Haenyeo Museum, Museum in Cheju, South Korea
The Haenyeo Museum is a museum in Cheju, South Korea, dedicated to the tradition of the Haenyeo, the women who dive for seafood without mechanical aid. Inside, exhibits include photographs, diving gear, and everyday objects that belonged to the divers.
The Haenyeo have been diving off the coast of Jeju for hundreds of years, and old records document their work gathering pearls and abalone even before the Joseon dynasty. The museum was founded to preserve the memory of this tradition for future generations.
The Haenyeo are women who dive into the sea without breathing equipment to harvest seafood by hand. The museum shows photographs and tools from their daily work, making their way of life easy to understand for any visitor.
The museum is located on Jeju Island and can be reached by public transport or rental car. A visit of around one to two hours is enough time to go through all the exhibits at a comfortable pace.
When the Haenyeo surface after a dive, they let out a whistling breath called sumbisori in Korean. This sound is so tied to the shores of Jeju that many people consider it the island's most recognizable sound.
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