describe the kind of world Han-gi is living in, his Yangachi's, and why his relationship with Sun-hwa is different from conventional romances. Cho Jae-hyun digressed a little, talking about actors he admires and their style, like Choi Min-shik, Sol Kyung-gu and Yoo Oh-sung. The director even talked a little about the treatment gangsters get in Korean Cinema nowadays. Overall this was very interesting. After working together for so many years, the two show good chemistry and never slow down. Very good!

Production Notes  Cast & Staff Profiles for actors Cho Jae-hyun, Seo Won, Choi Deok-moon, Kim Yoon-tae, and Kim Jung-young; director Kim Ki-duk, DP Hwang Cheol-hyun, Music Director Park Ho-joon, Lighting Director Park Min, and Art Director Kim Seon-joo. There's also a long and informative Production Notes section full of beautiful pictures, and lots of interesting anecdotes about the shooting. Concluding the sections are interviews with most of the cast:
Cho Jae-hyun, Seo Won, Kim Yoon-tae, Choi Deok-moon, Kim Jung-young [approx 31 Minutes]. The interviews follow more or less the same format. The actors talk about their characters, the film, the relationship with the rest of the cast, the director's visual style, what the broken pictures meant, and their future projects.
Kim Ki-duk [8 Minutes]  The director introduced Han-gi's world, his situation, how people like him are easily labeled. He talks about the characters, the unconventional musical choices he made (no Gayo or American music, but instead European songs). He also briefly talked about the production, and his future plans.
Hwang Cheol-hyun & Park Min [12 Minutes]  DP Hwang introduced the story a little, then both talked at lenght about the lighting and composition of the film. They talked about shooting the night scenes, and focused on each of the main characters.
Kim Seon-joo [6 Minutes]  Sketches, location design and a plan of Sun-hwa's room are shown. She talks about looking for the right location, and how to achieve the particular look of the film, fitting Kim Ki-duk's style.
Park Ho-joon [6 Minutes]  He talked about how the music impacts the film, how it helps sending a message. He also briefly addressed his choices for the  main theme.
Making Bad Guy   More than a Making Of, this is a MTV Style collection of behind the scenes clips, set to different parts of the soundtrack and stylish video tricks. I expected more here, but it's OK. Really short at around 3 Minutes.
Still Gallery  Three sections supported by one of the film's songs. Sun-hwa, Han-gi, and the staff. Some great pictures here.
Director's Notes, Theatrical Trailer
**The Audio Commentary is a must listen, but the rest of the extras are a bit substandard for a CJ DVD. The interviews are all very good, but there's only a short Making of and very little else. [7]

VALUE FOR MONEY (Average):
Controversial and hard to forget, Kim Ki-duk's latest work on DVD confirms the maverick director's talent. This time the film combines his usual stylistic touches, but with a more polished storytelling structure, and more powerful scenes. DVD is good, but not one of CJ's best efforts. This would be the perfect film for an introduction to the director, as it's his most accessible work. [8.00]
You can purchase this film at YeonDVD.com

SURPRISE PARTY

[¼­ÇÁ¶óÀÌÁî "Seopeuraijeu" 2002]
Release Date: 9/9/02  Company: Cinema Service  Running Time: 98 Min  Package: DVD+CD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround 2.0
Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer -Region Coding: NTSC R3

Opening Day: 2002, 7/5 - Cumulative Box Office: 299,719 Admissions
Directed By: Kim Jin-sung (Former CF Director)
Starring: Lee Yo-won (A.F.R.I.K.A., Take Care of My Cat), Shin Ha-kyun (Joint Security Area, Save The Green Planet), Kim Min-hee (Asako in Ruby Shoes, Top TV Drama Star), Kim Hak-cheol (Guns & Talks, Club Butterfly), Kong Hyo-jin (Emergency Act 19, Conduct Zero), Kong Hyung-jin (A Perfect Match, Over The Rainbow), Lee Young-jin (Memento Mori, A.F.R.I.K.A.), Yoon Mi-ra

