MovieChat Forums > Hwasango (2001) Discussion > Version Differences (Korean vs MTV)

Version Differences (Korean vs MTV)

posted 20 years ago by Viderum
30 replies | jump to latest

I was wondering if anyone of you can name the differences between each version, i've noticed a few of my own i'd like to make notice of.

- The great rock soundtrack is replaced with hip hop and rap music

- The entire plot of the secret manuscript has changed and the only plot existant is the sub plot of the vince principle taking over the school

- What seems to be more than 30 minutes is edited out

- Many scenes are rearranged and make the film seem more like a music video. Such scenes include the explaination of the main character's problems and how he got his powers is explained within the first 5 minutes of the film, rather than learning through different parts of the film.

- The somewhat ludacris dubbing is done by rappers. The dialouge has also been changed and all the characters in the film appear much more different than what they are originally ment to be like.

- The original release was a breakthrough film in Korean and was one of their biggest budget films ever.

- The MTV version is awful and you see nothing breakthrough about it. It also makes close to no sense

- In the end it gives you the impression that Ryang and Kim are still on bad terms. While the Korean version it gives you the impression they are on good terms and they only fight just to test their strength.

So i'm sure there is just a small amount of changes. Anyone else want to volunteer?

[–] janus3 20 years ago

a few things i noticed, obviously alot of stuff cut out i.e.

i forgot the chubby red head guys name of teh rugby team, but when kim is in class and he gets sprayed in teh face by that girl with teh perfume, that's his sister, kim is in a daze and walks out teh window and lands on his face, pretty hilarious part, and that whole seen after isn't a dream it actually happens.

that fine asian girl IS NOT hakrim's gf, she just writes him letters he'll never see

it doesn't show how kim's girl winds up in teh men's bathroom, one of kim's friends poors water on her from teh second story of teh school

i didn't catch it, but in teh korean version every time a character is introduced the screen changes color and the narator gives you a quick bio

at the end they show the bloopers.

[–] F_R_A_N_K 20 years ago

Hey, since you guys seem to have watched the film in the original Korean version, do you guys know how or where can i get it? or did you guys are korean and watched it over there?

I know that when foreigner films are brought here to america, the producers and networks modify the plots and dialogues. They did that with Knights of the Zodiac (Saint Seiya was the original title) but they changed a lot of lines and phrases which gave the story another turn.

[–] janus3 20 years ago

go to ebay, i got my copy from a guy named [email protected] he's pretty cool, i think he sells bootlegs, but they still run on my dvd player so it's cool.

[–] DarkOxen 20 years ago

I'm in Canada and I just got it on dvd from the local Asian entertainment store. It's probably around, you just have to find it. I had never even heard of it until the clerk recommended it. Very awesome

[–] jsangspar 20 years ago

Tai Seng has a two-disc special edition (with non-english special features, but great ones that make total sense even if you don't understand Korean) available. Totally recommend it.

----------
"I don't question why I'm here, but I try to think what I can do."
- Takashi Miike

[–] General_Bison 20 years ago

I hope I never see the MTV version

[–] FulhamFan3 20 years ago

I don't think the MTV version is the official american version. I just think it was a bunch of rappers dubbing a movie to show there love of
hip-hop/kung-fu culture. If it is though I would be very very pissed.

[–] Viderum 20 years ago

Showing their love on how they like to turn gold into stone

[–] Projectedlight 20 years ago

I live in Australia, and I can tell you if you want to get an official version you can import the Australian DVD coming in Febuary, as it has the original Korean version with English subs. The distributor is called Madman Entertainment (www.madman.com.au) under their Eastern Eye label(www.easterneye.com.au). Hey, at least it's official.

[–] FulhamFan3 20 years ago

yes but is it region 1

[–] Projectedlight 20 years ago

No. You'll need a region free DVD player.

[–] Shan-12 20 years ago

You can buy the full 121 minute version from a seller named markymarkgv off ebay for less than $10 + $3 for postage to the US ($5 overseas). Check though, he also sells the 100 minute international version, so make sure you get the full version.

It's an ALL region disc too, so you don't need a multiregion player.

[–] geniale_schildpad 20 years ago

In Belgium and the Netherlands, the movie can be bought just about everywhere, and it's the original Korean version! Plus it's cheap, €9.99, about $8... The shitty part, the subtitles are dutch (not much of a problem for me, but...)

[–] MickLucifer 20 years ago

I just rented this, and thought it was great!
One of the few good things about Australia is, we seem to get looked after well when it comes to foreign cinema - ESPECIALLY things of Asian origin.

You can grab the DVD with English subtitles from www.madman.com.au.
The only draw back is, I think, it's Region 4 only.

Great film. Thank God we don't have to endure an MTV hack and hash.

[–] wyoming_sic 20 years ago

i didn't mind the mtv version.
the rapper voice overs just added to the humour haha.
made me not take it so serious.
but yeah i didn't get the impression that they were on bad terms at the end.
they were both laughing and flying around.
i would like the see the orginial sometime though.

i'm just a country boy who never knew his place...

