Jeju Seongeup Folk Village｜The Settlement of Haenyeo

Stepping into Seongeup Folk Village feels like opening a door to the past. Winding stone-walled alleys and black basalt rocks form clusters of low houses, their roofs thickly thatched to withstand the island's relentless sea winds.

This was once home to the haenyeo, the legendary female divers. Before dawn, they would head to the sea with bamboo floats and diving knives, clad in heavy wetsuits. Holding their breath in the icy waters, they harvested abalone, sea snails, and seaweed. When they returned to the village, their clothes still damp, the alleys were already filled with their laughter.

Today, many of the haenyeo have grown old. Their backs are hunched, and their hands remain rough and strong. They sit in front of their houses mending nets and sorting their catch. Occasionally, they glance at visitors, their eyes calm and uncurious—a serenity born from a lifetime spent with the sea, witnessing the ebb and flow of the tides.

Post by 諸文武 | Aug 11, 2025