SOUTH KOREA
THE ORIGINS OF THE HAENYEO WOMEN DIVERS
The Haenyeo are best known as the female divers from
Jeju Island. Without proper equipment, they can dive into waters twenty meters deep to catch fresh seafood from the depths of the ocean. Equipped with only a weighted vest and goggles, these women make dozens of dives a day while holding their breath for slightly more than two minutes at a time.
Diving as a Haenyeo is no mean feat – for the work is often backbreaking and dangerous. However, due to the grueling nature of the work, these women of the sea portray a rich tradition that is slowly getting eroded. Many of them have mastered the craft over the years have replaced their husbands as the household's breadwinner.
Haenyeo was my first every personal documentary project, and it is certainly the one that has garnered the most interest. I did my first solo exhibition with this series. I collaborated with the band U2 on this series. I am also proud to see this published in National Geographic.