THE FILM:
Surprise Party's first half hour is a little creepy: hair stylist Ha-young (Lee Yo-won) has to follow her best friend Mi-ryong's (Kim Min-hee) boyfriend (Shin Ha-kyun). She goes at it all morning, creating obstacles to delay his arrive home, just in time for his surprise party. Problem is, he doesn't seem to want Ha-young's company, and has plans of his own. Ha-young's behavior borders on stalking, and there's very little comedy in the film's first act. When plot devices kick in and the romance begins, the film actually becomes cute and quite entertaining. If Surprise Party works, it's only because Shin Ha-kyun and Lee Yo-won are perfect for the role. If anything, it's Kim Min-hee who brings it down a notch. I don't know if they actually wanted to present Mi-ryong as an annoying spoiled brat, but Kim Min-hee overacts for most of the film, and as a result the character feels a little out of place. Maybe using Kong Hyo-jin, who's great as Ha-young's colleague and friend, for Mi-ryong's role would have improved things. Trying to make sense of the film's plot will make it worse than it really is. Yes, it's convoluted and a little far fetched, but watching the two young leads slowly warm up to each other makes for a fun 90 minutes.

Shin Ha-kyun is perfectly comfortable as always, never overacting or looking phony. His spontaneity makes his character even more likeable, and he's the only reason the first half doesn't turn into a mess. After only 4 films, Lee Yo-won is already showing decent range. After a small role in the 98 film Scent of a Man, she proved convincing as the scared puppy inAttack The Gas Station, excellent as the bratty, shallow babe in Take Care of My Cat, and effective as the leader in A.F.R.I.K.A. This is a role closer to her TV Drama characters, even if her emotional fits sometimes make her look younger than she's supposed to be (that's not a compliment). However, her 'romantic' transition is effective, and her spontaneity helps the character a lot. This seems like her last film for a while, since after the TV Drama Dae Mang she'll get married and move abroad studying with her husband. Surprise Party is quick, funny, cute and undemanding. It's nothing that will knock your socks off, but it's definitely a good date movie. [7]

VIDEO QUALITY:
Everything in order, as always. Cinema Service gives us the usual film-sourced, 16:9 enhanced transfer. It's a really attractive presentation, with great colors and black levels. Most of the film is spent outdoors though, so any noticeable flaw (a little grain here and there, some other minor flaws like a compression artifact during a pan) will only appear during the darker scenes. A very good job, and the flaws will be only bother those who are watching this on huge screens. And even then, I'm not sure they'll have any problem with this transfer. [8.5]

AUDIO QUALITY:
Surprisingly active for a romantic comedy. There's good use of the surround speakers, even though most of the film is rather quiet. Clean dialogue, the soundtrack sounds great, and there are no problems with the 2.0 track either. [8.0]

SUBTITLES QUALITY:
Great subtitles. You'll count spelling mistakes on your hands. Korean actors' names are correctly subtitled (no Western replacement), the translation is often very good, and the timing is perfect. Japanese speakers might roll their eyes at the "Ohiogojaimas" (supposed to be Ohayo Gozaimasu. I guess the subtitler directly translated the Korean --there's no z in Hangeul-- without understanding it was just a polite greeting in Japanese), but otherwise there's no reason to complain. The only problem, however minor it is, turns out to be the same for all early Cinema Service releases: the font. It's a little too soft, especially for the Korean Subtitles. Still, anyone without major eyesight problems won't even notice this. [9]

EXTRA FEATURES:
Soundtrack CD    A really nice soundtrack. Some of the songs are repeated in different styles, but overall there is some pretty good music here. If you like Gayo you'll likely enjoy this CD. If you don't...well, the disc is not exactly like a freesbie, but your dog will probably get it back anyway if you throw it at him.

