Bae Doona as astrobiologist Song Ji-an; Gong Yoo as Captain Han Yun-jae; Lee Joon as chief engineer Ryu Tae-sook
South Korea has had its fair share of sci-fi dramas that are as thematically engrossing as they’re visually compelling, like “My Love from the Star” (about a cynical alien stranded on Earth), “Love Alarm” (matchmaking dating app), “The King: Eternal Monarch” (time travel), “Signal” (a walkie-talkie that bridges time) and “The Joseon X-Files” (about extraterrestrial and paranormal phenomena).
But the white-knuckle thriller “The Silent Sea,” whose pioneering eight-part first season began streaming on Netflix yesterday, is instantly set apart by its groundbreaking feat: Produced by heartthrob Jung Woo-sung and directed by Choi Hang-yong, it is the first sci-fi K-drama series set on the moon that uses cutting-edge VFX technology—and the results are astoundingly immersive!
Making the pioneering endeavor more eventful is an exceptional cast led by Gong Yoo (“Train to Busan,” “Goblin”) and Bae Doona (“The Host” and “Kingdom”), who are joined by a seasoned pool of actors that includes the gorgous Lee Joon (“Heard It Through the Grapevine” and the idol group MBLAQ), Kim Sun-young (“Crash Landing on You,” “When the Camellia Blooms”), Lee Mu-saeng (“The World of the Married”) and Lee Sung-wook (“Spiritwalker”).
Crucial mission
Set in 2075, the glossy futuristic series follows an elite team of experts led by pragmatic Capt. Han Yun-jae (Yoo) and cynical astrobiologist-turned-ethologist Song Ji-an (Doona) on a crucial 24-hour mission to retrieve an “unknown” sample at the Balhae Station, an abandoned research facility in an area of the moon called the Silent Sea.
While water and food resources are desperately running low on a devastated Earth, Yun-jae and Ji-an’s team is tasked to retrieve an “unknown” sample at the lunar base, where 117 crew members inexplicably lost their lives five years ago. But as soon as they set foot on the surface of the moon, they immediately notice that something is amiss.
In a roundtable interview with select journalists from Asia, we asked Yoo and Doona what made the project particularly significant for them and how acting in a multiepisodic show like “the Silent Sea” is different from creating character for a movie.
“There are very distinct pros and cons,” said Doona. “First of all, I have to say that I love doing both. But in films, because of the shorter running time, you have to really concentrate on each scene. It’s like creating a very carefully crafted embroidery—you put in a lot of effort into each moment.
“As far as making a series is concerned, you can treat it in a lighter or more laid-back way because the running time is so long. So, you have to sometimes tighten or loosen the mood accordingly. That’s the biggest difference.”
Yoo agreed, “Doona’s completely right. But I think for ‘Silent Sea,’ it was a very smart decision to turn it into a multiepisode series rather than a feature film.
“For the character of Captain Han, there weren’t any particularly big challenges. But I had to be cautious not to expose my emotions at certain points in the story. So sometimes, I’d have to say that my characterization was in conflict with my true self, because the character is so serious, almost stoic and ‘very grave.’
“As an actor, I’m somebody who likes to do a lot of improv during performances, so I had to hold myself back not to do that. So it would be rare if you see me cry onscreen.”
Turning to Yoo, Doona interjected, “Yes, it’ll be hard for them to see you smile or laugh onscreen as well (laughs).”
Cast of “The Silent Sea” (from left): Lee Mu-saeng, Kim Sun-young, Doona, Yoo and Joon —PHOTOS COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Scene-stealing cameo
Kidding aside, the sci-fi series is more significant to Yoo than he lets on. After all, other than his scene-stealing, book-ending cameo in “Squid Game” early this year, “The Silent Sea” marks the 42-year-old superstar’s return to a TV or streaming series after five years.
Yoo’s last foray into the multiepisodic genre was in the blockbuster show “Goblin,” where he shared the screen with Lee Dong-wook, Kim Go-eun and Yuk Sung-jae—and we all know how wildly received that series was.
“It’s been a while,” said Yoo with a boyish grin during the press conference before our more intimate roundtable interview with him last Wednesday. “I wanted to do a genre drama, so it was perfect timing because that’s when I was offered the series. And when I read the script, I shouted out, ‘Eureka!’ It felt like there were 10 exclamation marks popping in my head (laughs).
“The series merges brilliant imagination, a perfect setup and relevant themes—it’s exactly the type of genre drama that I’ve been wanting to do. Plus, Jung Woo-sung is our executive producer, so I had no reason to say no to it. I could imagine how this would turn out. And when I can imagine just by reading the script, I always say yes to that project.”
Asked to talk about his role, Yoo noted, “Han Yun-jae is the youngest ever expedition captain of the Space and Aeronautics Administration (SAA), where he’s considered a legend. He’s the type who always puts his teammates first. He is very stoic, does not reveal his emotions.
“He’s a [military] veteran, so I wanted him to have a tough, more rugged and clean-cut look. I also got a bit tanned, with a tattoo on my neck. In the past, I’ve done romantic roles where I looked very polished, and with a little curl in my hair. I wanted to get rid of all those aspects for this character. I know that the fans have different opinions about my haircut. But I want to let them know that this type of hair is not for Gong Yoo; it’s for Han Yun-jae.”
As for Doona’s character, she said, “Ji-an is a renowned astrobiologist. She’s asked by SAA to join the Balhae expedition, so she comes on board. But unlike the rest of the crew, who are fixated on the mission, Ji-an wants to uncover the truth behind an accident that happened there five years ago.
“A Korean sci-fi is a big challenge, and I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted to take that challenge. But reading the script for ‘The Silent Sea,’ I knew that this was going to be great.”
Zero-gravity atmosphere
To say the least, their respective roles were no walk in the park for both actors.
“Because the story is set on the moon, there’s obviously no air,” Yoo noted during the roundtable chat later. “So, we had to show what it would be like to move in a low-to-zero gravity atmosphere. We did that with the help of choreographers, as well as with a lot of wires attached to our suits. And it was a great joy to experience these things for the first time and learn a lot.”
Doona said she had to learn about space travel as much as create a clear backstory for Ji-an.
“My character is a scientist who travels to space for the first time,” Doona said. “In terms of preparation, I focused more on how she grew up, what her family dynamics were and what was it about her history—that led to the scene where the audience meets Ji-an for the very first time.
“Going back to your question about characterization earlier, I want to add a little bit on to the difference between the running time of films and drama series. What I meant by a series being a little ‘lighter’ is that you get to spend more time with that character. That way, you’re able to follow the different emotional changes the character goes through.”
Is there a particular reason why it took a show like “The Silent Sea” to convince Yoo to make it his return to a series?
“I’ve always wanted to challenge myself to play different roles,” the actor said. “As a member of the audience, I like consuming content with a dystopian backdrop. With ‘The Silent Sea,’ everything just came together—it all felt very refreshing.
“You know, I often wrestle with the idea of diversity. There were times when I would wonder if Korea could have a wider range of content because, as an actor, I also want to expand my horizons. My role here is unlike anything I’ve played before. I don’t want to bombard you with words, but I will leave you with this: If you watch the series, you’ll know why.” INQ