[–] himboy32 20 years ago

I've never seen this infamous MTV edit but I'll throw my two cents in here anyway. This movie is better if you watch the shorter version with some quite trivial stuff cut out. I own the UK region 2 Premiere Asia DVD(Wihich contains all the cut footage in a deleted scene section) and its great the only scene I wish they kept in was Kim's fight with the school teacher in the bamboo forest. This is one of my favourite martial art/fantasy movies and is brilliant, If they had kept all the stuff in and released a 120 uncut version I feel I would not have enjoyed it as much, but having said that I'm still all for Asian films making into western terratories uncut.

___________________________________________
"I don't live in the 23rd century, I @#$%ing hate The Next Generation'

[–] W0m6at 20 years ago

The Madman release (mentioned previously) is actually ALL Regions, and has BOTH proper versions of this movie. The 100min version is the standard, but by accessing the extras, the deleted scenes can be re-inserted giving you the 120min version (Director's Cut). Additionally, if you use the "Open the Eye" option, you can not only choose to include the extra scenes, but you can also enable the option to access making of components at certain points in the movie.

[–] suneurth 19 years ago

Suddenly i'm quite happy to live in Denmark. I just went in to my local blockbuster store, and rented the original version. I didn't even know there was an american distortion until I came here in search for the soundtrack. Alas, I pity thee. Does anyone know any names of musicians for this film? Sorry if I'm blurring the thread, I'm new here.

[–] cosmicstallion 19 years ago

I'm from Australia and I am glad that we get many asian films in their original film.

Now I hate the idea that if a US Studio buys the rights to distribute a foreign film. Shouldn't give them the right to cut a film so severely. Unless authorised by the director. If the studio knows that a film has limited appeal then they shouldn't expect big sales. Cutting the film to 81 mins in an attempt to appeal to a bigger audience is insulting not only to fans of the original but the director. Why can't the US respect other countries original vision? No matter how much it doesn't appeal to the US audience.

And another thing Why do the US cut humour out of asian foreign films? I have noticed this has happened with a couple of Jackie Chan films. What do they think the US audience will not get the different approach to humour?

It's good to know that there are people in the who like foreign films. It's just bad that sometimes you have to put up wit stuff like the MTV edit from ignorant companies chasing only the $$$

Finally as for the film, I liked it. They didn't take themselves seriously and many scenes were funny. Many US action films have no plot or character development.

[–] epicknight7 18 years ago

original > MTV version

all you need to know =)

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] WaSanGo 18 years ago

OST didn't have its english, just the korean.

NAmes of the casts are different. some english translation are even wrong to its original korean name too. Song Hak-Rim (kor), Song Hak-Lim (Eng)

and the chinese/korean character of the most beautiful girl is "Icy Jade" or "Cold Pearl" in chinese, but english say what "the coldest cool sweetie that you won't forget " sth like this. long and wrong in translation.

MTV version means which one, because I have personally a Song-Hak-Rim one.

and wasango is korean, english translated to whasango or volcano-high. different.

some korean in english version (korean translate to eng) is not accurate.

[–] HeeroYuy0905 18 years ago

You can get it on Amazon.com. It's a double-sided DVD with the MTV version on one side and the original Korean version on the other.

ERROR: Signature Cannot Be Displayed

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Project_X 18 years ago

1. cast name.

2. meaning, the title of the casts...like that icy jade. the prettiest in WaSanGo. it say what a long and terrible unremembering things. actually telling people that Icy Jade gal is the prettiest in WaSanGo

3. WaSanGo in korea, USA is Volcano high, that is it...

I hate this movie because kwone sang woo, song hak rim there, should appear more

[–] alexandria_manou 18 years ago

We just saw the original one on french TV, and we are glad it was the original one, seeing how much MTV cut it!! Moreover, on the website of Volcano high (just type the title in any search engine), they don't even mention the name of the director or of the actors!!! It's so insulting for asian cinema... :(

[–] w1cht3l 18 years ago

you only have to notice the mian cast, Kyang-Soo Kim (Jang-Hyuk) and the tea expert (Song Hak-Rim, sang-woo kwone) is already enough

others are not significant enough to hear.

[–] zachschoolproject 17 years ago

What about the guy wearing the Colorado Avalanche jersey with the hockey stick getting his spine snapped by Jang Yang? Is that in the original, I always have wondered.

[–] Be_Bad_Boy 17 years ago

by - zachschoolproject on Fri Dec 29 2006 21:25:50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What about the guy wearing the Colorado Avalanche jersey with the hockey stick getting his spine snapped by Jang Yang? Is that in the original, I always have wondered.

===

is he JR's slaves in WSG High? Or the main character? If you mean the one who is blonde (dye hair though) and is the main cast, it's Kim Kyang-Soo (HandSome Kim) but if you mean JR's slave, sorry the movie doesn't give ppl their names.