Audio Commentary   Director Kim Jin-sung, Production Designer  Jeon Hee-young and Lee Yo-won are featured in this commentary. It's pretty decent, but it doesn't really offer anything special in terms of information. If anything, the relaxed tone and the fact all three intervene frequently makes this a little more enjoyable than your usual commentary. Most of the time the three react to particular scenes offering some anecdotes of the production, cracking some jokes, laughing. The level of input is pretty basic, like the car they used for the shoots (a Chrysler), shooting in winter, discussion about supporting characters and extras and so on. I didn't really remember much about this commentary after listening to it, which usually means it's fun, but far from interesting. I don't think this will offer much replay value, unlike the film.
Cast & Director    Actually a very good feature. There's a profile with scrolling text introducing the character, while the upper half shows the filmography and a small interview with the cast & crew (Kim Jin-sung, Shin Ha-kyun, Lee Yo-won, Kim Min-hee). The interviews are short but cover most subjects like characters, relationship with the staff and director, and impressions from the shooting. Profiles are informative, adding TV Dramas as well as short films for the actors, and giving a nice list of CF's and shorts the director made.
Making "Surprise"  The usual Making of feature, divided into a dozen short segments. Nothing particularly interesting here. It's mostly behind the scenes footage and short interviews on location. At around 15 Minutes, you'll most likely take a quick look at this and forget it.
NG/Deleted Scenes   The first deleted scene shows Mi-ryong (Kim Min-hee) at a Gun Club, probably releasing tension. It was pretty useless, so a smart cut. The following two segments are NG cuts from the pursuit scene, and the final moments. Nothing special.
Production Notes/Photo Gallery/Theatrical Trailer   
Music Video    Marie "Surprise" (also featured on the soundtrack CD)
Other Trailers   Breakout and LOTR: The Two Towers  
**Disappointing extras. The commentary is decent, but the rest is material you won't likely see more than once. The soundtrack CD raises the score half a point, since it's pretty nice. [7.0]

VALUE FOR MONEY (Average):
Do you like undemanding romantic comedies? Surprise Party is the film for you. Likeable characters, convoluted plot, silliness and charming chemistry make this film an enjoyable alternative to other melodramas. The presentation and subtitles are very good, and even if the extras are a little on the slim side, with an additional soundtrack CD this is a recommended purchase.  [7.75]
You can purchase this film at YeonDVD.com

MY BEAUTIFUL GIRL, MARI

[¸¶¸® À̾߱â "Mari Iyagi" 2002]
Release Date: 7/19/02  Company: enterOne  Running Time:78 Min  Package: DVD
Audio Options: Korean DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer -Region Coding: NTSC R0

Opening Day: 2002, 1/11 - Cumulative Box Office: 86,764 Admissions
Directed By: Lee Sung-gang (several Animation shorts)
Starring (Voices): Lee Byung-heon (Joint Security Area, Addicted), Ahn Sung-ki (Musa, The Romantic President), Kong Hyung-jin (A Perfect Match, Over The Rainbow), Jang Hang-sun (Tell Me Something, The Foul King), Na Moon-hee (The Quiet Family), Bae Jong-ok, Yoo Deok-hwan, Lee Na-ri, Sung In-kyu

THE FILM:
(Read Darcy's review of the film here)

The opening 2 minutes of Lee Sung-gang's debut feature are already a little masterpiece. A bird flies over a terrific 3d representation of Seoul, while Lee Byung-woo's uplifting score guides us along. My Beautiful Girl, Mari is not only uniquely Korean, but also one of the best animation films of the last few years. With a simple plot, it effectively shows the challenges we face growing up, how dreams and fantasies help us to overcome life's obstacles. With a striking visual realism, but also an inventive approach to fantasy (which does remind a little of some anime features, like Takahata Isao'sOnly Yesterday, and Miyazaki's Totoro creatures), the film's nostalgic mood sends a nice message many people will relate to. The voice acting is very good, from the kids to the pro's (Ahn Sung-ki's voice is hard to mistake, but Lee Byung-heon seems a natural for this kind of performances). Another thing which stands out is probably the finest soundtrack of the year (with the possible exception of Dalpalan's ingenious madness in Resurrection of the Little Match Girl), by Lee Byung-woo. It might not sound anything special alone, but in combination with the images it's very emotional and effective. I swear I almost cried the first time I watched Mari, during the opening scene, for no reason at all if not this song. A beautiful, emotional film. And, hopefully, a sign of a rebirth of Korean Animation. Waiting for Wonderful Days.... [8]

