Earthquakes are causing havoc throughout Korea and it's no simple seismic mayhem, but instead the mythic monster Yongary emerging from the earth! After nuclear testing awakens the giant monster presaged in Korean folklore, Yongary threatens to level the country, breathing fire and stomping entire buildings. Only scientist Il-Woo, with the help of his girlfriend's prankster kid brother Icho, can figure out how to slow down the terrible Yongary, who gobbles up petroleum products and only appears to be growing stronger. The seemingly powerless army considers using guided missiles against Yongary, potentially demolishing ancient historical landmarks in order to save lives, all in the hope of stopping his fiery path of destruction.
Considered one of Korea's first giant monster epics, YONGARY, MONSTER FROM THE DEEP is a vital and original take on the genre, with an expertly handled monster, a healthy dose of humor, and even a clever touch of sentiment shown towards the monster itself. It also boasts masterful special effects crafted by the legendary Keizô Murase (Mothra, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Gamera, etc.) himself, character stories built around Il-Woo and Icho, and utterly exquisite miniature work. This kaiju classic and long-time staple on regional U.S. TV has something for everyone, including a jaw-dropping rock 'n roll dance sequence! The folkloric monster team at Vinegar Syndrome is proud to bring you this beloved creature classic, newly restored in 4K and finally featuring the surviving fragments of its original Korean language version.
directed by: Kim Ki-duk starring: Yeong-il Oh, Jeong-im Nam, Lee Soon-jae, Moon Kang, Kwang Ho Lee 1967 / 80 min / 2.35:1 / English Mono
2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD / Region A Blu-ray
4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm interpositive
Commentary track with film historian Samm Deighan
Commentary track with film historian Steve Ryfle & writer/critic Kim Song-ho
All that remains of Daegoesu Yonggari, the original
Korean cut of Yongary with newly translated English subtitles, sourced from tape and courtesy of the Korean Film Archive (48 min)
Archival video interview with legendary kaiju suitmaker Keizo Murase, originally produced for TohoKingdom.com (20 min)
"Yongary: The Birth of Korea's Monster" (19 min) - a
featurette with Korean film historians Kim Hyun-jae, Hong Gi-hun, and Park Sang-kyu
Video introduction by film historian Sean Rhoads,
co-author of Japan's Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema (8 min)
Image gallery
Anatomy poster by renowned kaiju artist Matt Frank
