The Silent Sea is an adaptation of director Choi Hang-yong's own 2014 short film, The Sea of Tranquility, which he expanded into an eight-episode series with writer Park Eun-kyo.

Netflix announced production of the series in December 2019, with Choi Hang-yong directing and actor Jung Woo-sung serving as executive producer.

The English title 'The Silent Sea' refers to the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon, the real lunar location where the fictional Balhae research station's story is set.

Bae Doona and Gong Yoo were cast in the lead roles in April 2020, and were later joined officially by Heo Sung-tae and Lee Moo-saeng in September 2020.

Actor Jung Woo-sung, who produced the series, also provided a voice role in the show in addition to his producing duties.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an 80% positive rating from 15 critics with an average score of 6.60/10, with the critical consensus praising its intrigue and menace despite being overlong.