VIDEO QUALITY:
Pretty much flawless. For a film made only with consumer products like 3d Max, Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere, Mari looks pretty damn good. There's no sign of compression artifacts, and the bitrate (perhaps the most important thing for Animation transfers) ranges between the 9 and 10 mbps. The slightly 'mechanic' movement of the characters has nothing to do with the transfer. It's how the film looks. [8.5]

AUDIO QUALITY:
DTS track sounds great, with more ambient sound than I thought. Lee Byung-woo's soundtrack perfectly enhances the experience. This is a very nice job. [8.5]

SUBTITLES QUALITY:
Generally very good. There are some minor problems which will annoy slower readers, like lack of punctuation. There aren't too many mistakes, and the translation is good. Korean subtitles are very good. [8]

EXTRA FEATURES:
Audio Commentary   It's pretty clear the commentary was recorded separately. Director Lee Sung-gang talks all of 5 minutes, while the kids (cast members Yoo Deok-hwan, Sung In-kyu and Lee Na-ri) talk from start to finish. I was worried this would be an uninteresting commentary in terms of insight, but they actually did a good job of mixing comments with character and film discussion. They introduced the story, and talked about the importance of the cat for Nam-woo (since he doesn't have many friends). They talked about Nam-woo's family and his friends, and his weird relationship with Sook-i (she likes Nam-woo, but his friend Joon-ho is attracted to her). Thankfully the commentary turned more technical with appreciation for the soundtrack, and Sung Si-kyung's two songs. They noticed one of the minor characters looked a lot like Choi Min-shik (actually they used a lot of photos of the crew for minor characters. There's one towards the end who looks like director Lee Sung-gang). They even talked about the difference between Korean and Japanese Animation, and the similarities with Totoro (the giant dog is clearly influenced by Miyazaki's work). The film is pretty short, so this never becomes boring. It's actually good, even if the director's part is very disappointing, with very little insight.
Making Documentary  An excellent 15 Minutes feature, introducing the director and the shorts he made previously. Executive Producer Choi Je-won talks about the production and investment, and the fact this is pretty rare for current Korean Cinema (a full fledged animation feature, that is). Kang Soo-jung talks about the scenario, while the characters are introduced. They showed the location shots and how they arrived to the final result. DP Kwon Geum-wook mentions Lee Sung-gang's visual style, and sketches of the town (along with a 3D model) are shown. There's a section showing how from the key animation they achieved the final composition, and finally some short clips of Lee Sung-gang's previous short. Long enough, informative and interesting.
Character in 'My Beautiful Girl, Mari'  Nice characters introduction, down to Yo the cat. Pretty useless, but cute.
Cast & Crew   Short profile for most of the cast, the director, and the rest of the crew including animators (with funny caricatures).
Production Notes   Also with some production sketches, and animation progress photos.
Publicity   Consists of a Theatrical Trailer, a Tv Spot, two nice music videos for Sung Si-kyung's songs ("Mari Iyagi", "Nae An-ui Keunyeo") and a poster.
Pre-Mari Theater 1-8   First 5 are really short films (45"-1') of an older Nam-woo visiting Mari's world. 6th little clip is really weird, with an underworld construction site building those green little round...flying things. Seventh clip is a short making of, and the final is an entertaining 'NG' section with Mari falling down when the wires cut, etc. A pretty cool section, but you'll probably not watch this more than once.
**Good extras. The commentary is interesting, the documentary excellent, and the rest is acceptable. [7]

