Imagine if your 72-year-old grandmother put on a wetsuit and goggles then dove to the raging ocean floor to fish for crustaceans and sea urchins with a metal hook. The Last of the Sea Women tells the incredible story of an honored tradition that has lasted for hundreds of years, but is sadly in danger of vanishing due to climate change, pollution, and honest difficulty. Haenyeo are South Korean women who live on Jeju Island. They've supported their families through this dangerous occupation for generations, swimming from craggy rock beaches in order to spend hours diving back and forth to earn a sustainable income.
A Great Documentary from Malala, A24, and Sue Kim
In this documentary set on the shores of Jeju Island, a fierce group of South Korean divers fights to save their vanishing culture from looming threats.
- Release Date
- October 11, 2024
- Director
- Sue Kim
- Runtime
- 1h 27m
- Writers
- Sue Kim
- Streaming Service
- Apple TV+
- Sue Kim honestly captures a fantastic tradition and group of women.
- The film has a lot of wisdom in its resistance to modern fishing, pollution, and climate change.
- A well-edited look at sisterhood, friendship, and legacy.
Documentary filmmaker Sue Kim and Nobel Peace Prize-winning producer Malala Yousafzai shine a fascinating light on the haenyeo, their strong camaraderie, and admirable fortitude to continue a way of life despite reaching such an advanced age. These remarkable women, who were previously looked down upon in Korean society, had little opportunities to make money. They were drawn to the ocean's rich bounty by pure necessity.
Jang Soon Duk, a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) tour guide for Jeju Island, and a haenyeo from childhood, speaks frankly about their lack of choices. The women in her village had to feed their children. The sea gave them the means to provide, but also a liberating sense of freedom and purpose.
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Cinematographer Justin Turkowski captures their rigorous underwater labor. It's astonishing to see them dive from the surface to the sea bed literally hundreds of times for hours each day. Jang talks about hitting "a blue wall" several meters down, where it feels like being punched in the head. The haenyeo have to train their bodies to withstand the constant changes in pressure while holding their breath for minutes and battling the powerful currents. They cling to rocks, pulling out cephalopods (octopus, cuttlefish) along with crabs, clams, mussels, and sea urchins, then swim up to their buoys that hold the catch in a net. Many haenyeo have died. Every dive could be the last.
Tradition vs. Pollution in The Last of the Sea Women
The women laugh at the fact that most men cannot do the job. It's simply too hard and risky. Scenes of them being jovial and playful are wonderfully endearing. They've spent decades looking out for each other. A friendly competition exists to see who can catch the most, but there is also a fervent belief in communal success. No one starves or comes to shore empty-handed. The second part of their arduous labor takes hold. The catch has to be cut and cleaned for sale. This is also back-breaking labor. Several of the haenyeo have surpassed 80, but spend hours sitting on the floor washing and cutting without complaint.
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The film takes a sobering turn as the haenyeo discuss the threats to their livelihood. They have witnessed the awful frontline effects of climate change and filthy human waste. Jang shows Kim miles of plastic, styrofoam, and other litter that has collected on the beaches. This garbage, and pesticide runoff from Jeju Island's vast farms, kill wildlife en masse. You are disgusted as Kim's camera pans down to film pools of dead and rotting fish. Jang's primary concern is the rapid heating of the seawater. Coral bleaching and invasive species like jellyfish compound the crisis. The haenyeo are forced to go farther and dive deeper with less success.
A dire threat emerges during the second act. The haenyeo learn that the Japanese government will release radioactive water from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident into the ocean. The Japanese claim the water has been treated with minimal risk to biological life. Their plan is to slowly pump the wastewater underneath the ocean floor over thirty years. It will reach Jeju Island and South Korea in mere months. Outrage overtakes the haenyeo as they galvanize into action with nuclear activists. Some weep at the thought of their beloved home contaminated by radiation for thousands of years. They have lived long lives, but their children and the generations after will be affected. How can such a terrible thing be allowed to happen?
A Legacy of Women in Tune with Nature
Kim introduces Jung Min Woo and So Hee Jin from the neighboring Geoje Island. Both women are in their 30s and became haenyeo for similar reasons as their "aunties" on Jeju. Jung spent years toiling away in a cubicle before burning out. So has three children and her husband lost his job. They needed money to survive. The ocean, raw nerves, and grit became the answer. But this new version of the haenyeo aren't unknown in their efforts. The women are social media stars with a popular YouTube channel. They sing and dance choreographed routines, but also show their gumption and strength underwater. The film offers hope for a continuing legacy.
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The haenyeo do not use oxygen or scuba gear. This would lead to overfishing. They operate in harmony with the environment. Nature provides for them and the haenyeo respect the limits of its resources. They're extraordinary people, exhibiting humanity's finest traits, and offering a blueprint for how to exist in the world without destroying it. The Last of the Sea Women is a brilliant exploration of sisterhood, endurance, and resilience.
The Last of the Sea Women is a production of A24 and Extracurricular. It will have a limited theatrical release on October 11th, then a forthcoming streaming premiere on AppleTV+. When the time comes, you can watch it through the link below:
Watch on Apple TV+
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