tastymuffinfactory
We look for the perfect love for our whole life since we start to understand the need of love, meaning of love, meaning of having someone to care for.. think of all day and die to meet up... What if that person comes from future or past....
No meeting no nothing just some letters, handwriting, different dates and smell of the person.... and still your heartbeat can't be tamed... your eyes wants to see this person, wants to see this person's world. Yes that's just the kind of love you find in 'il mare' AKA 'Siworae'
lastliberal
I haven't seen The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu reeves, but I have seen it. Il Mare is the Korean film that predates it by six years and is the same story. Like many great Asian films, another has been remade in America.Jung-Jae Lee (Typhoon) plays a budding architect estranged from his father and he moves into a house that his father designed and built. He finds a letter in the mailbox presumably from another person who has lived in the house. But, it is new and he is the first person there! Gianna Jun (an incredible beauty!) is the woman who rents the house two years later and is corresponding with the first owner through a magical mailbox.It is a sweet and tender story with absolutely brilliant cinematography and hauntingly beautiful music. And, of course, it has the cutest dog you can imagine named Cola, who binds the two together.A Sci-Fi ending to a sweet romance.
DICK STEEL
One of the earlier Korean hits in Singapore was Il Mare, starring Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Jung-jae, and last year it became the excuse of a remake by Hollywood to reunite Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock on the big screen. If anything good comes out these remakes, it is the acknowledgement that Asian stories are finding some legs to travel. There was no hesitation to obtain my copy of this movie when I saw the DVD, given that almost all the versions of the movie here was the VCD oneJust so you know where I'm coming from, I haven't seen the original, and had seen the Hollywood remake first. But if you were to ask me to decide right now which version is superior, I would say without hesitation, the original Korean one triumphs over the remake, simply because, as a romance, it sure knew how to present it the way it's supposed to be. The way the movies were made, is akin to the lake house featured in both movies - the Hollywood one is very grand, with plenty of bells and whistles, but the Korean one is simpler though by no means less effective, in its minimalist look and feel, puts the focus of the story squarely on our lovebirds separated by time.The first thing that strikes you is how quiet this movie can be. There is less dialogue, and it allows the images do the talking. As the cliché goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Containing plenty of beautiful, idyllic soft focus shots which contribute to the overall romanticized feel, Il Mare is slowly and intricately paced, and less complicated with its relationships, and its supporting cast is few and not given anything substantial to steal thunder and limelight.This, compared to the very Hollywood style of development every minor subplot into a major one, and having to explain everything to the audience - this I thought was sledge-hammered through in the remake very early on into the film, which after watching how it was dealt in the original, you'll agree at which version is more superior. There were many instances of "homage" shots, like the red coat, the paw prints, and the shots of the mailbox, as well as adapting plot elements like the train incident, and liberties were taken to bring to life some of its supporting casts, which were only mentioned in passing in Il Mare. If not for the inflation of run time because of the lack of skill in making a beautiful picture, then I don't know what is.Il Mare allows the audience room to piece together clues and events, without stifling, and this enables a greater appreciation, as well as time to be absorbed totally into the lives of our protagonists, 2 lonely hearts finding each other through a temporal time warp via a mailbox at Il Mare, the name of the Lake House. One's an architect, and the other's a voice artistes, and both connect heart to heart during the winter season, leaving the question of, if we can click, why not meet up and get together?Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Jung-jae play off each other really well, even though they share limited screen-time together. Coupled with the way each had their individual scenes shot, framed, and presented, I'd say again, you can't help but to feel for these 2, and root for them to transcend hell and high waters to come together. Watch this movie to find out if they do!!Certainly one of the better romantic tales out there, done totally right. Forget about The Lake House, make it Il Mare instead!
silerz-1
i like this movie..it is so sweet, how the relationship can develop even we don't even see the other person face.. the scenery is breathtaking..so beautiful.the house is so nice and very modern. i like the scene where both of them waiting by the mailbox and the girl send the guy her hair band and knowing that the mailbox is their connection. i'm so touched when the guy waiting for the girl to send him letter and wondering why she hasn't send him any yet. i like the fact that the main character is the Ji hyun Jun. I like her movies..windstruck..sassy girl..daisy..mm..her face looks so sweet and she can bring varieties of character..but too bad for this story though..at the end, she didn't have a clue who the guy is, how i wish that at least she has the feeling of she knows the guy, even tho she never set her eyes at him, some sort of deja vu feeling i hope.but..yep..it will linger in your mind for few days after you watched it...nice!!!