VALUE FOR MONEY (Average):
This film will be a different experience for many people. For those used to straight to video Korean animation, or the glorious Robot Taekwon V saga, Mari will be an eye opener of just how much the industry has improved over the years. Those who only watch Japanese animation will find this a really interesting alternative. And, people who don't even like animation could be engaged by this film's maturity and uplifting message. Beautiful presentation, with great video and audio. Highly recommended. [8.05]
You can purchase this film at YeonDVD.com

TAKE CARE OF MY CAT

[°í¾çÀ̸¦ ºÎŹÇØ "Goyangi-reul Butakhae" 2001]
Release Date: 06/04/02  Company: enterOne  Running Time: 111 Min  Package: 2DVD
Audio Options: Korean Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitle Options: Korean Subtitles, English Subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1, 16:9 Enhanced - Format: Dual Layer -Region Coding: NTSC R0

Opening Day: 2001, 10/13 - Cumulative Box Office: 30,719 Admissions
Directed By: Jung Jae-eun (debut)
Starring (Voices): Bae Doo-na (Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance, Tube), Lee Yo-won (Dae Mang, Surprise Party), Lee Eun-joo & Lee Eun-shil (Asako in Ruby Shoes), Ok Ji-young

THE FILM:
(Read Darcy's review of the film here)

Coming of age films. Nowadays...they're a dime-a-dozen. At least on paper, Jung Jae-eun's debut film seems no different. We're presented with a group of different personalities, at a crucial stepping stone of their life. There's an idealistic dreamer (Bae Doo-na), a bratty rich girl who cares more about her image and career than her boyfriend (Lee Yo-won), a poor girl living with her grandparents, hoping to study abroad (Ok Ji-young), and the Chinese-Korean twins who constantly show their 'difference.' Yes, those are all clichés, stereotypes which populated similar films (and still do) making them less important than they aspired to. The difference in Jung Jae-eun's debut film is how it takes advantage of those clichés. It shows everybody has problems, not because of their social or economical status, but because of this particular period of their life. Everyone has a different problem, a hard obstacle to overcome in order to grow up. And, what really sets apart this work from many others, we don't necessarily get an answer, a payoff. After all, part of growing up is to find the answers to our questions within ourselves.Take Care of My Cat addresses the problems of early 20s Korean girls like no other recent film has done, fighting between their dreams, their responsibilities and the difficulty of growing up.

The reason the film is a refreshing alternative to the almost dogmatic style of coming of age dramas, its frank and mature approach to reality, makes Take Care of My Cat much more thought-provoking than you'd expect. Maturity because these girls aren't just dumb bimbos who only worry about sex, men, clothes or hair. Maturity because they're worrying about real problems, and the way the director presents them -- in a lighthearted, yet intelligent manner-- is never manipulative. I'd call it affectionate, often adding details which capture today's trends never becoming a nuisance (over-reliance on trends often makes these film dated after a few years. I doubt the matters presented here will change in 5 years, or more). The film features two of the country's brightest young talents: Bae Doo-na and Lee Yo-won. The former has shown more than once her considerable range and raw talent, the latter is just now coming of age in terms of acting, and role after role seems to leave her TV Drama 'Cinderella' image. Their performances are a great combination of restraint and spontaneity. The real star though is Jung Jae-eun. The film might not have been a success --despite the WaRaNaGo Movement's noble efforts-- but she's definitely a success story, and a filmmaker to follow in the future. Take Care of My Cat is a great little film, showing intelligence in treating its characters, mixing a lighthearted tone more associated with commercial films with serious subjects. Personally, I love it every time I watch it, and after months it's still one of the most sincere and enjoyable works the industry has produced in years. [8]

VIDEO QUALITY:
enterOne's first ever release. There are a few problems with this transfer, but it's generally very pleasing to the eyes. On certain occasions, spots appear on the print, which isn't the transfer's fault, since the same thing happened when they showed clips from the WaRaNaGo Movement's showing of the film. Colors are good to very good, but the level of detail and black levels are a little disappointing. Of course this is all good, and the usual fine film-sourced transfer, but enterOne would spoil us with much better work in the following months. [8]

