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There may be a pause in the Netflix K-drama hit train but it’s understandable, not every risk is going to work out. This Christmas Eve the streaming platform continued its one K-drama a month release and the big budget high profile drama selected to premiere on a big time slot was The Silent Sea. Starring Bae Doo Na, Gong Yoo, and Lee Joon along with a big supporting cast of very recognizable actors and actresses in South Korea, the drama was supposed to be the tentpole of the Netflix 2021 K-drama production slate since it had the biggest names and also the most high brow concept. A true sci-fi story, it takes an Alien and Interstellar (i.e. slow, methodical, tense) approach to space travel, this time with a team of scientists sent to a moon space station to find out why over a hundred scientists perished years earlier. The early reviews range from mixed to tepid, finding the boring and confusing first episode and lack of character development a misstep from what is otherwise a promising story underneath. Looks like the big winner of the year in terms of Netflix produced dramas remains Squid Game followed by Hellbound, My Name, D.P., and Kingdom: Ashin of the North.
How ppl watch 8hours of a show already ? Lol but anyways the reviews I’ve seen about the show half way has been good actually
Just finished watching, this is so good. I didn’t expected anything before tuning in. Everything is well made, so many scary things happened on the moon, gawhh. The visual is awesome. Gong Yoo and Bae doona and the supporting actors did a terrific job in acting department! Especially the plot twist in the third half, didn’t expect that!
Finished it, it was a decent effort I guess, for the first korean drama set in space. The premise is promising enough, but the directing/cinematography was a bit plain for my tastes. Obviously it’s a drama so I shouldn’t expect hollywood production values but it’s a shame I can see Koreans’ lack of experience in such a genre.
I honestly didn’t feel much emotion throughout the whole viewing experience. The characters felt a bit flat for me, not because of the actors, but because of the dialogues and writing. The acting was good enough, but I don’t think I would feel much connection to the leads if they were not Bae Doona and Gong Yoo. As much as I criticized Squid Game, I think I still enjoyed watching it more than this.
An enjoyable enough watch, but I realized once again that sci fi isn’t Koreans’ forte, and a huge Netflix budget isn’t gonna change that. Korea can come up with very creative ideas but they fail to balance it with scientific logic. I really had to suspend my logic multiple times. And the ending was just straight up fantasy. (*Mild spoiler alert*)For a moment there, it looked like The Little Prince(ss).
To be fair, I have seen very few sci-fi shows or movies in recent years that have managed to balance creative ideas with scientific logic lol.
I’m calling this now 2022 is going to be a massive ott year for Kdrama. Not just Netflix, Disney, Apple but also TVing, Wavve and Kakao are getting bigger and better with their dramas. TVing planning to expand globally will become a strong competitor.
I keep thinking Korean PD’s should stay away from space-travel drama. Americans drama makers (especially during the 90’s) are much better at it.
I like it. still watching up to episode 4. I don’t know why everyone is thinking this is terrible. when they brought up about a water who can multiple the amount like a virus, I know the theory is
a fiction.
this is telling how space is cruel, the reason until now why we cant colonized until now.
How can you say this isn’t going to be one of the big winners when it’s only been out for a day? Plenty of dramas with bad reviews still do well. Squid Game had mixed reviews when it premiered, at least from Koreans. The only one of the dramas you mentioned that had glowing reviews was D.P. and it was a critical hit more than a commercial one. I pretty much agree with the reviews and this may totally bomb, but it’s too early to say.
Now you speak facts
Im yet to watch it, but will do cause its Bae Donna and Gong Yoo ofcourse. But if this show turns out not to be a hit like squid game it’s understandable since its a genre which is unfamiliar sort of like arthdal chronicles was. These Netflix shows comparisons to squid game is getting tedious.
As usual, trust koala to be negative and also to selectively pick one or two negative comments and run with it like clockwork
Tbf there are a lot of negative reviews out there and the reception from the audience is mixed, at best. It’s too soon to declare that it’s a fail though or it won’t end up on Netflix’s winners list.
