Seoul Station (2016) - Blu-ray Forum

Le Grande Blu · 04-28-2017, 11:24 AM

I was really excited that this was getting a Blu release, as I am a big fan of Yeon Sang-Ho's previous animated features, King of Pigs & The Fake. Seoul Station is very much in the same vein as those two, being much darker in tone with a lot of the director's themes of social inequality, in this case, the treatment of the homeless. An excellent companion piece to Train to Busan then.

What's not so excellent is the transfer - specifically the amount of banding present. I think it's the worst I've seen in any Blu Ray, and it really took me out of the film in places. This may have been forgivable if Studio Canal had included this as an extra with Train to Busan, but as a full priced release it's unforgivable. The one extra, a 15 minute 'Making of' follows the US template of focusing on the famous faces who popped into a recording studio for a couple of days to provide voice 'talent', then turn up on docs like this to windbag about the animation process as it relates to their performance. All in all, a wasted opportunity.

Sky_Captain · 04-28-2017, 02:11 PM

I'd be more surprised if a Studio Canal release didn't have banding.

P-Rock · 08-09-2017, 09:42 PM

I didn't notice any banding on the German blu-ray, but it's only in Korean/German and subtitled in German/Dutch. No extras though, apart from some trailers. Pretty good, yet depressing movie with a surprising twist at the end.

Filmmaker · 06-27-2020, 05:23 AM

I was considering buying the U.K. StudioCanal release because I recently got the U.S. release, only to find that it’s a BD-R. However, to my eye on a quick scan through, it looks lovely, so it sounds like I should just stick with what I’ve got, eh? Better to have a gorgeous burned disc than a compromised pressed one? Has anyone performed a caps-a-holic comparison of the two discs?

Filmmaker · 08-18-2020, 05:44 PM

^^^ Nobody? (*sniffle*)

jkoffman · 09-17-2020, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Filmmaker

I was considering buying the U.K. StudioCanal release because I recently got the U.S. release, only to find that it’s a BD-R. However, to my eye on a quick scan through, it looks lovely, so it sounds like I should just stick with what I’ve got, eh? Better to have a gorgeous burned disc than a compromised pressed one? Has anyone performed a caps-a-holic comparison of the two discs?

I'm just discovering this now, before I see the new sequel. So you're saying that this FilmRise (U.S.) 2016 release is a BD-R?

It'd be nice to know before I pick one to buy.

Filmmaker · 09-18-2020, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkoffman

I'm just discovering this now, before I see the new sequel. So you're saying that this FilmRise (U.S.) 2016 release is a BD-R?

It'd be nice to know before I pick one to buy.

It definitely is. In fact, in my experience, all of their releases are.

human_machinery · 11-08-2020, 06:28 PM

Do any of the Soul Station Blus look decent? I watched this on a stream, and felt it was lovely.

Filmmaker · 11-08-2020, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by human_machinery

Do any of the Soul Station Blus look decent? I watched this on a stream, and felt it was lovely.

The U.S. one looks gorgeous but, as I’ve already pointed out, comes on a BD-R platter (boo). I have the Zavvi UK Steel that pairs it with TRAIN TO BUSAN preordered so, since no one ever helped me with my earlier query, I’ll be able to compare the two for myself pretty soon.

Filmmaker · 12-11-2020, 01:20 AM

I’ve now compared the FilmRise BD-R to the StudioCanal BD and can report that the latter offers a higher bitrate, though the improvement in playback is rather minute, with a bit less banding and that’s about all. The U.S. disc exclusively offers a trailer while the UK disc exclusively offers a making of featurette, so I’m keeping both, but if you only want to go with one, I’d say StudioCanal ekes out a minor victory for this one.

Muyfa666 · 12-05-2022, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Filmmaker

I’ve now compared the FilmRise BD-R to the StudioCanal BD and can report that the latter offers a higher bitrate, though the improvement in playback is rather minute, with a bit less banding and that’s about all. The U.S. disc exclusively offers a trailer while the UK disc exclusively offers a making of featurette, so I’m keeping both, but if you only want to go with one, I’d say StudioCanal ekes out a minor victory for this one.

