Cover picture Credit: Sangeetha K
Korean shows had stood apart for their swoon-worthy Romantic dramas, and then they dropped masterpieces like Parasite, Squid Game and Hellbound, which put them in an elite club of the entertainment industry. The underdog of these blockbusters is ‘The Silent Sea’, produced by Jung Woo-sung. The Silent Sea is not your run-of-the-mill sci-fi space exploration series. Korea’s rare attempt at Sci-fi has undoubtedly raised the bar for future film production. I would say that it has outdone Hollywood in the genre that had its monopoly for so long.
Based on a short film, The Sea of Tranquility, by Choi Hang-Yong, The silent sea is set in a near dystopian future when the Earth is drought-ridden. A bunch of people are sent on a shady 24-hour space mission of retrieving a “sample” from the Balhae lunar research station. The team crash lands on the moon. The gripping misadventure begins that rolls down to gruesome deaths, quest to understand the mystery killer, questionable human trials and shocking revelation. The Protagonist, Dr Song, is an astrobiologist turned ethologist, which makes you expect Daniel Espinosa’s 2017 movie ‘Life’ like plot. I will be giving spoilers if I tell you that it’s not (which I just did). But don’t worry, The Silent Sea is not another rip-off alien movie. They have taken creativity with science to another level. Among some apparent adventures expected from a space movie, some unexpected twists will make you think and re-think what you know. If you are a science enthusiast, this series will question your basic understanding of the universe and makes you wonder what is out there. Apart from being a well-thought-of series, it also harbours critical messages on the importance of conserving Earth’s natural resources.
Juhi is a Phd student working with Dr. Binukumar B.K. She is interested in elucidating pathways common to type II diabetes and neurological disorder. In her free time, she likes to read, write, paint and binge watch anime.
Very well written! A good read.