{"id":12684,"date":"2024-10-08T12:26:28","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T19:26:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=12684"},"modified":"2024-10-10T12:55:18","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T19:55:18","slug":"beautiful-educational-and-inspiring-left-me-wanting-to-know-more-about-the-haenyeo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2024\/beautiful-educational-and-inspiring-left-me-wanting-to-know-more-about-the-haenyeo\/","title":{"rendered":"The Last of the Sea Women * Beautiful, Educational and Inspiring! Left me wanting to know more about the Haenyeo"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-12695\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/thelastoftheseawomen.poster-1.jpg?resize=122%2C183&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"122\" height=\"183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/thelastoftheseawomen.poster-1.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/thelastoftheseawomen.poster-1.jpg?w=467&amp;ssl=1 467w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 122px) 100vw, 122px\" \/>The Last of the Sea Women<\/em> follows an extraordinary band of feisty grandmother warriors waging a spirited battle against vast oceanic threats. Often called real-life mermaids, the Haenyeo divers of South Korea\u2019s Jeju Island are renowned for centuries of diving to the ocean floor\u2014without oxygen \u2014to harvest seafood for their livelihood. Today, with most Haenyeo 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\u2019s fight to revive their ancestral lifestyle through social media. Peering into what drives Haenyeo young and old, this moving documentary zeroes in on their tight-knit friendships, savvy independence, and infectious sense of empowerment, unfolding into an uplifting tale of women taking on world powers to protect their beloved ocean and inspiring a new generation.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Alma K. comments, \u201cThis documentary is beautiful, educational, and it left me wanting to learn more about the Haenyeos and their way of life.\u00a0 I also love the feeling of sisterhood you get from <em>The Last of the Sea Women.\u201d <\/em>See her full review below.<\/p>\n<p>The Last of the Sea Women<br \/>\nBy Alma K, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jZ0DnvBD7bk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-12685 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0101.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=225%2C127&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0101.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0101.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>The Last of the Sea Women<\/em>\u00a0is a gorgeous, moving documentary about the Haenyeo divers of South Korea\u2019s Jeju Island. Haenyeos dive in the ocean harvesting marine life using just their own breath. This documentary is beautiful, educational, and it left me wanting to learn more about the Haenyeos and their way of life.\u00a0 I also love the feeling of sisterhood you get from <em>The Last of the Sea Women.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-12689\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0107.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=218%2C123&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"218\" height=\"123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0107.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0107.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/>The documentary follows the Haenyeos, divers who work in a tradition handed down from mothers and grandmothers, as they tackle two main problems. One, the lack of younger Haenyeos to help with the physically hard and dangerous work. To collect seafood, they have to hold their breath underwater for up to 2 minutes and withstand water pressure, starting from a depth of 5 meters that is like a giant blue glass pushing them down. So, when emerging, a diver must break through this \u201cblue glass\u201d with all their strength, repeating this effort 100-300 times per dive. Also, today there are fewer women who risk becoming a Haenyeo. This documentary explores how their way of life may go extinct. Soon-E Kim (historian, Haenyeo tradition preservation committee) says being a Haenyeo is an extremely difficult occupation particularly because it\u2019s so dangerous, which is why there are so few now. Young Haenyeos have asked why they can\u2019t use an oxygen mask and yet that is not the way of the Haenyeo<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-12687 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0104.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=225%2C127&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0104.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0104.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>The declining population of Haenyeo is concerning, but these days, no one wants to become a Haenyeo, perhaps understandably: If you try to collect too much in one dive, you\u2019ll \u201ceat your breath\u201d (die). And if you go too far out to sea, the waves become much stronger. When you dive down, you can get swept too far out by the current. Death is always around the corner for Haenyeo.\u00a0 Another main concern of the Haenyeo is water pollution due to rising global temperatures which have changed the ocean. Soon Deok Jang, a 72-year-old Haenyeo, says she never saw trash like styrofoam in the sea when she was young \u2013 now she sees truckloads.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-12691\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0109.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=224%2C126&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"224\" height=\"126\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0109.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0109.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 224px) 100vw, 224px\" \/>Directors of photography, Iris Ng and Eunsoo Cho, created a film with powerful images and Justin Turkowski\u2019s underwater cinematography brings this story to life \u2013 it\u2019s stunning. Some archival film clips are included which demonstrate that the Haenyeo have been around for a long time. <em>The Last of the Sea Women\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0encourages you to be invested in what they see as their calling. And they say that, in the old days, people looked down on Haenyeos, but now they are respected for who they are. The director and producer, Sue Kim delivers a compelling story with the help of the editors, Erin Casper, Yeong-A Kim, and Stacy Kim.<\/p>\n<p><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-12686 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0102.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=222%2C125&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"222\" height=\"125\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0102.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The_Last_of_the_Sea_Women_Photo_0102.jpg.photo_modal_show_home_large.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 222px) 100vw, 222px\" \/>The Last of the Sea Women\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0purpose is to bring awareness to the Haenyeo and their plight. The film\u2019s message is that we need to take care of our planet, including our seas. The message is also to celebrate and learn about different cultures. Near the end of the documentary we see a Haenyeo festival. One of the Haenyeo, Hee Soon Lee explains that the festival is to teach people about their culture and their livelihood so that it is not forgotten.<\/p>\n<p>I give\u00a0<em>The Last of the Sea Women\u00a0<\/em>4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. You can watch\u00a0<em>The Last of the Sea Women<\/em>\u00a0on AppleTV+ beginning October 11, 2024.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VHMngOUUYvc?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Last of the Sea Women follows an extraordinary band of feisty grandmother warriors waging a spirited battle against vast oceanic threats. Often called real-life mermaids, the Haenyeo divers of South Korea\u2019s Jeju Island are renowned for centuries of diving to the ocean floor\u2014without oxygen \u2014to harvest seafood for their livelihood. Today, with most Haenyeo 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\u2019s fight to revive their ancestral lifestyle through social media. Peering into what drives Haenyeo young and old, this moving documentary zeroes in on their tight-knit friendships, savvy independence, and infectious sense of empowerment, unfolding into an uplifting tale of women taking on world powers to protect their beloved ocean and inspiring a new generation.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Alma K. comments, \u201cThis documentary is beautiful, educational, and it left me wanting to learn more about the Haenyeos and their way of life.  I also love the feeling of sisterhood you get from The Last of the Sea Women.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4949,15],"tags":[5154,2780,2781,3113,1783,8299,8296,2073,8300,292,8304,8303,8302,8294,8292,8305,8288,1043,8290,8297,8286,8301,8306,1166,1348,8289,3874,8291,8287,8298,8293,8295],"class_list":["post-12684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-a24","tag-apple-tv","tag-apple-tv-plus","tag-apple-tv-2","tag-by-kids-for-kids","tag-daina-fletcher","tag-diver","tag-diving","tag-diving-women","tag-documentary","tag-emily-osborne","tag-erika-kennair-nicole-stott","tag-extracurricular-productions","tag-free-diving","tag-haenyeo-divers","tag-harry-go","tag-jeju-island","tag-korea","tag-korean","tag-korean-divers","tag-last-of-the-sea-women","tag-malala-yousafzai","tag-marissa-torres-ericson","tag-movie-reviews","tag-movies","tag-sea-women","tag-south-korea","tag-south-korean-culture","tag-sue-kim","tag-underwater-photography","tag-women-divers","tag-women-of-the-sea"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-3iA","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12684"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12696,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12684\/revisions\/12696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}