Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Servant Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 4, 2011

Kim Dae-woo's "The Servant" (2010) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Korean distributors CJ Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include two audio commentaries; making of featurette; interviews; and the film's original theatrical trailer. In Korean, with optional English and Korean subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The Lovers

A famous scoundrel-turned-nobleman, Lee Bang-ja (Kim Joo-hyeok, When Romance Meets Destiny), hires a writer (Kong Hyeong-jin) to pen his story. The two arrange to meet in a rundown but quiet inn where they could talk without being disturbed.

Bang-ja’s story begins some years earlier in a cozy kisaeng house (a place where prominent men are entertained by beautiful and talented young women, typically dancers or singers). He has just been hired to serve the wealthy Lee Mong-ryeong (Ryoo Seung-beom, Arahan), who has decided to spend the night drinking and listening to good music. When the two men enter the kisaeng house, they are immediately struck by the beauty of the singer, Chun-hyang (Jo Yeo-jeong, Vampire Cop Ricky).

Mong-ryeong orders Bang-ja to find out as much as he could about Chun-hyang and arrange a date. Then he creates a small argument to attract the singer’s attention. Misinterpreting his master’s intention, Bang-ja bravely confronts his opponent, a local giant, who threatens to destroy the kisaeng house. Much to everyone’s satisfaction, however, order is soon restored. Bang-ja then quickly informs another servant about his master’s desire to see Chun-hyang and the two leave.

The same night, however, Bang-ja begs Mr. Ma (Oh Dal-su, I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK), an aging playboy skilled in the art of seduction, to teach him how to win Chun-hyang’s heart. In a matter of days, Mr. Ma shows Bang-ja a number of proven tricks that quickly transform him into a man Chun-hyang cannot resist.

Meanwhile, Mong-ryeong and Chun-hyang meet, but it is an awkward date, and the wealthy master quickly realizes that the singer’s heart already belongs to someone else. Nevertheless, he reveals his feelings to her and even conveys that one day he would like to have her as his wife. Chun-hyang, however, politely rejects him.

Time passes by and Mong-ryeong becomes a royal inspector. The news reaches Chun-hyang’s mother, a former kisaeng singer and experienced seductress, who immediately urges her daughter to reconsider her relationship with Bang-ja and begin seeing the now powerful Mong-ryeong. Miserable and confused, Chun-hyang eventually accepts a marriage proposal from Mong-ryeong, who has no idea that she has already had an affair with Bang-ja.

Inspired by a classic Korean fable, Kim Dae-woo’s The Servant is a beautiful period film. It is also a very unusual film - it blends soft-core erotica with comedy, and romance with satire in a manner that reminds about Lee Je-yong’s provocative Untold Scandal (whose script was written by director Dae-woo).

The film is divided into numerous long episodes, each interrupted by short exchanges between Bang-ja and the writer. Bang-ja quietly explains how and why his life has changed, the various lessons he has learned.

It is next to impossible to guess how the film would end. The main characters constantly evolve, and so do the viewer’s perceptions about their desires. Their moral standards are indeed so elusive that it is never clear what goes on in their heads.

What elevates The Servant above other similarly themed period films, however, is the deliciously perverse humor. There are some absolutely cracking one-liners that pop up right in the middle of supposedly serious scenes.

The acting is excellent. Joo-hyeok and Seung-beom are a pleasure to behold as they try to win the singer’s heart. Yeo-jeong also looks fantastic in her white hanbok.

The Servant Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Kim Dae-woo's The Servant arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Korean distributors CJ Entertainment.

There are no surprises here - The Servant looks excellent on Blu-ray. Fine object detail is indeed terrific, clarity pleasing, and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. Color reproduction is wonderful, and the various panoramic vistas from the countryside literally look like moving pictures. The scene where Bang-ja carries Chun-hyang through the forest, for instance, looks absolutely stunning. Edge-enhancement is never a serious issue of concern; neither is macroblocking. I also did not see any traces of heavy noise reduction. On the contrary, when blown through a digital projector The Servant looks lush and crisp but also natural. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues. I also did not see any flacks, scratches, damage marks, or stains to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

The Servant Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the record, CJ Entertainment have provided optional English and Korean subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The audio treatment is as impressive as the video treatment. Though there are only a few scenes that are likely to test the muscles of your audio system, you will be pleased with the wide range of nuanced dynamics the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track houses. There are a few excellent surround effects as well. The dialog is crisp, clean, stable, and exceptionally easy to follow. I also did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, hissings, or dropouts to report in this review. The English translation is good, but I did notice a few syntax errors.

The Servant Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: I would like to apologize to our readers for not being able to comment on the supplemental features included on this Blu-ray disc. Unfortunately, they are all listed in Korean and not subtitled in English. Even the names of the participants in the two audio commentaries are listed in Korean only. However, all of them are playable on North American PS3s and SAs. The supplemental features include two audio commentaries, making of featurette; interviews; and the film's original theatrical trailer.

The Servant Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Beautiful, bold and unconventional, The Servant is for viewers with open minds and big hearts. It is a wonderful Korean period film by the writer of the provocative Untold Scandal, Kim Dae-woo. See it. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of Korean distributors CJ Entertainment, looks and sounds terrific. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.