Their way of life is in danger of disappearing. From Producer Malala Yousafzai, Director Sue Kim, and A24 comes The Last of the Sea Women, a breathtaking look at the lives of the Haenyeo -- the sea women of South Korea’s Jeju Island. The Last of the Sea Women premieres October 11 on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_TheLastoftheSeawomen
In “The Last of the Sea Women,” an extraordinary band of feisty grandmother warriors 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 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’s 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.
The co-production hails from Extracurricular, the production company of women’s rights activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, partnering with Apple TV+ to create original programming, and A24, who is also collaborating with Apple on the upcoming highly anticipated Steve Martin documentary.
Yousafzai and Erika Kennair, Extracurricular's president of productions, will produce alongside A24.
In “The Last of the Sea Women,” an extraordinary band of feisty grandmother warriors 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 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’s 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.
The co-production hails from Extracurricular, the production company of women’s rights activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, partnering with Apple TV+ to create original programming, and A24, who is also collaborating with Apple on the upcoming highly anticipated Steve Martin documentary.
Yousafzai and Erika Kennair, Extracurricular's president of productions, will produce alongside A24.
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TVTranscript
00:00There are three things that are famous in Jeju, stones, wind, and women.
00:12It is our Haenyeo who enter the sea and collect seafood with only our breath.
00:23It is our destiny to be Haenyeo.
00:33We are the guardians of the sea, and we have protected the sea for hundreds of years.
00:42I think it will disappear, but we have to continue our precious Haenyeo culture.
00:52I want to be healthy for a long time like Haenyeo.
01:0260 years of Haenyeo!
01:11I have lived a difficult life as a Haenyeo, but I have to protect my sea.
01:18Off the coast of South Korea, a neighboring country is beginning the release of radioactive waste water into the ocean.
01:25There are no more Haenyeos who go out and do Haenyeo like in the old days.
01:29It's a year when our lives explode.
01:34Only then will the people know.
01:38We have to prevent this from happening.
01:42We will fight until the end.
01:48We are the guardians of the sea.