There are many more negative news than one or two:
https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3160860/k-drama-review-silent-sea-netflix-sci-fi-series-starring
K-drama review: The Silent Sea – Netflix sci-fi series starring Bae Doona and Gong Yoo is the latest fail in Korean attempts to nail the genre
https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/silent-sea-review-netflix-next-squid-game
SILENT SEA REVIEW: NETFLIX’S SUPPOSED NEXT SQUID GAME IS ANYTHING BUT
https://variety.com/2021/tv/reviews/the-silent-sea-netflix-1235141513/
The Silent Sea’ Looks to the Skies to Save Earth, but Perhaps Lingers Too Long
https://sg.style.yahoo.com/exciting-storyline-gong-yoo-starrer-the-silent-sea-marred-unrealistic-incoherent-scenes-041813490.html
It’s currently 61% on Rotten Tomatoes:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_silent_sea/s01
I think it’s totally fine for Kdramas to venture into different genres. Yes, romance has always been their thing and they continue to excel at it. I think it would be ambitious for anyone to expect Kdramas to nail every single genre down. I’m on episode 4 and will admit that episode 1 was pretty boring. The story does build up and it’s really not bad at all. People expect this to be the next Squid Game, it won’t be. Instead of booing all the dramas that aren’t 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, could we not say good effort and keep trying? The actors are doing a great job though, and I can see lots of money have been spent on the set/CGI.
It is an enjoyable watch considering the genre, at least for me. However, it would always be inevitable the comparison with Netflix’s other hits, and looking at it from that lens – it falls behind a bit. One thing that they weren’t able to do is hook the viewers to root for the characters, I guess character background or development is a lacking. They have almost the same episodes as Squid Game, but weren’t really able to flesh out relevant characters depth, hence the emotional attachment to the characters can be a hit or miss for viewers.
Side Note: that voice-over, it felt like being in a Squid Game once again and jarring for me. The voice is just so distinct and with SG popularity, tied now to that show.
I enjoyed Silent Sea much more than Squid Game, My Name, and Hellbound. Roped my household into watching it and they all enjoyed it.
Cinematography and music score were stunning. Really built up that tension and suspense well. My complaints are the story’s pacing, lack of character development, and plot holes. I spent half the time ranting about how dumb the elite forces were acting. The pattern with Netflix series is that production quality is amazing but storyline is weakest link (what was that ending?)
Overall, noble effort by Korea to do sci-fi. Impressed that Gong Yoo took second billing to Bae Doona for this.
I just watched and i liked it. It is a decent watch. I’d watch again it compared to Squid game, My name and Hellbound. Means story is good compared to them. I loved space stories. This one reminds me of Doom and Pandorum.
Lol. It debut at number one in korea with only 7 hrs of run. DP hardly charted high in most territories and Hellbound opened to mixed reaction as well. This will definitely be bigger than Hellbound
I just completed the silent sea. And ya it was good. What I personally think is some genres can’t be rated under best and worst, they are different cup of tea for different people and sci fiction is one of them. In terms of a sci fiction, i think it was good unfortunately not a new piece. while watching i feel like watching ‘life’ and yes i can correctly predict what’s coming next ??lol. I think sci movies needs to be perfect 10 on 10 to be superhit and somehow from my point of view it was not 10 sorry. In terms of kdramas/ drama 8 ep was more than enough for it, not expecting 2nd season and also no need for it and above that story ? writing ?. Sooo many plot holes which needs to be cleared, many sci and non-sci things were not making sense. Zero gravity walk- biggggggg 000. Nasa is going to call them soon??.space cgi’s were good but they acts in space – no, i don’t know who teach them that was completely wrong.
I’ll still say it was better than squid game, and way better than Hellbound and my name. I personally don’t like squid game and Hellbound they both were poorly written.YES! They are. Squid game is just so popular because games were there in which people were killed and games were kids level which was a new concept, other than that everything was boring, non-sensical, people were just like have you seen it? Have you seen it? And everyone just turn in. Same goes with Hellbound not so good, people make it bigg howl because of director and yoon ah in. I had feeling that somedays after it will turn out to be Netflix’s hit because somehow it becomes a trend. Netflix’s Kdramas getting hit is become trend whether they r good or not. But if anybody wants to watch something can go for silent sea – whatever it is, it’s not a time waste.
I Love silence sea. Ive seen 4 episodes and i find it great. The obviously is the two lead female and the male leader is csring tje productions. But its great.
This is great omg!
Gong yoo hits my eyes with those good daddy daddy sweet look huhuw
The best scifi korean movie at this far i guessed
Very recommended!
while I admire website like rotten tomatoes and imdb critic rewiews, at times they are still heading towards mainstream from the west taste. like the masterpiece duelist they rate it low.