Thanks alot for the short of it.

I ordered the UK release. :-)

Muyfa666 · 12-14-2022, 08:11 AM

Watched it yesterday. Didn't really feel any Train To Busan connection, but still a decent enough movie.

04-28-2017, 11:24 AM	#1
Le Grande Blu Special Member Member since:May 2009 Blu-ray collection:1	Seoul Station (2016) I was really excited that this was getting a Blu release, as I am a big fan of Yeon Sang-Ho's previous animated features, King of Pigs & The Fake. Seoul Station is very much in the same vein as those two, being much darker in tone with a lot of the director's themes of social inequality, in this case, the treatment of the homeless. An excellent companion piece to Train to Busan then. What's not so excellent is the transfer - specifically the amount of banding present. I think it's the worst I've seen in any Blu Ray, and it really took me out of the film in places. This may have been forgivable if Studio Canal had included this as an extra with Train to Busan, but as a full priced release it's unforgivable. The one extra, a 15 minute 'Making of' follows the US template of focusing on the famous faces who popped into a recording studio for a couple of days to provide voice 'talent', then turn up on docs like this to windbag about the animation process as it relates to their performance. All in all, a wasted opportunity. Last edited by BigNickUK; 04-28-2017 at 02:43 PM.

04-28-2017, 02:11 PM	#2
Sky_Captain Blu-ray Duke Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:17	I'd be more surprised if a Studio Canal release didn't have banding.

08-09-2017, 09:42 PM	#3
P-Rock Banned Member since:Apr 2015 Blu-ray reviews:3	I didn't notice any banding on the German blu-ray, but it's only in Korean/German and subtitled in German/Dutch. No extras though, apart from some trailers. Pretty good, yet depressing movie with a surprising twist at the end.

06-27-2020, 05:23 AM	#4
Filmmaker Blu-ray Count Top contributor Member since:Aug 2009 Location:Tulsa, OK (but don't hold it against me!) Home Theater Gallery:90 4K collection:1162 Blu-ray collection:3145 DVD collection:593 Trading Score:24	I was considering buying the U.K. StudioCanal release because I recently got the U.S. release, only to find that it’s a BD-R. However, to my eye on a quick scan through, it looks lovely, so it sounds like I should just stick with what I’ve got, eh? Better to have a gorgeous burned disc than a compromised pressed one? Has anyone performed a caps-a-holic comparison of the two discs?

08-18-2020, 05:44 PM	#5
Filmmaker Blu-ray Count Top contributor Member since:Aug 2009 Location:Tulsa, OK (but don't hold it against me!) Home Theater Gallery:90 4K collection:1162 Blu-ray collection:3145 DVD collection:593 Trading Score:24	^^^ Nobody? (sniffle)

11-08-2020, 06:28 PM	#8
human_machinery Active Member Member since:Apr 2020 Blu-ray collection:13	Do any of the Soul Station Blus look decent? I watched this on a stream, and felt it was lovely.

12-11-2020, 01:20 AM	#10
Filmmaker Blu-ray Count Top contributor Member since:Aug 2009 Location:Tulsa, OK (but don't hold it against me!) Home Theater Gallery:90 4K collection:1162 Blu-ray collection:3145 DVD collection:593 Trading Score:24	I’ve now compared the FilmRise BD-R to the StudioCanal BD and can report that the latter offers a higher bitrate, though the improvement in playback is rather minute, with a bit less banding and that’s about all. The U.S. disc exclusively offers a trailer while the UK disc exclusively offers a making of featurette, so I’m keeping both, but if you only want to go with one, I’d say StudioCanal ekes out a minor victory for this one.

12-14-2022, 08:11 AM	#12
Muyfa666 Blu-ray Samurai Top contributor Member since:Jan 2013 Location:Sweden 4K collection:522 Blu-ray collection:872 DVD collection:1 Trading Score:5	Watched it yesterday. Didn't really feel any Train To Busan connection, but still a decent enough movie.

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