Sea Otter / 해달

A short film by Jinoo Eljin Yoo

Coming Soon
Coming Soon

The Film

After a night of Koreatown karaoke, Joon — a quiet, emotionally distant Korean-American student — finds himself drawn into the orbit of Gina, an alluring and enigmatic woman who sees right through him. She calls him a sea otter: cute, soft, helpless. She is a shark.

What follows is one night that blurs the line between intimacy and manipulation — and leaves him permanently marked.

Sea Otter is a Korean-American short film about performative masculinity, loneliness, and the moments that fracture us. Told through poetic visuals and surreal tension, it sits in the tradition of Burning, Drive My Car, and Anora — a lonely mystery about the surreality of modern relationships.

  • "Like a sea otter mistaken for prey by a shark, the protagonist survives his encounter with modern excess, but not unscarred. Like the moon chasing the sun, modernity dictates that true intimacy and genuine connection remain just out of reach...... One night — one glance, one bite, one song — can fracture someone forever."

    I'm a Korean-American writer, director, editor, and violinist. Born in Los Angeles and raised in the vibrant city of Dubai, that tension between worlds is at the center of everything I make.

    I studied Film & TV Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. My previous film Sonata — a Korean-American short following two sisters and classical musicians navigating diverging paths while caring for their ailing mother — won Best Film and Best DP at the New Mexico Asian American Film Festival, Jury Favorite Short at the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest, and screened as an Official Selection at LA Shorts International Film Festival, KAFFNY Infinite Cinema, and NoHo CineFest (all 2025).

    Sea Otter is my second film — and my most personal.

    — Jinoo Eljin Yoo, Director

  • Where It's Headed

    Sea Otter is currently in post-production. We are targeting premiere at major international film festivals in 2026 & 2027, with a focus on Asian and cross-cultural cinema platforms — including Busan International Film Festival, LA Shorts International Film Festival, and select festivals across the U.S. and Asia.

    For me, the goal has always been bigger than a single screening. I want Sea Otter to travel — to find the quiet young man in Seoul who recognizes Joon, and the woman in New York who sees herself in Gina. This film was born from a specific moment, but it belongs to anyone who has ever felt just out of reach of something real.

    The festival circuit is where that conversation begins.

    — Jinoo Eljin Yoo, Director

Become an Associate Producer

Be part of Sea Otter — from the first frame to the final credit.

Farasha Pictures is inviting a select group of contributors to join Sea Otter as Associate Producers. This is your opportunity to support a cinematic story with global reach — and have your name on it.

What You Get

Your name on the film — permanently. Associate Producer screen credit in the end credits and on IMDb. Once granted, your credit stays with the film for its lifetime. A seat at the premiere. You and a guest are invited to the official premiere — plus access to festival screenings if Sea Otter is selected. Festival representation. By mutual agreement, APs may be invited to represent the film at select festivals on behalf of the Executive Producers. Exclusive signed memorabilia. A piece of the production — signed script, official poster, or select prop — delivered upon the film's completion.

Ready to Join? This is a direct contribution to Sea Otter's production budget. What you receive in return is credit, access, and a lasting connection to a film built to travel the world. To learn about contribution levels and benefits, reach out directly. hello@farashapictures.com