Essay Contest Result

As a K-Drama addict, every time I come across a new K-Drama, I immediately add it to my watch list. Because I prefer binge-watching, many of these K-Drama end up on the list and sometimes, once they are complete, I don't even have time to binge-watch. But when I came across 'Our Blues' on Netflix and saw edits of it on social media, I couldn't help watching it.

The heartwarming story teaches lessons of love, compassion and family that it was almost impossible to not end up falling in love with the series. But what stood out to me besides the storyline was the cinematography. The K-Drama that was shot on Jeju Island had the most breathtaking scenic views, showcased the interesting architecture of houses built on the island and a unique Korean dialect. However, was what was even more fascinating was the story centered around the livelihood of the people that live with the sea, in particular, haenyeos.

Haenyeos who are otherwise called the 'sea women of Korea' are female divers who dive up to 10m - 20m deep into the sea beds in search of abalone, conch, octopus and other seafood. They are equipped with only their wetsuit, goggles, flippers and a heavy belt while holding their breaths for 2-3 minutes underwater during their search. Besides this, haenyeos also use a contraption called the 'tewak' that has an orange ball that floats above the water with a net attached to the bottom to store their harvested seafood. As someone who has always had a fear of the underwater and the ocean in particular, to me, haenyeos are the icons of bravery and courage.

I developed a sense of respect for them and it amazed to me to find out how active and strong they were regardless of the average age of most haenyeos being above 50. In Sri Lanka, as women grow older, they tend to shy away from working and deep diving in sea beds was out of the question. In fact, despite being an island, diving or swimming has never been a big part of the Sri Lankan lifestyle and this was another reason that drew me to explore more about haenyeos.

As I began to learn more about these women, I discovered that the culture of them diving deep into the sea beds according to Korean history was first recorded in the 17th century. When men went off on boats to fish or fought in the frontline in warships, ancient Jeju women who were left to fend for themselves and their children turned towards the sea as a means of earning an income. Unlike the females on the mainland, these women took on both the role of a breadwinner that was usually a job of the men in the ancient Confucianism society in Korea and also engaged in household work.

They dove for over 5–7 hours a day that was called 'muljil' in Korean and the skill was passed on from mother to daughter for generations. But becoming a haenyeo isn't as easy as one might think. To be able to deep dive without gear takes over years of practice. Besides this, haenyeos also battle through harsh weather conditions, motion sickness and oxygen difficulties that could even lead to their death. This has discouraged many young females from following through with this practice, bringing the total number of active haeyeos to just over 2500 in recent years. Because of this reason, experts say there is an uncertainty about the future of this cultural legacy.

As hours passed by without my knowledge, I finished one episode after the other, completing the 20-episode series in just 3 days. But besides my insane binge-watching skills, what was fascinating was how the haenyeos carried themselves. Among them, they had a leader that they respected. They called her 'Chun Hee samcheon' and she was a 'sanggun' which the term given for the highest level of experienced haenyeo. Alongside her were other older yet mid-experienced haenyeos who were called 'junggun' and were teamed up with novice haenyeos known as 'hagun'.

However, despite being skilled, in reality, becoming a haenyeo is tough and dangerous. Nonetheless, it is also one of the most rewarding trades that recognizes these courageous women at an equal stand in society as men. Haenyeos have also been branded mothers of the ocean as they care for the sea as much as they harvest from it for their livelihoods.

With pollution and overfishing challenging the underwater ecosystem, these haenyeos strictly follow rules on what could be harvested and when. They catch sea cucumbers in winter, harvest seaweed in summer, collect sea urchins from March to May, and avoid harvesting abalones in November and December.

But as the haenyeos reduce in number, creating more awareness and ensuring the culture and legacies of these women continue even in the future is becoming more important by the day. To contribute to this, the Academy of Korean Studies should feature in its textbooks, brochures and informative materials the following;
1. The distinct haenyeo culture, their way of life and the evolution of the costumes and equipment used by them when diving
2. Haenyeo schools and academies where people can even take short diving lessons during their visit to Jeju-do
3. Haenyeo festivals and events celebrating the haenyeo culture

For foreign readers, haenyeos and the haenyeo culture is a completely new concept. While they might be familiar with deep sea diving, the rich cultural history and legacy of these women is one that should be shared globally. Haenyeos from Jeju have a unique culture that they share. Readers should know about this unique culture, their evolution/history in terms of deep sea diving, the equipment they use, the outfits that have worn since the past and how it has come to be what it is today.

Since it is a known fact that even the Korean dialect in Jeju is different from other parts of Korea, sharing interesting details on the words they use, folk songs they sing during their dives and their shamanistic faith will interest more people in learning about these amazing women. Thereby making sure that the haenyeos and their haenyeo culture doesn't die down in the future.

Besides this, to overcome the dwindling number of haenyeos, sharing details on the haenyeo schools and academies will go a long way in educating readers and those interested in taking up the job in the future.

In fact, nowadays, many locals and foreigners are becoming interested in living an independent life that is far away from the hustle culture. There is a large number of those who are in love with the sea and many females who once left Jeju to work on the mainland returning to the island in search of that serenity and compassion that is otherwise difficult to find in the city. They have shown interest in working as a haenyeo and so have many foreigners who are thinking of moving to Korea thanks to the Korean wave. Besides this, the hospitality, the community spirit of Koreans and the beauty of the island can also be shared in international textbooks and informative materials for readers interested in knowing about the island in the whole. Information on where they can learn how to become a haenyeo, the requirements they'll need to satisfy to be accepted into haenyeo schools and how they can be a part of the haenyeo lifestyle even during a short vacation will also be helpful in challenging the reducing numbers.

This information should be included in promotional brochures on Korea, international textbooks and published on Korean websites and tourism based online portals written in foreign languages to get the message across international audiences while building a positive interest on haenyeos.

Sharing information on the haenyeo festivals hosted annually and events organized on international textbooks, promotional materials and websites is another method to contribute to keeping this cultural legacy alive. As more people come to know about these events globally, the contribution of these women will be recognized further. This will also interest visitors in actively engaging in such events and developing an interest in this cultural legacy. Thus, exciting the younger generation in learning the skill as well.

The continued legacy of haenyeos

The haenyeo culture has been existing for hundreds of years in Korea and to see a future of it being completely wiped out would not only be an impact to the economy but also to the Korean culture. Although to the haenyeos themselves, their job may seem just like any other, to Korea they are one of the most recognized women with their profession being listed as an intangible cultural asset by the UNESCO in 2016.

Haenyeos are unmatched to any other in strength and endurance. Though their skin maybe wrinkled because of deep diving and they look much different from the pretty idols Korea is known for, their bravery is second to none. After all, it is the love of a mother that led to them taking up this role despite their lives being at stake whenever they dive to the bottom of the ocean. I hope that with these steps that I have recommended Korea will be able to continue to hold to the legacy of these courageous women and that more people are aware of their contribution to the economy, culture and their bravery as mothers.