Off the shores of Jeju-do (Cheju Island), nowhere close to the ancient isle of Capri in the Tyrrhenian Sea, you might hear a strange, distant sound echoing off the seaside cliffs of Songsan (Sunrise Peak). Odysseus, who might have heard similar alluring sounds as he rapidly plugged his mates’ ears with wax, knew that the peculiar melody meant certain death if the ship approached too close. However, unlike Odysseus, you won’t have to tie yourself to the mast to witness these sirens of Asia — the haenyo divers of Jeju.

A haenyo monument in a walking park near Jungmun Beach, on the southwest corner of Jeju Island, commemorates the bravery of the diving women.

Hendrick Hamel, a Dutch sailor, published a journal describing his and his mates’ 13-year detainment on Jeju-do after wrecking their yacht, the Sperwer, in 1653. Even then, the wonder of the haenyo captured and amazed these western onlookers, who, upon hearing their strange cries, described the even stranger ladies as mermaids of the island.

With an area of about 700 square miles (1,126 sq km), Jeju-do lies 60 miles (100 km) southwest of South Korea. Along with its surrounding isles, Jeju is home to these fascinating female sea divers. The haenyos dive several times a month, when the tides are favorable, to collect sea treasures: abalone, sea urchins, octopi, seaweed and shellfish. Their labors were and still are an important source of income for their families; the men historically couldn’t dive, due to taxation laws on male labor .

One can instantly feel the differences between this island and the mainland, especially the historical importance of women. The women divers made the money, and therefore controlled the commerce. Women were not only the breadwinners, but they created better lives for their families by financing the building of houses and paying for their children’s educations. While men took on the duties of farm and family, the women divers farmed the sea. Strangely, in Confucian Asia, this may have been the only place where the birth of a baby girl was celebrated more than a boy’s, as a female birth meant more wealth for a haenyo family.

Powered by Trip.com

Other stories of female goddesses, giants and spiritual healers are rooted in the island’s folklore. Such autonomy is also seen at the political level, as Jeju is the only island of South Korea not controlled by the mainland, having its own provincial government.