Korean Film Archive
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
Re: Korean Film Archive
The Lovers and the Despot (2016)
Not a KOFA release but filled with KOFA resourced footage, the documentary film recounts the story of the North Korean kidnappings of Choi Eun-hee and Shin Sang-ok and how they were forced to make films for Kim Jong-il's regime. It also includes rare scenes from Shin's North Korean films - made at a pace of 17 films within 2 years 3 months!
Not a KOFA release but filled with KOFA resourced footage, the documentary film recounts the story of the North Korean kidnappings of Choi Eun-hee and Shin Sang-ok and how they were forced to make films for Kim Jong-il's regime. It also includes rare scenes from Shin's North Korean films - made at a pace of 17 films within 2 years 3 months!
- L.A.
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
- Location: Helsinki, Finland
Re: Korean Film Archive
The upcoming Blu-ray of 오발탄 / The Aimless Bullet (1960) looks superb. Extras as well including a commentary. If I understand correctly, it should be out in December.
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
Re: Korean Film Archive
Reviews of Aimless Bullet and Gagman
- bradass
- Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:03 pm
Re: Korean Film Archive
If I deciphered the Facebook post correctly, it seems the Korean Film Archive Blu-ray releases on tap for this year are: A Short Love Affair (1990), People in the Slum (1982), The Last Witness (1980) and Sopyonje (1993). Flipping through some academic books I had on hand, it seems only Sopyonje [Im Kwon-taek] has a much of a Western reputation, so I look forward to the other films as surprises.
I doesn't seem to be noted here, but the audio on Gagman is terrible. Someone messed up at the controller and it has that echo-y, fishbowl sound. Too bad, because these severe errors won't result in recalls (like the mastering on one of the DVD releases).
I doesn't seem to be noted here, but the audio on Gagman is terrible. Someone messed up at the controller and it has that echo-y, fishbowl sound. Too bad, because these severe errors won't result in recalls (like the mastering on one of the DVD releases).
- The Fanciful Norwegian
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Teegeeack
Re: Korean Film Archive
A Short Love Affair is more frequently known as The Lovers of Woomook-baemi, but Korean sources have usually gone with the first title. (The second is a literal translation.) It's the closest Jang Sun-woo ever came to straightforward social realism, though there's still plenty of his usual affinity for the seamier side of life and behavior in extremis. Mildly surprised that this is coming out instead of The Age of Success, which the KFA previously issued on DVD, but supposedly Affair is Jang's most renowned film in Korea itself (and one that skipped DVD altogether). All the DVDs of Jang's movies are barebones so I'm looking forward to whatever extras they come up with; the killer would be an English-subbed version of Tony Rayns' The Jang Sun-woo Variations, but I'm not getting my hopes up for that. (The DVD is one of the very few Korean retail discs I know of that has no English subtitles.) In what I assume is a coincidence, Jang is about to end his informal retirement by directing a new stage version of the Shim Cheong legend.
And very disappointed to hear about the audio problem on Gagman, which is a favorite of mine thanks mainly to Ahn Sung-ki's great performance. From your description it sounds like the overzealous noise reduction that afflicted the restorations of Spring in a Small Town and various Ozu films (plus the Kamikaze '89 restoration I saw theatrically a few months back).
And very disappointed to hear about the audio problem on Gagman, which is a favorite of mine thanks mainly to Ahn Sung-ki's great performance. From your description it sounds like the overzealous noise reduction that afflicted the restorations of Spring in a Small Town and various Ozu films (plus the Kamikaze '89 restoration I saw theatrically a few months back).
- htdm
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 3:46 am
Re: Korean Film Archive
I was interested to read that the KFA released Age of Success on DVD. Was this recent? Do you have any information or links?
I picked this up years ago on VHS in Japan, lost it in a move, and have been looking for it ever since--I didn't think it was ever released in any format.
I picked this up years ago on VHS in Japan, lost it in a move, and have been looking for it ever since--I didn't think it was ever released in any format.
- The Fanciful Norwegian
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Teegeeack
Re: Korean Film Archive
It was released in 2015 as part of an eight-film boxset called "Modernization on Screen: Understanding Korean Society and Modernization Through Films." Like many KFA boxsets, it was only available for institutional use by libraries, embassies, cultural organizations, etc. The other titles in the box have been released individually at retail, except for Im Kwon-taek's Parade of Wives and Lee Jang-ho's A Fine, Windy Day. (Also, Bae Seok-in's Six Daughters has English subs in the box but not on the standalone release.) A Petal was likewise released in a similar boxset and never made it to retail, though the KFA does have it on Youtube.
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
Re: Korean Film Archive
Audio trouble also mentioned in the DVDCompare review linked above.bradass wrote:I doesn't seem to be noted here, but the audio on Gagman is terrible. Someone messed up at the controller and it has that echo-y, fishbowl sound. Too bad, because these severe errors won't result in recalls (like the mastering on one of the DVD releases).
- L.A.
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
- Location: Helsinki, Finland
Re: Korean Film Archive
The Last Witness (1980) Blu-ray upcoming from KOFA.
- L.A.
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
- Location: Helsinki, Finland
Re: Korean Film Archive
People in the Slum (1982) as well.L.A. wrote:The Last Witness (1980) Blu-ray upcoming from KOFA.
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
- Location: New England
- Contact:
Re: Korean Film Archive
An important film, I guess, but one I disliked a lot.htdm wrote:Very pleasantly surprised to learn that KOFA is releasing Im Kwon-taek's classic film...
- StevenJ0001
- Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 12:02 pm
- Location: Los Angeles
Re: Korean Film Archive
I saw it many years ago and remember it being pretty strong. What were your objections, just out of curiosity?Michael Kerpan wrote:An important film, I guess, but one I disliked a lot.htdm wrote:Very pleasantly surprised to learn that KOFA is releasing Im Kwon-taek's classic film...
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
- Location: New England
- Contact:
Re: Korean Film Archive
Im is probably the most thoroughly sexist director I've ever encountered (judging by the work I've seen). I found the (totally taken for granted as normal) sexism in Sopyonje very off putting. Saw it long ago -- so details are now foggy. Sorry.
- StevenJ0001
- Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 12:02 pm
- Location: Los Angeles
Re: Korean Film Archive
No worries--thanks for your thoughts.Michael Kerpan wrote:Im is probably the most thoroughly sexist director I've ever encountered (judging by the work I've seen). I found the (totally taken for granted as normal) sexism in Sopyonje very off putting. Saw it long ago -- so details are now foggy. Sorry.
- htdm
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 3:46 am
- L.A.
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
- Location: Helsinki, Finland
Re: Korean Film Archive
The latest release from the label is The Lovers of Woomook-baemi (Jang Sun-woo, 1990). DVD Compare has listed the information.
- L.A.
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
- Location: Helsinki, Finland
Re: Korean Film Archive
If I understand this post correctly, Kim Ki-young’s Iodo (1977) is coming to Blu-ray.
- htdm
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 3:46 am
Re: Korean Film Archive
Interesting.
I wonder what the other 3 titles will be?
I wonder what the other 3 titles will be?
- Boosmahn
- Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 10:08 pm
Re: Korean Film Archive
If my Google Korean-to-English translator makes any sense, it seems like there are four releases planned for 2018, and these will be announced tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday?
Nevertheless, Iodo is nice. I really enjoyed The Housemaid, and the restoration was good (if only limited by the materials), so I'm having high hopes for this one.
Nevertheless, Iodo is nice. I really enjoyed The Housemaid, and the restoration was good (if only limited by the materials), so I'm having high hopes for this one.
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- Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 6:29 am
Re: Korean Film Archive
The second announcement: Yeong-Ja's Heydays (1975). And you can watch the whole film in 1080p with English subtitles on KFA's YouTube channel.
- htdm
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 3:46 am
Re: Korean Film Archive
Thanks, just saw that.
Last edited by htdm on Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 6:29 am
Re: Korean Film Archive
Excuse me, but that post is from 2013. And yes, Sister's Garden is in Shin Sang-ok's Melodrama's from the 1950s DVD box set, which is released in 2013 and still on sale in Korea.htdm wrote:Thanks, just saw that.
Apparently, Shin Sang-ok's Sister's Garden (1959) will also make its DVD debut later this year.