Before Squid Game, This Movie Starring Player 456 Was Remade In Hollywood & You Need To Watch It Now!

Lee Jung-jae has been a household name in South Korea, but after Squid Game, he has shot to global fame. Fans are rediscovering the actor’s other notable words, and here’s one movie that you need to watch. It is a tale of fantasy and romance that spans two years, and has a letter box at the middle of it all. The movie is titled Il Mare. It was the first Korean film ever remade by a major American studio.

A romance across time and space in Il Mare

Il Mare tells a melancholic love story between two people separated not by distance but by time. Jun Ji‑hyun plays Eun‑joo, who moves out of a beach house named Il Mare and leaves a Christmas card in the mailbox. Lee Jung‑Jae’s Sung‑hyun moves in two years later and receives the letter. Soon, they realize they’re communicating across years and fall in love despite never meeting.

The Hollywood remake, The Lake House, kept this premise intact but changed details. In the remake, Sandra Bullock plays a doctor and Keanu Reeves an architect. The setting is shifted to a house on a lakeside, and the holidays move from Christmas to Valentine’s Day. Even the interior design adapts—bathrooms with mirrored walls, staircases to the water, and floating architectural flourishes.

While The Lake House grossed over $114 million worldwide, Il Mare remains beloved for its subtle storytelling, dreamlike visuals, and restrained performances. Fans and critics still prefer the original for its emotional restraint and atmosphere that plays like a poetic short film.

Lee Jung‑Jae’s performance in Il Mare offers early evidence of his range beyond thrillers like New World or Deliver Us from Evil. If Squid Game introduced you to Lee Jung‑Jae, then Il Mare offers a different side of his artistry, which is gentle, contemplative, and quietly powerful. We would suggest watching the Korean original and then switching to the Hollywood remake. Both films are worth a spot on your playlist. They show how one simple concept can cross cultures and still feel deeply personal.

Watch the trailer for Il Mare here:

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