AUDIO QUALITY:
Only a DD5.1 is offered. It's very solid, with no dropouts and clean, crisp dialogue. There isn't much use for surround speakers, but it's nonetheless a good track. [7.5]

SUBTITLES QUALITY:
Some more problems than usual, but also other things which compensate for the faults. There are a few timing problems (both with the English and Korean subtitles), spelling mistakes and some omissions, but the translation is good. Also, a lot of the on-screen text like handphone messages is translated, even with a different color. Nice, easy to read font. Good job. [7.5]

EXTRA FEATURES:

On Disc 1-
Audio Commentary  Featuring director Jung Jae-eun, along with Bae Doo-na, Ok Ji-young and the Lee twins, this is a pretty fun commentary. It's also a lot more chaotic than usual, so the level of information is not as good as you'd think. The most interesting parts feature insight by the director on the characters, followed by comments by the actresses.  There's too much filler where the girls talk at length about silly things like how Ok Ji-young was afraid of hurting her head during the phone scenes at her 'home', when the ceiling starts to fall. I'm not saying it's not entertaining, as the girls often crack jokes, and there's a fun atmosphere with "Big Sister" Jung Jae-eun (I get the impression she's a very energetic, down to earth personality based on interviews and this commentary) directing the traffic. But, there's nothing here that will make the time you spent on it worth a replay.
Cast & Crew   Character introduction (down to blood type, and chat ID!) for all the girls plus a very short biography. There's a nice filmography listing all of Jung Jae-eun's short films.
Interview  A Play All function is available. This is a cute interview conducted for the most part by director Jung Jae-eun, shooting the girls with a DV Camera (we see a P-I-P of her shooting, alternating between shots). It's 14 Minutes long, and includes interviews with Bae Doo-na, Ok Ji-young, Lee Yo-won and the twins. BDN talks about the particular setting of the film, about these five girls' lives, then adds a few fun anecdotes about the shooting, like her scene with Ji-young's grandma, and having to eat many dumplings in a row. The director also asks her about the role of men in the film, considerably different than most coming of age dramas centered about young girls. Lee Yo-won (the only one in a different setting, a DVD store) talks a lot about her character's aspiration, going abroad and visiting other places, like America, Europe, Egypt. Fashion model Ok Ji-young talks about the difference between her personality and Ji-young's (in the film) way of facing problems, and what she thinks about the character. The twins address the peculiarity of the twins, and about their (the film's characters) Chinese heritage. Then they show us they actually know a little Mandarin. Sadly no interview with the director, which would have been interesting. But, this is a funny section, a lot more relaxed than the usual interview features.
Deleted Scenes   A lot of small deleted scenes here, making up around 15 Minutes of deleted material. First scene has Hye-joo (Lee Yo-won) at a work dinner, feeling disconnected from the group. Second scene is kind of funny, but ultimately useless. Tae-hee waits outside while the twins dress up (Halloween or maybe some other Korean festivity) with weird masks, trying to surprise her. Inside, Tae-hee finds their photo as Siamese twins, and asks them about it. Third scene has Hye-joo going to the hospital, looking at photos representing growth, and enquiring about how long it would take for her sister to finish. This introduces a plot development which wasn't used in the film, Hye-joo's sister's illness. Personally, I think this would have helped to show Hye-joo wasn't as shallow as she looked at the beginning. But, thankfully, there are other instances which redeem the character. Fourth scene is another good one. Tae-hee (Bae Doo-na) comes home late and her father scolds her, then turns into the predictable 'What are you gonna do with your future' tirade. One could say this would have been a nice addition, to further delineate the disconnection between Tae-hee and her parents. It also would have explained a lot better why she decides to leave. Fifth Scene has Hye-joo shake a Cola to trick the president into opening it. Sixth scene is about Ji-young's confession before being released from prison. She recounts the night spent with her friends, and how she arrived at home with a bad surprise. I think it's a smart cut, it's a detail people would have probably wanted to know, but eventually we'd just be hearing something we'd already seen. Seventh scene has Tae-hee talking with her mother about her relationship with her father.  Eighth and final scene is interesting, but never fully developed. Hye-joo hangs around a supermarket, and picks up instant noodless and kimchi. A boy close to her asks her if she'll finish the kimchi, and she gives it to him. I think this came up just after Tae-hee and Hye-joo's discussion about helping other people, inside the bar. Some interesting stuff here. Unlike many other Korean directors, Jung Jae-eun seemed to spend a lot on editing to trim out unnecessary scenes. Very good.
Movement of "Take Care of my Cat"   In 2001, a group of industry insiders decided to support films which were released and quickly pulled out. Their good stories, and well developed characters deserved a bigger audience, so the WaRaNaGo movement (also known as WaNaRaGo, I think) was born. WaRaNaGo is the combination of the four films they chose: WAikiki Brothers, RAybang, NAbi: The Butterfly, and GOyangireul Butakhae, the Korean title of Take Care of My Cat. This is a short clip describing the event. I wish something like this could have been done this year to help films likeRoad Movie, Too Young To Die, Bus Stop/L'Abri, and Camel(s)find a bigger audience.
Theatrical Trailer, Making Of Three Minutes of a behind the scene look at the birthday party scene. In the middle, Bae Doo-na cracks up looking at Lee Yo-won.

