[Comprehensive] "Smart Korean-style SF" Jung Woo-sung, the Reason for Joining the Production of 'The Silent Sea'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Jung Woo-sung teams up with the online video service (OTT) Netflix to present "The Silent Sea." Embarking on his second feature production, he personally swept the set and cared for the actors, attributing special meaning to his growth as a producer.

On the morning of the 22nd, Jung Woo-sung stated at the Netflix series "The Silent Sea" online production briefing, "I was captivated as soon as I saw the short film of the same name."

"The Silent Sea" is a Netflix series about elite members on a special mission who head to an abandoned research base on the moon in the near future Earth, which has become desolate due to the depletion of essential resources.

The work is a long series adaptation of the short film of the same name by director Choi Hang-yong, which gained attention at the 13th Mise-en-sc?ne Short Film Festival in 2014.

Actors Bae Doona, Gong Yoo, Lee Joon, Kim Sun-young, Lee Mu-saeng, and Lee Sung-wook play elite members who volunteer for a life-risking mission and head to the Balhae Base abandoned in the middle of the moon.

Director Choi Hang-yong, who took the helm for "The Silent Sea" following the short film, began by saying, "I completed the work I made as a graduation project while attending school into a full-length series."

He added, "There have been many films set in outer space, but not many set on the moon. I wanted to tackle a subject that hasn't been widely explored," and said, "The moon is close to Earth, but surprisingly, we don't know much about it, which attracted me."

Actor Jung Woo-sung, who has participated in directing music videos for the group g.o.d and has presented short films, has consistently shown affection by taking part in various productions and directing projects. Although he is a 27-year veteran actor who debuted in 1994, he is a newcomer as a producer.

Following "Don't Forget Me" (2016), Jung Woo-sung produced "The Silent Sea" and shared, "I believe that the setting that controls the plot is very important, and I really liked the unique setting of this work," explaining his decision to produce it.

He continued, "There are many sci-fi films, but at the time, it was daunting to realize such a story in Korea. The clever setting was impressive, and I thought it was a good material to realize Korean-style sci-fi."

Producer Jung Woo-sung earned the nickname "Daljigi" (Moon Sweeper) as he swept and inspected the "The Silent Sea" set with a broom. Referring to this, Gong Yoo said, "He was always on set so much that we could make a documentary about Jung Woo-sung."

Jung Woo-sung laughed and said, "I took the lead in erasing the footprints of many staff and Earthlings. I judged that it would be better for an experienced person to create a set path to shoot efficiently within the scheduled time, so I swept diligently."

Despite participating in the production of "The Silent Sea," he did not crave acting roles. Jung Woo-sung reflected, "In the past, I appeared as an actor while producing, and there were ups and downs in that process," and said, "Maybe it was just a passing breeze for the current wholeness."

He said, "You might think the role I could play is Captain Han Yoon-jae. But I don't think I could ever play the role Gong Yoo acted," drawing a clear line by saying, "I never had the desire to appear in 'The Silent Sea.'"

He added, "Rather, it was a special time to look at the filming environment as a producer from one step behind and think about what more to add."

Finally, Jung Woo-sung expressed his anticipation, saying, "If you savor each episode and watch the series, you will find enjoyment and satisfaction in every episode."

"The Silent Sea" will be released on the 24th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.