Documentary film: The Mermaids

Haenyeos are female freedivers of Jeju, South Korea who have been freediving into the ocean to collect seafood to feed their family. The Haenyeos have built and supported the livelihoods of the Jeju community, using the most of the island's scarce resources and harsh natural environment.

The rich Haenyo culture, which has blossomed out of the fearless and onerous lives the female freedivers lead, carries profound significance as an emblem of human resilience and perseverance as well as feminine strength. As such, it was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO as well as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

This documentary aims to inspire people by showcasing the Haenyeo culture and its profound lessons of communal strength, resilience, courage, indigenous wisdom, and resourcefulness. Jeju, home to the Haenyeo, has also been home to me since I was little. I would often go visit the Haenyeos to learn more about their lives and experiences.

In the summer of 2024, I made a trip around the island to immerse myself in the lives, work, and culture of the Haenyeos and share their inspiring stories to the greater audience. I have stood on the basalt-worn beach and explained Haenyeo’s work in the sea while listening to the sound of their exhalation, called “Sumbisori”. My awe and respect for their culture have driven me to join a Haenyeo in her work at the sea for a day to learn how to dive and catch seafoods, how it really is to do what the Haenyeos do. I have listened to her show me the clothes they used to wear working in the sea; I have watched as she taught me the traditional method of crushing herbs to clean the goggles; I plunged into the water, following her kicks and strokes to learn the way of the Haenyeo at the sea. After our onerous harvest at the sea, I sat down with her by the basalt-beach and ate the sea urchin we caught using Haenyeo’s tool and listened as she spoke about the onerous and hazardous nature of her work.

Through these experiences, I learned that what Haenyeos do requires an incredible grit, wisdom, and strength. I was awe-struck by the realization that the lives and culture of the Haenyeo are testaments to their resilient spirit to survive in the harsh environment of Jeju Island and their heartwarming commitment to the continuity of their community. I have visited “the House of Haenyeo”, a workplace for Haenyeos to clean and prepare the seafood they collect to sell later. I have also witnessed the Haenyeo use “the House of Haenyeo” as a stage to practice their traditional songs and dances.

The Haenyeos have played a crucial role in sustaining the folk culture as well as the economic life of the indigenous community in Jeju. However, climate change and marine pollution severely threatens the continuity of Haenyeo and the indigenous community of Jeju who work in the primary economic sector. I hope that the indigenous community and folk culture of these Haenyeo will survive and continue forever, just like how they have done for many centuries.

Director - Remy Woobin Lee