On Disc 2-
Interesting enough, we get two of Jung Jae-eun's short films, with English Subtitles! Video is mostly VCD-quality, especially for Yu-jin's Secret Codes which shows a lot of macro-blocking. Girls' Night Out is a lot better, though. Both are in DD2.0, with decent subtitles (although there are too many spelling mistakes). Before the shorts, there's a short introduction from Jung Jae-eun about the films.
Girls' Night Out (µÑÀÇ ¹ã) - Shot on 16mm - 24'40" - 1999. Starring Ban Min-jung (Address Unknown), Jung Bo-hoon. In a way, this is an interesting prequel to the themes portrayed in Take Care of My Cat. It effectively shows teenage alienation, and still mantains a very frank, mature approach to sex. Ban Min-jung is living a weird period of her life, with her ever changing mood, unsure of what to do, bored of her surroundings, curious about sex. Her friend seems much more confident about her future, although she's not able to mix in with the rest of the girls. It doesn't really have a linear storytelling structure, but it's nonetheless a compelling short, showing Jung Jae-eun's already capable handle of character development. Not to be confused with Im Sang-soo's 98 film of the same (English) name, starring Kim Yeo-jin and Sol Kyung-gu.
Yu-jin's Secret Codes (µµÇüÀϱâ ) - Shot on 16mm - 19'52" - 1999. Starring Lee Sang-jik, Lee Soo-ji. This was a real surprise, a pungent satire of how children see the world when they don't have reliable parental figures. Two young girls take care of themselves, barely seeing their alcoholic father and lamenting the loss of their mother. In between, slices of their life is shown, like Yu-jin's practice of writing in secret codes. She's a major 'The X Files' fan, so much that she daydreams of becoming Scully and investigating upon the death of her father. This is an hilarious scene, featuring intentional overacting with lines from the TV Series ("Scully, the truth is out there") and the kids dressed like grown ups. Beyond this, it's also a striking portrait of how children create worlds of their own, and cope with life when they don't have a figure to look up to. It shows Jung Jae-eun's range, and makes me wonder how her future projects will differ from Take Care of My Cat.
**Really solid extras, helped by two interesting shorts. This was enterOne's debut, and it was a sign of great things to come. [8]

VALUE FOR MONEY (Average):
Personally, one of my favorite DVDs. It features a relaxed atmosphere, from the film to the extras. It's excellently realized, like much of enterOne's products, and offers a rarity like the two shorts. Definitely recommended. [7.85]
You can purchase this film at YeonDVD.com

Note: The film's rating is counted twice for the final average. After all, the most important thing is the film, isn't it?

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Last updated on 1/12

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