Who are the Haenyeo? The Last of the Sea Women with Director, Sue Kim

In collaboration with renowned activist, Malala Yousafzai, Director & Producer, Sue Kim presents “The Last of the Sea Women,” an extraordinary band of feisty grandmother warriors who wage a spirited battle against vast oceanic threats. Often called real-life mermaids, the haenyeo divers of South Korea’s Jeju Island are renowned for centuries of diving to the ocean floor—without oxygen —to harvest seafood for their livelihood. Today, with most now in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, their traditions and way of life are in imminent danger. But these fierce, funny, hardworking women refuse to give an inch, aided by a younger generation’s fight to revive their ancestral lifestyle through social media.

Sue sits down with me to discuss the mental and physical fortitude that it takes to be a haenyeo and the protective factors that come from being part of a community of strong and supportive women. 

The documentary, The Last of the Sea Women will premiere on Apple TV on October 11, 2024.