Abalone Divers

Briar learns about South Korean divers.

06/28/2025

Hi friends!

Today, I took a road trip with my family to attend one of my cousins’ weddings. Super exciting, and super fun!

While we were sitting around a table, my uncle mentioned abalone and started talking about the abalone divers of South Korea.

What is abalone? It’s a shellfish that is considered a delicacy. They have beautiful iridescent shells and are found in coastal waters.

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South Korean Haenyeo is what they are called. The word “Haenyeo” translates to “women of the sea.” They are female freedivers who do not rely on any oxygen tanks or equipment in their deep-sea dives, only specific breath-hold techniques.

The tradition is mostly concentrated on Jeju Island, and this cultural practice is embedded into the culture there.

Many Haenyeo women are in their 70s and often will continue diving until their 80s! The practice is dying out as fewer young people are participating. In the 1960s, there were around 23,000 divers; now it’s down to 4,000.

Because of lifelong training and experience, these women are known to have different adaptations. Their heart rate is much better at slowing down underwater, and their blood pressure tends to lower.

They dive up to 20 meters(65.5 feet) and can hold their breath for up to two minutes.

They also practice a lot of sustainable harvest methods to be good stewards of the ocean.

-Briar Albaugh