“The Last of the Sea Women” on the Legacy and Struggle of Korean Haenyeo Divers

Korean American director and producer Sue Kim’s documentary “The Last of the Sea Women,” currently on Apple TV+, follows an incredible group of Korean women known as the haenyeo, women who dive into the ocean to harvest sea life as their livelihood. The haenyeo of Jeju Island dive up to 66 feet deep into the ocean without oxygen tanks and have passed down their trade for centuries. Now, their way of life is threatened by environmental issues: man-made — such as the release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant — and not — the reduction of sea life due to rising ocean temperatures. 

Traditionally, haenyeo work this labor-intensive and highly physical job all their lives. Many started their training as 7-year-old girls, learning to harvest abalone, conch, octopus, sea urchins, seaweed, oysters, and more. Today, these skilled divers are in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, an amazing group of women who spent decades carrying on this physically demanding profession. As of 2016, this trade is now considered a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, but haenyeo were not always celebrated. Those featured in the documentary shared poignant stories of being marginalized and disrespected for their demanding work, facing societal judgment for their weathered bodies, and having to work because their husbands could not (or did not).

The documentary also shares the unique stories of a pair of young women in their 30s — by far, the youngest among the haenyeo. Over on Geoji Island, Sohee Jin and Jeongmin Woo document their work through engaging YouTube and TikTok videos, offering a fresh perspective on their industry. 

For these women, this challenging work isn’t just a job — it’s a strategic career move. Jin, who previously felt burned out in the corporate world, now finds peace working outdoors, describing her new role as genuinely “comforting and soothing.” As for Woo, after her husband’s company shut down, she chose to become a haenyeo because it was one of the few flexible jobs for working mothers in South Korea. And yet, when Woo’s daughter mentioned wanting to become a haenyeo in the future, Woo is slightly sad about it, citing that the job is too hard.

The Decline of Haenyeo

In the 1960s, there were approximately 30,000 haenyeo throughout Korea, well paid for their occupation — many haenyeo contributed 40% to 48% of their household income. Despite the pay, the women chose this occupation out of desperation. Socially, the job was considered shameful because it meant their husbands could not adequately support their families. 

When South Korea became more industrialized in the 1960s, the government turned Jeju Island into an export site of mandarin oranges. A decade later, the island added tourism as one of its main industries, and more and more women left the grueling career of the haenyeo. The numbers gradually dwindled over the years as people left the industry, retired, or died off. At the time of filming, there were only about 4,000 active haenyeo. 

Efforts to encourage more women to become haenyeo exist. A school trains interested young women in the tradition and the trade, but due to the extremely tough training and difficult work itself, only about 5% of graduates become haenyeo. 

Climate Change and Nuclear Wastewater Threaten the Haenyeo Way of Life

In addition to the dwindling number of haenyeo, this way of life faces unprecedented threats. Climate change, ocean acidification, and industrial pollution are rapidly transforming the marine landscape these expert divers have known intimately for generations. The ocean itself is changing faster than their traditions can adapt — trash polluting the coastlines, warming waters, depleting marine life, and increasing environmental instability make each dive more dangerous, with lesser and lesser returns.

Another danger to the women comes from the Japanese government’s plan to release treated radioactive wastewater for the next 30 years from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. After sustaining damage in the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and ensuing tsunami, several reactors melted down and workers flooded the reactor with water to prevent further disaster. Though the wastewater has been treated and most of the radioactive elements have been removed, the radioactive isotope tritium cannot be filtered out because it is an element of water itself. 

The plan was peer-reviewed by the International Atomic Energy Agency and deemed consistent with international safety standards. However, environmental activists are deeply worried about the impact on marine life around Jeju Island, which shares the sea with Japan, as well as the health of the haenyeo, who spend six to eight hours a day in the water. 

Upon learning that the environmental effects could harm the local sea life for hundreds — if not thousands — of years, the haenyeo gathered and demonstrated against the proposal, attracting media attention. Soon Deok Jang, one of the haenyeo followed by the documentary, flew to Switzerland to testify at the Human Rights Council about how the wastewater’s release would affect her community and ability to make a living. 

Preserving the Haenyeo Legacy

Unfortunately, despite all their efforts, in 2023, the Japanese government began releasing nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean and will continue to do so over the next 30 years. Yet the haenyeo remain resilient, determined to push back against the tide of cultural and environmental erasure.

This documentary does more than just tell a story — it captures the heart and soul of a community on the frontlines of environmental change. Through intimate moments and beautiful underwater shots, the film reveals the tight-knit friendships, fierce independence, and contagious spirit of these women divers. 

You can catch “The Last of the Sea Women” streaming on Apple TV +. Images courtesy of Apple TV+.