Video: The original Korean DVD release by Spectrum was far from spectacular. The DVD boasted a lackluster non-anamorphic transfer and looked average at best. The good news is that this time around we get a better looking 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The bad news is that a lot of the scenes look somewhat grainy, have mild dirt/print damage and even some edge-enhancement. These instances very greatly as many scenes, especially well lit ones, look very good. Overall Hong Kyung-Pyo's cinematography shines through the flaws, but it would have been nice if Spectrum delivered a more pristine looking transfer.

Sound: Mostly dialogue based, Il Mare isn't going to exactly test your surround system. Included on the disc is a DD 5.1 Korean track as well as a half bit-rate 5.1 DTS track. The DTS track sounds slightly better than the DD track, but that's to be expected. When needed, the soundtrack expands and accurately meets the needs of the film and expands into the surround channels.

Subtitles: Just like the transfer on the original DVD, the subtitles were pretty lousy. On second thought, I'm going to retract that statement. The subtitles were downright atrocious. Most Korean DVD releases have good, if not excellent English subtitles, but the original DVD of Il Mare seemed to be a rare exception. I was heartbroken to find that the English subtitles included on this release were ported over from the original Spectrum DVD release. Talk about a let down… While I feel you can understand and still enjoy the story with the poorly translated subtitles, it's very frustrating. At times you will find yourself going back and trying to decipher what was just said. It's just really a shame because this film deserved so much better.

Extras: Included on the first disc is a director's commentary track that isn't subtitled. The 2nd disc on this re-release has several special features. Unfortunately, like most Korean DVD releases, they are NOT subtitled. But if you do happen to speak Korean, here is what's on the 2nd DVD. First up is a "Making Of" which lasts about 36 minutes. Next is "A Walk with Memories" featurette that runs 23 minutes. Then we have several interviews with the director. Also included on the DVD is "A Work In the Dark Room" featurette as well as a story board section, photo gallery and promotional materials (music video, trailers, tv spots). Also included with this set is the Original Sountrack on CD and five Postcards.

Final Words: ...Hopefully with the release of The Lake House, maybe we'll see a domestic release of Il Mare on DVD. Until then, despite the horrible subtitles on this DVD, it's still the best version available for non Korean speakers. I cannot recommend Il Mare more highly, but unfortunately the DVD falls a tad short. This film really deserved a better treatment, especially for a re-release.