Ghost - Ryeong

(aka "The Ghost" or "Ryeong" or "Dead Friend")

directed by Tae-kyeong Kim
South Korea 2004

Ji-won is your average collage student who suffers from amnesia. When one of her ex-classmates dies by drowning, she discovers that another of her former classmates is at the hospital and refuses even to drink water.

On the surface yet another South Korean ghost story, and even the story looks like some new twist on "Memento Mori", but even so it is pretty creepy. Of course it depends on the viewer having a preference for these sort of films, as the horror very much is based on the ghosts, but they have hit a nerve and are exploiting style and form.

But beneath the surface and lack of originality, "The Ghost" is a surprisingly good story about how sins of the past comes back at you, making effective use of Ji-won's amnesia contra her investigation of her former classmates deaths. Genuine creepy.

Henrik Sylow

Posters

Theatrical Release: June 18th, 2004

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DVD Comparison:

Optimum Asia - Region 2 - PAL vs. Tartan Video (Tartan Asia Extreme) - Region 1 - NTSC

Big thanks to Henrik Sylow and Eric Cotenas for the Review!

Optimum Asia - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. Tartan Video (Tartan Asia Extreme) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT

DVD Box Cover
Distribution	Optimum Asia Region 2 - PAL	Tartan Video Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:35:03	1:34:54
Video	1.78:1 Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.93 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.29 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Bitrate
Audio	2.0 Dolby Digital Korean, 5.1 Dolby Digital Korean	Korean DTS 5.1 (half-bitrate), Korean Dolby Digital 5.1; Korean Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Subtitles	English, None	English, Spanish, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Optimum Asia Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Interviews (5:45 / 4:3) • Making of (2:13 / 4:3) • Music Video (3:25 / 4:3) • Trailer (1:36 / 4:3) • TV Spots (1:10 / 4:3) • Other releases DVD Release Date: August 29, 2005 Keep Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Tartan Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Cast Interviews (4:3; 5:46) • Behind the Scenes (4:3; 2:13) • TV Spots (4:3; 1:11) • Theatrical Trailer (4:3; 1:58) • Trailers for CINDERELLA, SHUTTER, THE RED SHOES, A TALE OF TWO SISTERS, and THE HEIRLOOM DVD Release Date: 24 April 2007 Amaray Chapters 14

Comments

ADDITION: Tartan - Region 1- NTSC April 2010: While Optimum's R2 DVD was an NTSC-PAL conversion, Tartan's R1 edition is an interlaced transfer at the correct 23.976 fps running time. The interlacing is regrettable because the cinematography is gorgeous during certain atmospheric scenes. Unlike the Optimum disc, Tartan does have a half-bitrate DTS 5.1 track in addition to the Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo downmix. The Korean 2 disc edition includes DTS and 5.1 tracks as well as an audio commentary in addition to the extras reproduced on the Tartan edition (which also lacks a music video present on the UK edition). The HK edition is reported as having DTS-ES 6.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 EX tracks but is non-anamorphic.

- Eric Cotenas

ON THE OPTIMUM: Except for combing during horizontal movement (the faster, the more prevalent), the transfer is almost flawless. No visible artifacts, great details, strong colors, deep blacks. Simply a beautiful transfer.

The image appears to have been opened up from its OAR of 1.85:1 to the 16x9 friendly 1.78:1.

There are the choice between 2.0 Dolby Digital and 5.1 Dolby Digital. Both tracks are great, but the 5.1 Dolby Digital is very atmospheric, using the rears superbly with subtle creepy sounds. Nothing is a great as good rears in horror films.

- Henrik Sylow

DVD Menus

Optimum Asia - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. Tartan Video (Tartan Asia Extreme) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT