A haenyeo (woman diver) harvests a conch off the northwestern coast of Gapa Island, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, on Oct. 27, 2021.YONHAP
JEJU CITY, Jeju — A festival celebrating Jeju’s haenyeo, or women divers, will take place this weekend as the centuries-old culture faces growing challenges from an aging population and a shortage of new divers.
The 19th Jeju Haenyeo Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday around the Haenyeo Museum in Gujwa-eup, Jeju, the Jeju Island government said Saturday.
This year’s theme looks back on the decade since Jeju haenyeo culture was inscribed on Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, under the title “Ten Years of Unesco Heritage: Stories carried on the sumbisori.” Sumbisori refers to the high-pitched, forceful breathing sound haenyeo make when they surface after diving.
Jeju haenyeo culture centers on the divers’ skills in harvesting seafood by diving without breathing equipment, their communal tradition of sharing earnings and looking out for one another’s safety and their ecological knowledge of the marine environment. It also includes physical elements such as the clothing and equipment used for diving and bulteok, a communal space where haenyeo traditionally warmed themselves by a fire, changed clothes and exchanged information before and after diving.
In recognition of its value, it was inscribed on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016 and designated as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2017.
The festival will begin with a haenyeo shamanic ritual praying for the divers’ safety and an abundant sea, followed by a street parade. The opening ceremony will feature an original children’s musical, a reading of the Jeju Haenyeo Charter, a choir performance by haenyeo and children, and a special performance marking the 10th anniversary of the culture's Unesco inscription.
A total of 33 programs across five categories, including performances, competitions, hands-on activities and exhibitions, will take place over the two days. Highlights include the Sumbi Singing Contest (translated), where haenyeo compete with their singing skills, and the BulteokTalk Show, where active haenyeo share stories about their diving experiences and lives.
A street parade takes place near the Haenyeo Museum in Gujwa-eup, Jeju, on Sept. 20, 2025, to mark the 18th Jeju Haenyeo Festival.NEWS1
Visitors can also take part in diving experiences and a swimming competition using taewak, the traditional flotation devices used by haenyeo. Other programs include Sumbi Snap (translated), where visitors can wear traditional haenyeo clothing and take photos with the divers, “Halmang-kase,” featuring dishes made with seafood caught by haenyeo, and a charity seafood auction. Halmang-kase combines halmang, the Jeju dialect word for grandmother, with omakase, the Japanese term for a chef-selected meal.
New nighttime programs this year include a plogging event in which participants pick up litter while walking along the coast at sunset, as well as DJ performances.
Since gaining global recognition, international interest in the culture has also been growing. The Haenyeo Museum drew 114,845 visitors from January through August this year, up 7.2 percent from 107,165 during the same period last year. Foreign visitors totaled 45,203, up 70.9 percent from 26,448 a year earlier, and accounted for 39.4 percent of all visitors.
Opened in 2006, the Haenyeo Museum showcases the lives of haenyeo, their diving tools, spiritual practices and communal culture. It also covers the history of the 1932 Jeju Haenyeo anti-Japanese movement during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea between 1910 and 1945. The museum has recently expanded interactive programs, including a talk session in which haenyeo share their life stories directly with visitors.
However, the number of people who can carry on this cultural heritage is declining sharply. Jeju had 2,371 registered haenyeo as of the end of last year, down 1,634, or 40.8 percent, from 4,005 in 2016, when the culture was added to Unesco’s list.
Haenyeo swim in waters off Iho-dong, Jeju, Jeju IslandCHOI CHOONG-IL
The number of haenyeo has steadily declined from 14,143 in 1970 amid changes in the industrial structure, an aging population and a dwindling influx of new divers.
While existing haenyeo continue to age, younger people have been slow to enter the profession because of its physically demanding nature and risk of accidents. Despite growing international recognition, the foundation for passing the tradition on to future generations is becoming increasingly fragile.
As of the end of last year, 1,500 haenyeo were aged 70 or older, accounting for 63 percent of the total 2,371.
“We will look back on the past 10 years of Jeju haenyeo culture and develop the Jeju Haenyeo Festival into a maritime cultural festival that people from around the world can enjoy together,” said Kim Jong-soo, head of Jeju Island’s maritime affairs and fisheries bureau. “We hope visitors will come to the festival and experience the value and appeal of Jeju haenyeo culture firsthand.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
