Founded in 2002 as one of the first-ever subscription film services with its DVD-of-the-Month Film Club, Film Movement is now a North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films based in New York City. In 2015, Film Movement launched the reissue label Film Movement Classics featuring new restorations released theatrically as well as on home video, with an emphasis on films by auteur directors such as Eric Rohmer, Peter Greenaway and Takeshi Kitano.
Filmmaker, playwright and novelist Lee Chang-dong is one of South Korea’s most celebrated artists as well as one of its harshest critics. Newly restored in 4K, this collection of four of his early works reveals the poetic origins of a cinematic career that is uniquely “marked by a fascination with pain and longing” (IndieWire).
In his directorial debut, GREEN FISH (1997), Lee uses the conventions of film noir to explore the story of a young man who becomes ensnared in a dangerous love triangle with the girlfriend of his employer, a local mob boss. Opening on a shocking scene of implied suicide, Lee’s sophomore feature PEPPERMINT CANDY (1999) proceeds to move backward in time, revealing the unhappiness of its protagonist in reverse chronology. In OASIS (2002), two societal outcasts become unlikely soulmates when an irresponsible ex-con befriends a woman with severe cerebral palsy. Following a matriarch who finds her capacity as a caregiver threatened by Alzheimer’s disease, POETRY (2010) features a Cannes award-winning screenplay by Lee and an achingly vulnernable performance by legendary actress Yun Jung-hee in a role he specifically penned for her.
directed by: Lee Chang Dong
starring: Yun Junghee, Lee David, Kim Hira, Sol Kyung-gu, Moon So-ri, Han Suk-kyu, Shim Hye-jin, Moon Sung-Keun, Yu-Kyeong Cha, Song Kang-ho
1997-2010 / 514 min (combined) / 1.85:1 / Korean DTS-HD MA 2.0, 5.1
Additional info:
OASIS
PEPPERMINT CANDY
POETRY
GREEN FISH
Overall rating: 4.8407645 / 5 from 157 reviews.
This Blu-ray collection of Lee Chang-Dong's early works, including 'Green Fish', 'Peppermint Candy', 'Oasis', and 'Poetry', is highly praised for its visual poetry, exceptional direction, and beautiful packaging. Customers appreciate the restoration and the inclusion of extras like introductions, making of features, and interviews.
Review topics: ["quality","looks","design","issues","value","packaging","box","buy","case","ability","set","work","film","release","collection","director","movie","boxset","booklet","title","transfer","poetry","features","master","characters","filmmakers","recommendation","extras","discovery","talent"].
"Have only watched Poetry so far. And even if that was the only on I had seen it would have been well worth the price. Absolutely stunning direction. Lee Chang Dong knows how to harvest the film as a visual medium. Love the way the spine and the booklet sit. Very premium feel."
"This box displays the growth of a modern Korean auteur. "Green Fish", the first film, is by far the weakest, being quite under developed and really lacking clarity in what it was trying to achieve. The second, "Peppermint Candy", is a significant improvement, but a little inaccessible for those lacking knowledge of Korean history. The more I think about the third, "Oasis", the more I am convinced that it is a masterpiece and the highlight of the set. The final film, "Poetry", loses a step and drags on a lot longer than it needs to. Overall, a solid set worth picking up for fans of modern Asian cinema."
"One of the best to ever do it gets an essential collection of four of his greatest works. Poetry alone makes the set worth it, and the other three films are also masterful."
"Cool collection of films. They all look great, wonderful transfer. I hadn't seen all the movies but now having watched all of them I'm very happy with this purchase."
"The Poetry of Lee Chang-Dong: Four is a collection that highlights the director’s signature focus on intimate human stories, moral complexity, and emotional depth. Each segment explores characters grappling with personal dilemmas, societal pressures, and ethical ambiguity, emphasizing subtle performances and contemplative storytelling. Visually, the films are carefully composed, with attention to light, texture, and framing that reflect both the inner world of the characters and the societal context they inhabit. Pacing is deliberate, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in nuanced emotional landscapes rather than conventional plot-driven drama. This collection is ideal for cinephiles seeking thoughtful, character-driven cinema that blends empathy, moral inquiry, and understated aesthetic mastery."
"This was one I knew I had to have when it came out. Great films, great package, great transfers."
"A must have"
"Thematically these were some of the most challenging films I’ve ever watched. The subject matter revolves around people and situations most people don’t think about and can make for uncomfortable watches. Poetry was my favorite out of all of them, even if that had some of the darker subject matter out of the four. The introduction on each disc was really informative especially for Peppermint Candy. I wish I had gotten the limited edition with the booklet, as I’m sure the additional analysis for these films would’ve been very informative as well."
"Poetry, it is only what we as readers interpret. And as any poetry anthology, such is the mesmerizing truth left to us on this collection by Lee Chang-Dong"
"Absolutely wonderful set of films. Highest recommendation!"
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