The Last Mermaids of Korea

Synopsis

The phenomenally resilient women of Marado Island at the southernmost tip of South Korea are like no one else on the planet. These are Korea’s traditional Haenyeo: middle-aged and elderly female divers who hold their breath for more than two minutes to depths of up to 20 meters. They make their livelihood combing the seabed for culinary treasures for restaurants in Korea and Japan: kelp, sea cucumbers, conchs, and abalone. Once widespread across Jeju Island, Haenyeo have seen their numbers dwindle down to a handful of old-timers. Witness the daily lives and extraordinary histories of the Haenyeo as they unfold throughout the year from the depths of winter through spring, summer and autumn.