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Il Mare

Original title: Siworae
  • 2000
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
9.9K
YOUR RATING
Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Jung-jae in Il Mare (2000)
Il Mare(2000)
Play trailer3:17
1 Video
18 Photos
DramaFantasyRomance

In 1999, a voice actor moves from Il Mare, a seaside house, and leaves a Christmas card in its mailbox. An architecture student receives it in 1997, and a friendship separated by two years b... Read allIn 1999, a voice actor moves from Il Mare, a seaside house, and leaves a Christmas card in its mailbox. An architecture student receives it in 1997, and a friendship separated by two years begins.In 1999, a voice actor moves from Il Mare, a seaside house, and leaves a Christmas card in its mailbox. An architecture student receives it in 1997, and a friendship separated by two years begins.

  • Director
    • Hyun-seung Lee
  • Writers
    • Eun-Jeong Kim
    • Mi-Yeong Kim
    • Won Tae-yeon
  • Stars
    • Lee Jung-jae
    • Jun Ji-hyun
    • Kim Moo Saeng
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    9.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Hyun-seung Lee
    • Writers
      • Eun-Jeong Kim
      • Mi-Yeong Kim
      • Won Tae-yeon
    • Stars
      • Lee Jung-jae
      • Jun Ji-hyun
      • Kim Moo Saeng
    • 54User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 nominations total

    Videos1

    Main trailer
    Trailer 3:17
    Main trailer

    Photos17

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    + 12
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    Top cast8

    Edit
    Lee Jung-jae
    Lee Jung-jae
    • Han Sung-hyun
    Jun Ji-hyun
    Jun Ji-hyun
    • Kim Eun-ju
    Kim Moo Saeng
      Jo Seung-yeon
      Jo Seung-yeon
      • Jae-hyeok
      • (as Jo Seung-yun)
      Yun-jae Min
      So-yeong Hong
      • Voice Actor
      Jung-Hee Nam
      • Eun-ju's mother
      • (as Jeong-Hee Nam)
      Choi Yoon-Young
        • Director
          • Hyun-seung Lee
        • Writers
          • Eun-Jeong Kim
          • Mi-Yeong Kim
          • Won Tae-yeon
        • All cast & crew
        • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

        User reviews54

        7.59.9K
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        10

        Featured reviews

        BrianThibodeau

        Another soapy time-travel romance, another great date movie

        IL MARE (2001) Another soapy time-travel romance that, if you watch it in the right frame of mind, could have you in tears. It's about a guy who finds a letter in the mailbox of his new seaside rental house from the previous tenant advising him about little things that haven't happened yet, like the paw prints his dog leaves on the floor days later! In trying to meet the woman who wrote the letter, he comes to realize she lives about a year or two ahead of him in the timeline, and lived in the house after he vacated it. He asks her to find him in the future, but she can't... Like DITTO, the film manages to defy conventions on a couple of occasions, and it's internal logic is solid enough that you don't think about it too hard. Another great date film, again provided you're not too cynical about such things. I give it a 9.
        9wildscreen

        This is a movie for a very romantically lonely person

        This is a movie for a very romantically lonely person,you go the theater alone to see beautiful people suffering from love lost,feeling sympathy for them and have a great relieve at the end of the movie,you must think that those ending could happen in your life too!

        This movie is beautiful, come with a very sweet music,the production is on par with any European movie,the script is very well written and there is an element that become a special present for viewer who love a beautifully design things.If you think it's time to have a better movie to replace " Somewhere In Time" in a reference about very much loved sad movie you may give this movie a 10,if you looking for an alternative to Hollywood movie you might give it a 10 too.
        8Gonkiz

        Beautiful, weird, and compelling...

        This is the most romantic and weird film I've ever seen. Delightful and very romantic, this film inspires. I had an overwhelming urge to go home and design something after seeing it. Not to mention dropping letters into mailboxes. Visually, the movie is incredibly beautiful. The storyline is also quite original for a love story. I don't know what else to say except see it, if you get the opportunity.
        9elwehttam

        Underrated movie

        After watching My Sassy girl which i truly enjoyed, i decided to watch other movies with the actor Jun Ji Hyun. Hearing that it wasn't that good at the box office in Korea i had little expectation of the movie. But wow was I in for a surprise. The cinematography and the music really establishes the mood of the movie with the isolated house as the main scenery beside the ocean giving a sense of loneliness that the characters endure throughout the movie. The mailbox was the only way of bridging that gap and the movie did a good job of portraying that. But also had a magical property which sends and receives mail at two different years in time. However exploiting it to change the past could have dire consequences. Overall a different but memorable romantic movie experience. Good to watch when your alone and relaxed.
        10ebios

        excellent!

        This film is one of those films that makes you think about the story after a few days. The soundtrack and scenery creates a feeling of depression among the lead characters and they find happiness when they communicate to each other about their problems. This creates a slow moving pace, but yet it captures your attention throughout the film because the pain and emotions of the characters are believable and intriguing. The element communicating in different times, like the movie "Frequency", is part of the appeal as well.

        It's also interesting the way they incorporated the topic of architecture into the story and scenery. Great cinematography and use of soundtrack.

        It's strange the movie isn't as big of a hit. It's probably because of low budgeting in the marketing department. Anyways, go see it if you haven't, you will be pleasantly impressed.

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        Related interests

        Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
        Drama
        Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
        Fantasy
        Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
        Romance

        Storyline

        Edit

        Did you know

        Edit
        • Trivia
          On August 31, 2002, Il Mare was swept away by Typhoon Rusa. There is a new breakwater between summer sea line and the former position of Il Mare. Exact coordinates of Il Mare were: (37° 44' 16.00" N, 126° 17' 21.50" E). The coordinates of the house construction site Sung-hyun visits are: (33° 30' 49.50" N, 126° 58' 03.50" E). And the beach which Sung-hyun sits on can be seen at (33°30'7.00" N, 126°56'35.75" E).
        • Connections
          Referenced in Failan (2001)
        • Soundtracks
          Must Say Goodbye
          Performed by Kim Hyun Chul

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        FAQ26

        • How long is Il Mare?Powered by Alexa
        • Is this movie the same With the Lake House?
        • What is 'Siworae/Il Mare' about?
        • Is 'Siworae/Il Mare' based on a book?

        Details

        Edit
        • Release date
          • September 9, 2000 (South Korea)
        • Country of origin
          • South Korea
        • Language
          • Korean
        • Also known as
          • Người Tình Không Chân Dung
        • Filming locations
          • Ha-ri, Samsan-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, South Korea(Il Mare)
        • Production companies
          • Blue Cinema
          • CJ Entertainment
          • Dream Venture Capital
        • See more company credits at IMDbPro

        Box office

        Edit
        • Budget
          • $2,500,000 (estimated)
        • Gross worldwide
          • $225,223
        See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

        Tech specs

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        • Runtime
          • 1h 45m(105 min)
        • Sound mix
          • Dolby Digital
        • Aspect ratio
          • 1.85 : 1

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