Recently, the Netflix drama When Life Gives You Tangerines (Korean title: 폭싹 속았수다) gained immense popularity both in Korea and internationally. From its opening scenes, the drama captivated viewers with the appearance of Jeju Haenyeo. It’s impossible to talk about life on Jeju Island without mentioning the Haenyeo, and the series beautifully captured their joys and sorrows.
Global Recognition of Haenyeo Culture
Adding to their global exposure, JTBC recently aired the special documentary Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji Hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure. This marked the first co-production between JTBC and BBC Studios. Deep Dive Korea meticulously portrayed the strong spirit and way of life of the Jeju Haenyeo, designed to promote Haenyeo culture. Viewers deeply resonated with actress Song Ji Hyo’s efforts to understand the challenging lives of these women, who cultivate their livelihoods in the vast ocean, relying only on a single ‘tewak’ (a flotation device).
Who Are the Haenyeo?
Haenyeo(海女) refers to women who dive into shallow waters to harvest marine products. In the southern coastal regions of Korea, they were called ‘murekkun,’ while on Jeju Island, they were known as ‘jamnyeo’ or ‘jamsu’. The term ‘Haenyeo’ emerged during the Japanese colonial period and became more widely used after the 1980s, though it’s still less common on Jeju Island itself. In the 1960s, in Yeongdo, Busan, they were also called ‘tongjaengi,’ believed to be derived from their use of wooden tubs instead of ‘tewaks.’ This practice of using wooden tubs can also be seen among Japan’s ‘ama’ (海女, 海士) and is thought to be influenced by the Japanese migrant fishing villages that existed in Yeongdo during the colonial era.
Unique Diving Tradition and Global Significance
While free diving for marine products is a widespread activity globally, the act of diving without special equipment for a livelihood is predominantly found only in Korea and Japan, with similar, smaller-scale activities existing in Southeast Asia and Russia. Jeju Island, in particular, is globally recognized for its high concentration of female divers. Although Korean Haenyeo are scattered across various coasts and islands of the Korean Peninsula, the majority are concentrated on Jeju Island.
In the past, Jeju Haenyeo didn’t just work in their hometowns; they would travel to other regions or even foreign countries for several months, living a migratory life. With the opening of ports in 1876 and the subsequent devastation of Jeju’s fishing grounds by Japanese fishermen, Haenyeo faced threats to their livelihoods. As a result, they gradually moved northward, exploring the East Coast from Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gangwon-do to Cheongjin. They also ventured into the South and West Coasts, Ulleungdo, Heuksando, and even beyond the mainland to various parts of Japan, Vladivostok, Dalian in the Liaodong Peninsula, and Qingdao in Shandong Province. They would typically leave in spring and return in autumn. Diving activities outside Jeju Island were primarily undertaken by seasonal migrant workers, a skill passed down by the Jeju Haenyeo who had practiced it elsewhere.
Historical Roots and Evolution
Haenyeo is one of the naturally occurring occupations. Their existence is documented in various ancient texts. Haenyeo appear in the Goguryeo Annals of the Samguk Sagi. In 1105, during the reign of King Sukjong of Goryeo, there is a record prohibiting “nude diving by Haenyeo.” During the Joseon Dynasty, King Injo’s Jeju governor reportedly “forbade men and women from harvesting together in the sea.” These records indicate the presence of Haenam(海男), male divers, alongside Haenyeo during those times.
Haenam were called ‘pojagin’ (鮑作人) or ‘pojakgan’ (鮑作干). From the Goryeo period, Jeju Island offered abalone and seaweed as tribute to the royal family. Seaweed was primarily harvested by Haenyeo, while abalone was the responsibility of ‘pojagin.’ As the quota for abalone tribute increased, many people fled inland. To prevent Jeju islanders from escaping to the mainland, a “Prohibition on Leaving the Island” was imposed, lasting for 200 years from 1629. Jeju women were also forbidden from marrying mainlanders. Even the construction of fishing boats was prohibited on Jeju Island. All these measures were enacted to ensure proper tribute collection. The “Prohibition on Leaving the Island” was lifted around 1850, allowing Jeju people to travel to the mainland. From this time, Jeju Haenyeo began their seasonal migrations to places like Busan and Ulsan for work.
