The Silent Sea: Not All Kdramas Require Romance!

PLOT

Set in the future, when desertification has resulted in a dearth of water and food in the world. Han Yun-Jae (Gong Yoo) is a space agency soldier. He is chosen to travel to the moon with a team that includes Song Ji-An (Bae Doo-Na). Their task is to recover a mystery sample from a decommissioned research facility.

MAIN CAST

Bae Doona stars as Doctor Song Ji-an,
an astrobiologist who is desperate to learn the truth about an event that occurred at the now-decommissioned Balhae Base research station on the moon, where her deceased sister worked as a researcher.

Gong Yoo as Han Yoon-jae.
The leader of an exploratory team is tasked with completing a critical mission with insufficient information. He prioritizes the mission’s success and the safety of his teammates above everything else, even if it means placing himself in danger.

Lee Joon as Lieutenant Ryu Tae-seok
The expedition’s head engineer and a former elite member of the Ministry of National Defense who volunteered for the mission to get away from the Ministry’s suffocating environment.

PERSONAL VIEWS

I’m not a big lover of science fiction or space dramas/thrillers, but as a fan of South Korean films and TV shows, I decided to watch them. Overall, it’s a slow-burning drama with a somber tone, unlike other science fiction films of this genre, which give a realistic feel to their challenges; there are no aliens or creatures present, but something more mysterious and deadly, with intriguing twists and turns, and you’ll have to watch all of the episodes patiently to truly appreciate the show. There’s also an essential lesson about climate change and its consequences for future generations, such as water shortages, which can happen quickly if they haven’t already. Some of the acting, to my surprise, was not up to par, but that could be because everyone engaged was new to the project. Although I believe the program would have been better with fewer episodes, I was impressed and enjoyed the show despite the fact that it was directed by a new filmmaker and was his first try at this genre.

Korean cinematography has a soothing effect on the eyes; the scenes feel full and complete, in contrast to most English productions, where the ridiculous lighting and numerous jump cuts strain our viewing experience. The Silent Sea succeeds to avoid this, as the screenplay moves from one scene to the next at a quick but satisfying pace.