March 2023

Local

People

Written by Seong Hye-kyeong
Photographed by Kim Byounggu

For an Island
that Lives Together

Kim Eun-young
President of the Marado Island Cooperative Federation

Kim Eun-young, head of the Marado Island Cooperative, built a nest on the island 20 years ago. She moved here from Jeju Island when she married her Marado Island native husband. Once a stranger, she is now working as the head of the Marado Island Cooperative. “I came to this island in 2001, and my husband and I were the only young people on the island at that time. My father-in-law recommended me to be the office manager. Since then, I’ve got involved in the village’s affairs.”
The reason she founded the Marado Island Cooperative Federation is to make the island a place where all the village members live well together. For example, there are currently five haenyeo (female divers) on the island, and one of them will retire soon. The haenyeo have no income if they do not work. Our cooperative is working on finding ways to support retired haenyeo, such as a haenyeo curator.”
While taking care of the village internally, Kim is also trying to attract tourists externally since tourism is the island’s primary source of income. She found a clue to attracting tourists in the nature of Marado Island. “There is a grass that grows here. It’s called bangpung namul (coastal hog fennel), which is known to be effective in preventing stroke. We made bangpung namul makgeolli (Korean traditional rice wine) using it. Also, in 2022, we hosted a concert to listen to the music of artists living on the main island under the starry night of Marado Island. We hope tourists can experience the island’s nature with their senses.”
Her philosophy is to use Marado Island’s nature to attract tourists without harming the island’s ecosystem. “Marado Island is an excellent place to feel the wild nature since it has more than 100 species of wildflowers that grow naturally. Also, since it is located at the southernmost point, many migratory birds take a break here. Marado Island is also a favorite fishing spot for anglers because of its variety of fish species. At night, starlight pours down on a fine night. Some tourists who have visited Marado Island a few times say that it is an island with no progress. However, the cooperative believes that preserving nature is more critical than developing the island.”

Diving into
a World of Serenity

Kim Min-jong
Male Haenyeo

Kim Min-jong was born and raised on Marado Island. He briefly left the island to attend school on mainland Jeju Island, but at the age of 26, he followed his aunt, who was a haenyeo, and has walked the path of a haenyeo from that day. “There is no official term for ’male haenyeo’ up to date. It’s because that is how rare it is for a male to become a haenyeo. But after facing the world under the sea and experiencing how that peaceful world became my own world, I felt like I couldn’t do anything else.”
The sea surrounding Marado Island provides fresh seafood that is in season. Haenyeo of Marado Island collect seaweed in the spring, sea urchins from summer to fall and sea cucumbers in the winter. These are not the only seafood that can be found on Marado Island, but they are known for their exceptional size and taste. Kim’s job is to diligently collect seafood at the right times. He wakes up early in the morning to check his equipment, spends three to five hours in the water, comes back to take a short break and then helps his parents at their restaurant, and before he realizes it, the day is over.
It has been six years since those days piled up. Kim got used to the world under the sea. The harvest of murexes, which was only 3 kilograms at first, has now increased to 40-50 kilograms. Although his skills are improving day by day, Kim tries not to be too greedy. “About two years after becoming a haenyeo, I was on my way back after harvesting murexes, and I spotted an abalone weighing over 1 kilogram right in front of me. That could earn me a day’s pay. I became greedy and threw away all the murexes I had caught and started to harvest the abalone. But I ran out of breath and lost consciousness. Fortunately, a senior haenyeo who was nearby helped me, but I learned the lesson that you cannot be greedy in the world under the sea.”
Kim plans to continue his job in his hometown of Marado Island. “Since I started this job, I heard many stories from senior haenyeo. They passed on the wisdom they had gained by going around the sea of Marado Island for a long time. I am the youngest haenyeo on Marado Island right now, and if I quit being a haenyeo, the stories of the sea of Marado Island will disappear from the world. I have a sense of responsibility to pass on these stories to the next generation.”