NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Radiance Blu-ray (December 2025): Radiance have transferred Kim Soo-yong's Splendid Outing to Blu-ray. It boasts a new 4K restoration sourced from the Korean Film Archive's 35mm original negative, digitally scanned and color graded in 2023 with additional work by Heavenly Movie Corporation, delivering a high-definition 1080P transfer that preserves the film's inherent grain and aged patina while offering impressive visual clarity. The film starts with a screen that informs us: "The film, 'A Splendid Outing' directed by 'Kim Soo-yong' in 1977,was digitally scanned and color graded in 4K by the Korean Film Archive in 2023 using a 35mm original negative film acquired in 1984." Colors are vibrant yet balanced, blending dream-like softness with realistic tones - such as the vivid reds in Do-hee's bedroom sequence or the fishing net symbolizing bloodshed - enhancing the narrative's ambiguity between reality and nightmare without veering into hyperrealism. While minor source material artifacts like occasional vertical lines, light flecks, warping (although occasional aspect ratios are intentionally skewed - ex. HERE and HERE) or subtle color fading are present, they are non-distracting and actually contribute to the authentic 1970s aesthetic, resulting in sharp details especially in close-ups and impressive location photography from Seoul's urban bustle to the rugged island shores. Disorienting cuts in dream sequences and abrupt transitions between urban modernity and primitive isolation amplify the narrative's hallucinatory quality, implying violence through suggestion rather than explicit visuals, which intensifies the psychological impact. This editing style supports the film's experimental nature, creating a fable-like structure that defies easy interpretation while maintaining a melancholy distance from the protagonist's plight. Overall, this HD presentation is solid, likely the best the film can look, making it a commendable preservation effort for a rare gem of Korean cinema.

NOTE: We have added 56 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Radiance use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original Korean language. The scoring by Kang Seok-hie integrates seamlessly without overpowering the narrative, maintaining fidelity to the original mono format while enhancing the eerie, atmospheric undertones of dream sequences and environmental sounds like crashing waves or village ambiance. Dialogue is rendered clear and sharp (not always perfect sync,) allowing the subtle verbal abuses and environmental sounds - such as crashing waves or village murmurs - to heighten isolation and tension implicitly. The uncompressed mono PCM format in the restoration maintains fidelity, free from noticeable distortion, preserving the film's original audio integrity amid its psychological dread. Radiance offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

Supplements on the Radiance Blu-ray start with a with a feature-length audio commentary by cinema scholar Ariel Schudson (2025), which delves into the film's feminist themes, director Kim Soo-yong's advocacy for women's rights, and the protagonist's relatable emotional depth. Included is a new 1/4 hour interview with filmmaker Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine, Oasis, Burning, Peppermint Candy) - recorded exclusively for Radiance in June 2025 - where he discusses actor Yoon Jeong-hee - the star of Splendid Outing who also appeared in his 2010 film Poetry - highlighting her subtle performances and personal struggles with Alzheimer's; a 21-minute interview with filmmaker Chung Ji-young (National Security) - recorded in July 2025 - reminiscing about his time as an assistant director under Kim Soo-yong on this project and the broader studio system; and a 16-minute visual essay by film critic and producer Pierce Conran (created in September 2025), exploring the fascinating world of South Korea's "women island dramas" as a subgenre addressing isolation and societal regression. Additional physical extras feature a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow (alt cover see below,) and a limited edition booklet containing new essays by Chung Chong-hwa (a plot-focused piece with spoiler warning) and Pierce Conran (on censorship evasion during the Yushin Era), plus archival writing from Kim Soo-yong's autobiography My Love, Cinema.

Kim Soo-yong's Splendid Outing stands as a bold psychological thriller that deftly navigates the constraints of its era's censorship to deliver a potent critique of societal and political structures. Starring Yoon Jeong-hee in a commanding lead role, the film emerges from the tail end of Korean cinema's golden age, blending elements of modernism, surrealism, and social realism to explore the fragility of personal autonomy amid oppressive forces. Adapted from Kim Yong-sung's story "The Site of Traces" with a script by Cho Moon-jin, it reflects Kim's extensive career - spanning over 100 films - marked by a transition from traditional melodramas to more experimental works that subtly incorporate political allegory. Radiance Films' limited edition Blu-ray of Splendid Outing stands as a masterful preservation of a daring 1970s Korean psychological thriller, with its high-quality 4K restoration, clear audio, and enriching extras making it an essential release for fans of international and feminist cinema.

Gary Tooze