Civic2oo1

I know that JSA just came out with a HK release and while the specs look good (DTS, Anamorphic), I'm a little hesitant to buy it. 9 times out of 10 I'll buy the Korean version (even if it is R3) of a movie as opposed to the HK release. Shiri, Attack the Gas Station, Ditto, all have been Korean releases then HK ones. My question is, is there a place I can go find out if Korean movies are coming out in Korean DVD format as opposed to the HK one? I would hate to go out and buy JSA and a few others that only have HK releases only to find a few weeks/months later that a R3 or better release is coming.

Rocky_Raccoon

JSA is coming out in Korea sometime in April. I think someone said April 19. Can't remember at the moment. Would be a good idea to have a site that compares the different versions. It gets pretty confusing on which one to get.

Clint

Furious

JSA HK release isn't anamorphic, only interlaced letterboxed transfer. As far as release dates, check the forums at www.kfccinema.com and www.koreanfilm.org where there tend to be a few Koreans posting about release dates (Mr Kwang and Darcy are very helpful in this regard). Waiting for the Korean release is pretty much always the best policy, with the only mitigating factor usually being length of cuts between Korean domestic releases and versions sold to foreign countries.

Trigger

You could also check Spectrum's website to see what's on their schedule.

Big Guy

Most Korean movies are pretty quick to appear on DVD these days...The odd exceptions being JSA(unusaully long wait) and a few others....They are worth waiting for because although the transfer quality may not be as high as say region 1 the movies are usually given the special edition 2-disc treatment(even movie that don't deserve it!)...Even though some of the extras are in Korean they are still worth having for the trailers and music vids etc...The HK ones are usually cheaper so I usually buy the HK one first if I'm not sure of the movie then upgrade it if I like it.....

eXcentris

I'll only buy the Korean release if the HK release is in P&S (Bichunmoo, Attack the gas station, Barking dogs never bite, etc...). I'm not that anal about transfer quality, I don't really care to have a bunch of extras I don't understand, and the HK releases are much cheaper.

S_Jerusalem

The HK version of Barking Dogs Never Bite is letterboxed.

-Spider

eXcentris

Oops, sorry about that. Tend to forget what I order from where.

dvdsarecool

Hello:

As a foreign film afficionado, I am interested in seeing more Asian films, particularly Korean films (drama genre). I wonder if anyone could share their thoughts about the picture and audio quality of the DVDs currently for sale at Poker Industries and HKflix.com? E.g., how would you rate the DVD quality of Failan, Christmas in August, Peppermint Candy, and Shiri? These titles were suggested in another thread. I read the synopses on the web and all four sound very interesting.

If this question has been addressed in a previous thread, please provide a link. I used the search feature but could not find anything relevant.

Thanks for your input!

chaver

There are both Korean and Hong Kong releases of Failan and Christmas in August. The Korean DVDs are excellent in quality, and come with lots of unsubtitled extras.

dvdsarecool

You say that the Korean DVDs are excellent in quality, and I hope you are right.

The reason I asked this question is because eight or ten years ago, I ordered several VHS titles from Tai-Seng and was thoroughly disappointed in the video and audio quality. Compared to the quality of American movies available on VHS at that time, the Asian VHS movies were full of audio and picture problems. Needless to say, I never purchased anything from Tai-Seng again.

I've not purchased any import titles from anyone else either since then -- I was afraid that there were similar problems with other distributors. But I'll try some of the newer DVD titles and see how they look and sound.

Thanks.

chaver

Took time off from school to watch Friend (Megastar) this afternoon, and I have to recommend it! Awesome movie, and pretty good DVD (anamorphic video, 5.1 audio). I think some people have classified it as action, but I'd see it more like a drama with some action in the background.

Regarding DVD quality, I guess if you can understand Korean, its always better to get the Korean releases, as they usually have a ton load of supplements (which are un-subtitled). Otherwise, you need to look at the quality and decide on individual merit. Hong Kong versions of Friend and Failan (before it was discontinued) have excellent quality, and seeing that they cost only half the price of the Korean versions, might offer better value for money. However, the Hong Kong version of Bichunmoo was a pan-and-scan disaster, where u'd definitely have been better of sticking to the Korean version.

cirrus888

HK R3 Failan is back in stock again and its a great little DVD.