Theyre formally known as haenyeo, but sometimes referred to as Koreas mermaids.
FilmmakerSue Kims term for them: A bad-ass girl gang.
The director of the Apple Original FilmThe Last of the Sea Womenfirst observed the haenyeo as a child.
‘The Last of the Sea Women’Apple TV+
And as an 8-year-old, that made such an impression.
…It sort of imprinted on me permanently.
Its dangerous work fierce currents and exhaustion have cost haenyo their lives.
‘The Last of the Sea Women’Apple TV+
The work requires extreme athleticism.
So, the marine life isnt there anymore for the haenyo to be able to catch and subsist.
They cant actually support their families with their bounty anymore in the way that they used to.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai produced the film, the first documentary under herExtracurricularproduction banner.
Currents spread the treated water to Jeju Island and elsewhere.
This is back in the 50s and 60s.
Korea, like many countries, has a historically deeply patriarchal political structure and social structure.
