Song Ji Hyo Shares How Becoming a Haenyeo Changed Her Perspective on Life; Watch Her Journey in New Documentary

Korean actress and Running Man star Song Ji Hyo recently opened up about how her experience training as a haenyeo (female sea diver) transformed her outlook on life. The documentary Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-Hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure, a co-production between BBC Studios and JTBC, follows her challenging journey to become one of Jeju Island’s legendary sea women.

The three-part series, which premiered on May 15, captures Song Ji Hyo’s intense month-long training with the haenyeo, women who free-dive up to 20 meters deep without oxygen tanks to harvest seafood. Many of these divers are in their 70s and 80s, continuing a tradition that has been passed down for over 400 years and recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Song Ji Hyo, known for her 15-year run on Running Man, admitted she felt stuck in her career and personal life before taking on this challenge.

“I’ve been on a running-themed show for over 10 years, but whether it’s on set, acting, or just living life, I felt like there was no excitement,” she said. “Then this documentary came along, involving the sea and the story of haenyeo, and it felt destined.”

Her connection to the haenyeo runs deep—her aunt was a haenyeo, and her mother was a competitive swimmer. Despite her family ties to the sea, she had no prior diving experience. Most haenyeo start training at age 8, but Song Ji Hyo, now in her 40s, had to compress 30 years of training into just one month.

The documentary shows her struggles, including hypothermia, nosebleeds from pressure changes, and the mental toll of keeping up with the elderly divers, who wake as early as 4 AM to work.

“The uncles were too diligent. If the dive starts at 6 AM, they’re there from 5 AM. I had to go at 4 AM because I was the youngest,” she shared. “The most difficult part was the mental strength breaking down when I couldn’t achieve what I wanted.”

Despite the hardships, she was inspired by the haenyeo’s resilience.

“They never complained, even though their daily lives were so tough. I realized I had so much yet never recognized its value,” she said. “After this experience, I began to feel grateful for my daily work.”

The documentary also highlights the declining haenyeo tradition, with fewer young women taking up the dangerous profession due to climate change, overfishing, and the physical demands. Song Ji Hyo hopes her journey will bring global attention to their culture.

“I wanted to show the world the strength and depth of a haenyeo’s life—their joy, pain, and everything in between,” she said.

Fans and critics have praised the series for its emotional depth and breathtaking visuals of Jeju Island’s underwater world. The haenyeo themselves were impressed by Song Ji Hyo’s dedication.

“I thought there would be a distance because she’s a celebrity, but she was completely different—like a real haenyeo,” said Park Mi-jung, one of the veteran divers.

Also Read: Song Ji Hyo Displays Amazing Stamina on Running Man Hike, Proving Her Strength Comes from Her National Swimmer Mother

The documentary is now airing on JTBC and BBC Earth Asia, with episodes released every Thursday at midnight.

Sources: Naver

---