Peppermint Candy

(aka "Peppermint Candy" or "Bakha satang")

directed by Chang-dong Lee
Korea 2000

Spring, 1999. On a railroad bridge overlooking an idyllic riverbank, Yong-Ho (Sul Kyung-Ku) faces an oncoming train. Distraught and beyond reason, Yong-Ho shouts, "I'm going back!" right before the train takes his life...

Peppermint Candy takes viewers back before Yong-Ho's death, and back through 20 years of the doomed man's life. Director Lee Chang-Dong weaves an emotionally wrenching tale about the futility of dreams against the unstoppable march of time. Like Memento, Peppermint Candy unfolds in reverse, with each stop in time giving new insight into Yong-Ho, as he becomes the man who will one day submit to his own death on a railroad bridge - the very same bridge beneath which he would declare his love for Sun-Im (Moon So-Ri) 20 years earlier...

But Peppermint Candy is more than a portrait of one man's self-destructive regret. Lee Chang-Dong takes Yong-Ho and the audience through 20 years of turbulent Korean history, including a stop at the tragic Gwang-ju Massacre, where Yong-Ho performs an act that will forever change his life. Full of harrowing moments and bittersweet emotions, Peppermint Candy earns every bit of its reputation as a masterpiece of the Korean New Wave!

Posters

Theatrical Release: January 1st, 2000 - South Korea

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Recommended Books on Korean Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

	NO COVER AVAILABLE				NO COVER AVAILABLE	NO COVER AVAILABLE
Contemporary Korean Cinema : Culture, Identity and Politics by Hyangjin Lee	The History of Korean Cinema by Young-il Lee, Young-chol Choe	Korean Cinema: The New Hong Kong by Anthony Leong	The Remasculinization of Korean Cinema (Asia-Pacific) by Kyung Hyun Kim	Essential Cinema by Jonathan Rosenbaum	Im Kwon-Taek: The Making of a Korean National Cinema by David E. James, Kyung Hyun Kim, Myong-Hwa Chung	Korean Cinema (Images of Asia) by Frances K. Gateward

Check out more in "The Library"

DVD Comparison:

Alto Media - Region 0 - NTSC vs. YA Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Spectrum - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to the Fred Patton for the Spectrum Screen Captures!

(Alto Media - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. YA Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE vs. Spectrum - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers	(no longer available) Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best...	Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best...
Distribution	Alto Media Region 0 - NTSC	YA Entertainment Region 1 - NTSC	Spectrum Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	2:09:56	2:10:00	2:09:56
Video	1.43:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.90 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.2 NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.86 NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Alto
Bitrate: YA Entertainment
Bitrate: Spectrum
Audio	Korean (Dolby Digital 2.0)	Korean (Dolby Digital 2.0)	Korean (Dolby Digital 5.1), Korean (Dolby Digital 2.0), Korean DTS
Subtitles	English, Korean, Japanese and none	English, Chinese and none	English, Korean and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Alto Media Inc. Aspect Ratio: Cropped - 1.43:1 Edition Details: • Synopsis, Profile DVD Release Date: March 1st, 2002 Keep Case Chapters 7	Release Information: Studio: YA Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Sneak peeks (10 min each) of both Singles and Turning Gate DVD Release Date: August 15th, 2005 Keep Case Chapters 7	Release Information: Studio: Spectrum Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by Producer DVD Release Date: July 11th, 2003 Keep Case Chapters 11

Comments:

ADDITION (YA Entertainment - Region 1 NTSC) - Sept 05': This is called "The U.S. release" only as it is locked into region 1. Well, unfortunately this newer YA Entertainment edition leaves a lot to be desired. It is non-progressive (see combing in large capture #5) and quite hazy next to the Spectrum release that appears, like the 5-disc Chang-Dong Lee that it is also included in, to be out of print.

******

The Alto Media came out first and was many individuals initiation into this film and Chang-Dong Lee films. Most unfortunately it was pan + scan, cropping away information meant to be in the frame. Obviously the newer widescreen version of this film is superior in every aspect - sharpness, color fidelity, subtitles, Extras, sound - there is really no comparison. I should pick up this Boxset - if only for this film in its proper aspect ratio.

- Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

YA Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC

(Alto Media - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Spectrum - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Subtitle Sample

(Alto Media - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Spectrum - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM)