Overview

Whispers from the Sea is a documentary by Senain Khesghi, for which I worked as cinematographer. The film explores the depletion of fish stocks in North Korean waters, the dominance of heavily equipped Chinese vessels, and the often invisible costs borne by small North Korean fishermen. Despite UN sanctions, Chinese fleets continue to fish illegally in these waters, dramatically reducing local catches and forcing many North Koreans to risk everything at sea in fragile boats.

Through the stories of Jeong Seong-Il, Heo Il-Ook, and Ro Jing-Ho, a former North Korean official, the film captures both the physical dangers of life at sea and the emotional toll of displacement and reinvention. Jeong, once a sea captain from Chongjin, defected in 2014 after surviving 25-story waves, encounters with “dark fleets,” and near-fatal journeys. Now working the late shift as a Coupang delivery driver in South Korea, he reflects on what he left behind and the stark contrast between his past and present.

Heo’s journey unfolds in parallel. Also from Chongjin, he once worked as a diver and fisherman in perilous conditions before defecting in 2012. Now settled in Bundang with his family, he has built a new life while carrying the legacy of his past. Together, Jeong and Heo’s stories reveal what it means to endure danger at sea, survive exile, and strive for stability in South Korea. Their experiences show the distance between lives marked by constant risk and the quieter, more fragile hope of building safety and belonging in a new land.

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

NILS CLAUSS

PRODUCTION

A MAJORITY PRODUCTION