Packaging Spotlight 040: Sungkyunkwan Scandal
YA Entertainment recently revealed that it would be releasing Rooftop Prince (starring Mickey Yoochun of JYJ) on U.S. DVD this July 2012, and in honor of the good news, I'm spotlighting one of Yoochun's earlier dramas that was also licensed and released stateside by YA - Sungkyunkwan Scandal.
Sungkyunkwan was one of those fusion saguks that grabbed me from the very beginning. This was due, in large part, to Park Min-young's utterly charming portrayal of Yoon-hee - the smart, determined young heroine of the series who, through a series of mishaps, ends up entering the Joseon era's bastion of intelligent masculinity - Sungkyunkwan University. Not only must she prove herself smart enough to compete with the other scholars, she must also hide her true identity and gender.
Yoon-hee's often contentious relationship with fellow scholar Lee Sun-joon (Yoochun) leads to plenty of laughs, but it's tempered by their ever-growing chemistry and attraction to one another, which is complicated due to the fact that Sun-joon has no idea she's a woman.
And perhaps even more appealing than the series primary duo are Moon Jae-shin (Yoo Ah-in) and Gu Yong-ha (Song Joong-ki). They are the perfect foils for each other - one an aloof brooding ruffian and the other a charming schemer of a ladies man. Each character is wonderfully multi-faceted, and some of my favorite scenes involve the lengths the two are willing to go for one another in the name of friendship.
YA Entertainment's treatment of the series is lovely, but pretty barebones compared to a number of its other recent titles. There are zero special features included, which is definitely a bummer, but despite not having any on-disc extras, the set looks really wonderful. The 20-episode series is contained on 7 discs, which are housed in two Amaray cases and an artbox featuring lots of great key art images.
The other big bonus is that YA's box set retails for $59.99 (and it's almost always at least a little less than that). The Korean Region 3 sets (the limited edition and regular edition) come with a ton of unsubbed extras, but they retail for around $150 or more. It all comes down to what you're really looking for in a box set.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal
More photos ahead...
How adorable are these two?!
I love the expression on Jae-shin's face! It's sort of confounded and exasperated all at once - a look that frequently appears whenever Yong-ha is around.
Back of the box:
Set during the 18th century when Korea was still known as "Josun," Sungkyunkwan Scandal is the latest historical Korean TV drama series to delight audiences worldwide.
Sungkyunkwan, Josun's most prestigious school, has its own set of rigid rules (e.g. no girls!) that even the king can't touch. But that's all about to change because of four very special students! Kim Yoon-hee is a super smart girl, but she was born in an era when women were forbidden to study. To help support her grief-stricken family, she decides to pose as a boy and earn money from lazy scholars by doing their homework. One thing leads to another and she finds herself being accepted to Sungkyunkwan! But will she be able to hide her true identity (and avoid the punishment of death)?
Yoon-hee becomes friends with Lee Sun-joon, an uptight son-of-a-noble who loves following the rules, Moon Jae-shin, a young man who is scarred by his brother's tragic death, and Gu Yong-ha, a free-spirited soul whose life is a bit more complicated than he lets on. These four unlikely friends find themselves embroiled in romantic rivalries, campus politics, and even a top-secret mission to help the king change the course of Korean history!
Special Features:
N/A
Specs:
U.S. Region 1, NTSC
YA Entertainment
$59.99, SRP
7-discs
20 hours
16:9, anamorphic widescreen
Korean audio
English subtitles
Preview:
Not sure where to shop? Trying to avoid bootlegs? Check out my retailers page to get the skinny on reliable online stores out there!
Sungkyunkwan was one of those fusion saguks that grabbed me from the very beginning. This was due, in large part, to Park Min-young's utterly charming portrayal of Yoon-hee - the smart, determined young heroine of the series who, through a series of mishaps, ends up entering the Joseon era's bastion of intelligent masculinity - Sungkyunkwan University. Not only must she prove herself smart enough to compete with the other scholars, she must also hide her true identity and gender.
Yoon-hee's often contentious relationship with fellow scholar Lee Sun-joon (Yoochun) leads to plenty of laughs, but it's tempered by their ever-growing chemistry and attraction to one another, which is complicated due to the fact that Sun-joon has no idea she's a woman.
And perhaps even more appealing than the series primary duo are Moon Jae-shin (Yoo Ah-in) and Gu Yong-ha (Song Joong-ki). They are the perfect foils for each other - one an aloof brooding ruffian and the other a charming schemer of a ladies man. Each character is wonderfully multi-faceted, and some of my favorite scenes involve the lengths the two are willing to go for one another in the name of friendship.
YA Entertainment's treatment of the series is lovely, but pretty barebones compared to a number of its other recent titles. There are zero special features included, which is definitely a bummer, but despite not having any on-disc extras, the set looks really wonderful. The 20-episode series is contained on 7 discs, which are housed in two Amaray cases and an artbox featuring lots of great key art images.
The other big bonus is that YA's box set retails for $59.99 (and it's almost always at least a little less than that). The Korean Region 3 sets (the limited edition and regular edition) come with a ton of unsubbed extras, but they retail for around $150 or more. It all comes down to what you're really looking for in a box set.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal
More photos ahead...
How adorable are these two?!
I love the expression on Jae-shin's face! It's sort of confounded and exasperated all at once - a look that frequently appears whenever Yong-ha is around.
Back of the box:
Set during the 18th century when Korea was still known as "Josun," Sungkyunkwan Scandal is the latest historical Korean TV drama series to delight audiences worldwide.
Sungkyunkwan, Josun's most prestigious school, has its own set of rigid rules (e.g. no girls!) that even the king can't touch. But that's all about to change because of four very special students! Kim Yoon-hee is a super smart girl, but she was born in an era when women were forbidden to study. To help support her grief-stricken family, she decides to pose as a boy and earn money from lazy scholars by doing their homework. One thing leads to another and she finds herself being accepted to Sungkyunkwan! But will she be able to hide her true identity (and avoid the punishment of death)?
Yoon-hee becomes friends with Lee Sun-joon, an uptight son-of-a-noble who loves following the rules, Moon Jae-shin, a young man who is scarred by his brother's tragic death, and Gu Yong-ha, a free-spirited soul whose life is a bit more complicated than he lets on. These four unlikely friends find themselves embroiled in romantic rivalries, campus politics, and even a top-secret mission to help the king change the course of Korean history!
Special Features:
N/A
Specs:
U.S. Region 1, NTSC
YA Entertainment
$59.99, SRP
7-discs
20 hours
16:9, anamorphic widescreen
Korean audio
English subtitles
Preview:
You can watch this video on www.livejournal.com
Not sure where to shop? Trying to avoid bootlegs? Check out my retailers page to get the skinny on reliable online stores out there!