Watched "Attack the Gas Station" a few days ago--a good movie (although not even the best Korean film I saw that week) but one of the most memorable aspects of it were the initial credits.

The names of the director and featured players were given in the proper order--for example Kim Sang-jin, Lee Sung-jae and Yoo Oh-sung.

However on the DVD we watched, apparently for westerners reading the credits, commas were placed after the family names and before the given names--Kim, Sang-jin or Yoo, Oh-sung in much the same way that names in English speaking countries are listed in the "last name first, first name last" order for alphabetization. Bond, James or Connery, Sean for example.

I don't think I have ever seen this before and was quite amazed. It really makes no sense. Those who don't understand the order of East Asian names won't care and those who do (or think they do, like me) will find it somewhere between odd and offensive.

Has anyone else noticed this on any movie credits? Or is it commonplace in Korean movies and I just noticed it this time?

I don't recall that. Which release are you talking about, not the Spectrum release?

Not sure which release--I rented it and have already returned it to Netflix. I should be able to find out from their database.

I have seen some other Korean DVDs with names/credits subtitles done this way, though it's not the norm. I suspect it might be a sort of salve to uninitated western viewers who might not understand the naming convention, which, as you say, can be taken as either odd or offensive.

I guess since it's largely the Koreans themselves who are doing it (it does happen on the occasional Korean-made DVD), it is at least an tolerable practise. I have the Korean DVD of ATTACK THE GAS STATION, but it's been years since I watched it, so I'm not sure it's the same one you rented. However, I'm 100% positive I've seen this in other Korean DVDs from Korea, as most of my K-movie library comes from there.

I remember a couple of instances where the given name was placed BEFORE the family name, and separated with a comma, for example "Suk-Kyu, Han." I think a couple of American releases of Korean films might have done this as well.

What's amused me lately is the number of "investor" credits that have cropped up at the beginning of some Korean films I watched recently. No real pattern, as these were just random, but if I recall correctly SISILY 2KM, THE WIG and possibly THE SCARLET LETTER all had "investment manager," "investment director," or "investors" listed in the opening credits. I've long known the source of funding for many Korean films was money from the private and public sectors, but I didn't realize you could literally buy your way in to the OPENING CREDITS of a movie. What a cool way to be remembered for doing so little!