Tools of the Trade and Skill Development
Haenyeo harvest various marine products such as sea snails, abalones, octopuses, sea cucumbers, sea squirts, seaweed, hijiki, and agar-agar, and occasionally catch fish with spears. The essential diving tool is the ‘tewak,’ a flotation device they hold to their chests while swimming. Attached beneath the ‘tewak’ is a bag-like net called ‘mangsiri’ (mangsari, mangari) for collecting harvested seafood. While diving without breathing apparatus (mujammaegjil), the ‘tewak’ and ‘mangsiri’ are left floating on the water’s surface. Equipment carried during the dive includes a long iron tool called a ‘bitchang’ for prying abalones, a sickle-like knife called a ‘jeonggehomi’ for cutting seaweed, a rake-like iron rod called a ‘galgori’ for digging shellfish, and a ‘sosal’ a spear for catching fish. Haenyeo wear a special diving suit called ‘mul-ot( water cloth)’ and goggles called ‘nun(eye).’ The ‘mul-ot’ evolved from cotton wetsuits to rubber wetsuits. For goggles, they initially used small binoculars called ‘joksenun’ but switched to larger goggles called ‘wangnun’ in the 1950s.
Becoming a Haenyeo: A Lifelong Journey
Becoming a Haenyeo isn’t about being special; it’s about becoming strong and skilled through repeated diving and training. In the past, girls in coastal villages of Jeju learned to dive in shallow waters called ‘aegibadang’ (baby sea). They learned by observing experienced Haenyeo, listening to others’ experiences, and through their own repeated practice. Generally, if a mother was a Haenyeo, her daughter would also become one, and if a mother-in-Haenyeo, her daughter-in-law would follow suit. Girls born on Jeju Island began learning to swim and perform mujammaegjil (free diving) in the sea at 7-8 years old. By 12-13, they practiced swimming from shallow to deeper waters. They started diving as Haenyeo at 15-16, and by 17-18, they were active as full-fledged Haenyeo. Diving is most vigorous around the age of 40 and generally continues until around 60, sometimes even past 70. Based on their diving skill and proficiency, Jeju Haenyeo are categorized into three groups: Sanggun (上軍, upper rank), Junggun (中軍, middle rank), and Hagun (下軍, lower rank). Sanggun Haenyeo are highly skilled due to years of diving experience and possess extensive knowledge of reefs and marine products. They lead the Haenyeo community by sharing their wisdom with less experienced divers. Jeju Haenyeo learn not only necessary diving skills from Sanggun Haenyeo but also knowledge about Haenyeo culture and a sense of responsibility to the community.
Cultural Heritage and Global Recognition
The Haenyeo’s ‘muljil’ (diving) is a primal form of fishing, a unique traditional Korean fishing method found nowhere else. Haenyeo are living witnesses to Korea’s traditional maritime culture and female fishing culture. In their livelihood and culture, one can discover various wisdoms concerning the coexistence of nature and humans, as well as the sustainable use and distribution of common resources. Furthermore, they possess significant ethnographic knowledge about the ecological environment accumulated through diving experience, and they foster a unique communal living culture that includes consideration and cooperation among fellow Haenyeo, their beliefs, and rituals. Given its exceptional historical, artistic, and unique value as intangible heritage, “Haenyeo” was registered as National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 132 in May 2017 to preserve and transmit this tradition.
This Haenyeo culture has been recognized for its value not only in Korea but also globally. In 2016, “Jeju Haenyeo Culture” was inscribed as Korea’s 19th “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO. Its English designation is “Culture of Jeju Haenyeo (Women Divers).” The inscribed Jeju Haenyeo culture encompasses the ‘muljil culture’ of harvesting marine products without oxygen supply devices, the ‘jamsugut’ rituals that strengthen community solidarity and pray for the safety and abundant catch of Haenyeo, the ‘Haenyeo songs’ sung on boats heading out to sea, and the ‘role of women’ transmitted from mother to daughter and across generations. Jeju Haenyeo culture received high praise because it symbolizes the unique identity of the region, maintains a sustainable environment through eco-friendly methods, and transmits related knowledge and skills through the community.
Challenges and Future Prospects
The number of Haenyeo is declining due to an aging population, global warming, depletion of fishing resources, and challenging working conditions. Therefore, the inscription of Jeju Haenyeo Culture as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and its recognition worldwide are highly significant. It is especially welcome that the Netflix drama When Life Gives You Tangerines and BBC and JTBC’s Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji Hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure have further introduced them to a global audience. We hope that Korea’s Haenyeo and their culture will continue to gain greater international recognition and endure as a cultural heritage for the world, not just for Korea.
