In Jeju Province, located off the southern coast of Korea, are the women of the sea, those who hold breath for life. These women still exist and they still dive the old way, without tanks. They go into the waters of 10- to 20-meter depth to harvest seaweed and shellfish to make a living. They make a living in the same sea, but each haenyeo’s sea of life is different. The community is divided into three tiers- Group A, B and C, based on skills and capabilities. One’s rank is determined by sum or breath. Sum, is pre-determined at birth. Therefore, sum is desired. However, the ocean is harsh. May you desire! But seek what is not yours, the ocean will devour you. Life, for these women of the sea, is about holding one’s breath, and containing and controlling one’s desire. The film is a six year record of the lives of the haenyeos in Udo, an islet in the province of Jeju, known to be the birthplace of haenyeo. It is a close look into the lives that stand on the boundary of life and death.
Release Date: September 29, 2016
October 10, 2021
May 03, 2018
December 22, 2011
June 17, 2021
March 16, 2023
August 02, 2020
April 03, 2013
August 30, 2023
April 17, 2024
August 02, 2023
October 06, 2013
June 27, 2023
January 01, 2007
May 11, 2020
September 05, 2024
September 08, 2021
September 17, 2023
January 01, 2016
December 21, 2005
August 25, 2016