South Korean sci-fi ‘The Silent Sea’ is one of the most-watched Netflix shows in the world

December 28, 2021

Netflix’s “The Silent Sea” has become yet another series from South Korea that has captured the attention of global viewers.

Growing viewership: Following the recent success of “Squid Game“ and “Hellbound” comes “The Silent Sea,” a brand new sci-fi thriller that has climbed international viewership rankings on platform FlixPatrol days after it premiered on Dec. 24.

Based on the site’s current listing, “The Silent Sea” ranks third worldwide, just behind “Emily in Paris” in first place and “The Witcher” in second place.
The show also ranks third in the U.S., directly behind “Emily in Paris” and ahead of “Queen of Flow.”
The show, which stars Bae Doo-na (“Sense8”) and Gong Yoo (“Train to Busan”), is directed by Choi Hang-yong.
Based on Choi’s 2014 short film “The Sea of Tranquility,” the series is set in a dystopian future where our planet is suffering from a water shortage, as NextShark previously reported. The main characters join a team of astronauts and scientists on a trip to the moon to retrieve a mysterious sample from an old research station.

Lackluster reviews: Less than a week after the show premiered, it has already generated mixed reviews from general audiences and critics alike, mostly receiving praise for its production value and criticism over its plot and pacing.

“The visual sweep of “The Silent Sea” is impressive — its lunar canyons are strikingly well-rendered — but the show’s eight episodes can grow turgid and slow, as if the series is dazzled by its own beauty,” wrote Variety’s Daniel D’Addario. “We are rushed through the establishment of this world, only to dawdle as time goes by.”
While D’Addario pointed out that the show could have done with a “five- or six-episode version,” he acknowledged that “audiences who appreciate genre fare with heart are likely to be glad they took the trip.”
Daniel Hart of Ready Steady Cut praised the show’s cast and production, noting that “the K-Drama has put in a sizeable [sic] production to elevate this story, which is unsurprising in this industry, but something we should never take for granted.”
Meanwhile, South China Morning Post’s Pierce Conran berated the series’ first episode as “one of the worst hours of TV this year.”
Conran said that show improves in later episodes but noted that “the dull narrative, drearily repetitive environments and lack of characterization will disappoint genre fans.”

Featured Image via Netflix “The Silent Sea”

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