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| The life of a Jeju female diver (해녀) |
The Netflix drama hit: When life gives you tangerines (in Korean: "폭싹 속았수다") does more than tell the story of Jeju’s people—it unveils the grueling reality faced by the haenyeo (해녀), the fearless female divers who carry their families on their shoulders yet remain vulnerable to the unforgiving sea.
💔 A Daughter’s Plea: "Mom, Can You Rest for Just One Day?"
Little Ae-sun writes a poem for her mother, a haenyeo, with one simple wish:
👉 "Mom, can you rest for just one day?"
💬 "점복 못 봐 안 나오나, 숨이 딸려 못 나오나"
❝ "Did you not see any abalone, or are you too exhausted to resurface?" ❞
Every time her mother dives for abalone (전복 - jeonbok), Ae-sun is terrified. The longer and deeper she stays underwater, the greater the risk of exhaustion. And if she loses strength in the ocean’s depths, will she ever return?
💬 "점복 팔아 버는 백환, 내가 주고 어망 하루를 사고 싶네."
❝ "If I could use the money from selling abalone to buy you one day of rest, I would." ❞
A single baekhwan (백환)—a tiny sum of money—equals a full day’s labor beneath the waves. To Ae-sun, giving her mother just one day off would ease her fears. But reality is cruel—her mother could never stop working. Eventually, at just 29 years old, she passed away from "sumbyeong" (숨병) – lung disease, a fate suffered by countless haenyeo.
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| A female diver going home after diving in the drama |
🌊 Haenyeo: The Women Who Carry Jeju on Their Backs
Haenyeo are not just divers—they are the pillars of their families, the backbone of Jeju’s economy. But the price they pay is devastating.
Why Do Haenyeo Suffer from Lung Disease?
🔹 Prolonged exposure to cold water → Severe lung damage
🔹 Extended breath-holding underwater → Oxygen deprivation & overworked lungs
🔹 Strenuous labor & poor nutrition → Weakened immune system, high risk of tuberculosis
The ocean sustains them, yet it also claims their lives.
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| The daughter waiting for her diving mother in the drama |
🚫 No Choice: Born as a Daughter, Destined to Dive
💭 "What if you are born a daughter?"
🔹 You must become a haenyeo.
🔹 You must dive into the sea to earn money.
🔹 You must sacrifice everything for your family.
For these women, education is a luxury they cannot afford. Their entire lives revolve around work, until their bodies give out.
👧 Some girls are thrown into the sea as soon as they can swim—not to play, but to work.
👩👧 Some young women in their early 20s must support their entire families.
⚰️ Some never resurface from the depths of the ocean.
The drama "폭싹 속았수다" is more than just a story of a mother and daughter—it is a powerful tribute to the forgotten women of Jeju.
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| A Jeju female diver |
⏳ A Disappearing Legacy: The Haenyeo of Jeju
💬 "They were not just workers. They were the lifeline of their families, the soul of Jeju Island."
Today, the number of haenyeo is dwindling, and this ancient profession is on the verge of disappearing forever. But the scars of history remain—a legacy of women who sacrificed their lives to survive, dreams that were never fulfilled, and daughters who grew up in fear and uncertainty.
When you watch this drama, do not see it as fiction. It is a piece of history, a part of Jeju’s waves, and a reminder of the tears that sank into the ocean.
Reference: (FB) TTHQ
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