New World (Sin-se-gae) (Blu-ray) (2013)

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General		Extras
Category	Action	Featurette-Making Of Gallery-Photo Theatrical Trailer Trailer-x 3 for other films
Rating
Year Of Production	2013
Running Time	135:15 (Case: 134)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Ads Then Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Park Hoon-jung
Studio Distributor	Madman Entertainment	Starring	Choi Min-sik Lee Jung-jae Park Seong-woong Hwang Jeong-min Song Ji-hyo
Case	Standard Blu-ray
RPI	?	Music	Cho Yeong-wook

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	Korean DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 Korean Dolby Digital 2.0
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	1080p
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English	Smoking	Yes, constantly
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     A number of crime syndicates in Inchon have combined into one large wealthy corporate conglomerate, seeming immune from police prosecution. When the head of the organisation is killed in an accident, Section Chief Kang (Choi Min-sik) sees the opportunity to destroy the organisation by helping orchestrate a power struggle between the leading contenders for succession: Lee Jung-gu (Park Seong-woong) and Jeong Cheong (Hwang Jeong-min). Indeed, Kang has an ace: eight years ago undercover policeman Lee Ja-sung (Lee Jung-jae) infiltrated the organisation and is now Jeong Cheong’s right hand man. But Ja-sung is not the only mole Kang has planted inside the syndicate and as Kang plays off one group against the other, and the violence escalates, Ja-sung must try to avoid exposure, save his skin and decide where his loyalties truly lie.

     New World (Sin-se-gae) is another superb crime thriller from Korea written and directed by Park Hoon-jeong. There is certainly chaotic, bloody and brutal action in the film, but New World is more about manipulation and control, where no-one has clean hands, no-one is above suspicion and betrayals and double-crosses are the order of the day. While I found Lee Jung-jae as Ja-sung quite bland, he is surrounded by fabulous acting from Choi Min-sik (who was terrific in the original Oldboy (2003)) and the manic Hwang Jeong-min who pretty much steals the show. The blue harbour, derelict wharfs and glass and chrome buildings of Inchon also look fantastic, courtesy of cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon (who coincidentally also shot Oldboy).

     Running 135 minutes, New World may look long but this is one case where the length is justified; the plotting is concise and controlled and New World never feels bloated. Although you can see some of the twists coming, on the whole the twists and betrayals work well and the film is well made, well scripted and well-acted, a powerful viewing experience.

Video

     New World is presented in the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 in 1080p using the MPEG-4 AVC code.

    The movie was filmed using the digital Red One camera and processed digitally but this is one case where the flatter colours work to mirror the film’s themes, while the muted blues of the harbour and sky are especially beautiful to look at. Detail is very sharp and the print avoids the yellowish tinge often showing in digital films. Blacks are deep and solid, shadow detail very good, brightness and contrast consistent.

     The print did show some slight ghosting against mottled surfaces but otherwise marks and artefacts were absent.

    US English subtitles are in an easy to read white font and seemed to be timely and error free.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     Audio is a choice between Korean DTS-HD MA 5.1 or Korean Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo. I listened to the 5.1 audio track.

     This is a predominately a front oriented audio track. Dialogue was clear and centred. The surrounds and rears did provide some ambient effects, such as rain and music, as well as chaotic noise during a massed fight. The subwoofer added bass to the music, engines and occasional effects.

    Lip synchronisation seemed occasionally to be slightly out, but was not distracting.

     The original orchestral score by Cho Yeong-wook was effective and well represented in the audio mix.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Trailers

     These trailers play on inserting the disc and can also be selected from the menu: A Company Man (2:14), The Thieves (1:42) and Bedevilled (1:35).

Making Of (4:23)

     Unstructed on set footage without interviews, captions of linking narration. Of limited value.

Photo Gallery (5:01)

     Stills play automatically, with music. Sections include stills of the main characters, on-set stills of the crew and some story boards.

Theatrical Trailer (1:38)

     Our Region B release of New World is identical to the Region A US release including the FBI warning and Well Go USA trailers. There are a couple of Region A Korean releases that have a range of extras, but while the feature has English subtitles, the extras probably do not.

     New World is another superb crime thriller from Korea, well made, well scripted and well-acted, including by the original Oldboy Choi Min-sik, with enough violence, betrayals and double-crosses to a deliver a compelling viewing experience. Recommended for fans of crime thrillers or Korean cinema.

     The video and audio are fine; extras are minimal, but are the same as the Region A US release.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall