Shaped by the sea

Most of the directors, whose university majors vary from cinema to history, also had limited knowledge about the ocean and the fishing industry before starting the project.

Chen says that the team spent a lot of time conducting research, ranging from reading ocean-themed books to inviting experts to give lectures.

"Like many other countries, ours has a rich and diverse maritime civilization that has played a pivotal part in our history and culture," says Chen.

As transportation was underdeveloped in ancient times compared to today, residential communities along coastlines were mostly isolated, making styles of cooking or preserving seafood quite diverse.

"Such legacies also provide us with rich material to research the cultures and civilizations shaped by the sea," he adds.