Research — The Mermaid from Jeju

Historical Timeline

timeline

1910-1945

Korea occupied by Japan

August 1945

United States drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan’s surrender. 60,000 Jeju residents return home. Korea is divided along the 38th Parallel, with the USSR occupying the North and the US occupying the South.

November-December 1945

US Army Military Government established on South Korea. Despite Korea’s pleas for independence, the Allies divide Korea between two occupying foreign powers in a trusteeship between the Soviet Union, the United States, China, and Britain.

March 1947

Jeju’s April 3 Incident begins with police firing shots into a reunification demonstration. Six people are killed, including a child. Workers and officials strike in mass protest. Thousands of people arrested and jailed; some are tortured to death.

October 1948-February 1949

President Rhee Syng Man declares martial law on Jeju as the US Military commences a scorched earth strategy against Communists. Most of the 14th Regiment mutinies before deployment to Jeju, not wanting to commit atrocities against their own people.

June 1950

The Korean People’s Army crosses the 38th Parallel and invades Seoul, officially starting the Korean War.

Research Archive

The following images and clips represent a small sample of the photos and footage taken over a dozen trips to Jeju Island.

“Baby haenyeo” around 12 years old, Junja’s age in Chapter One.

An old-fashioned Kut ceremony, held outside on Jeju Island.

A weaver making the straw shoes Junja borrows from her mother at the start of Chapter 2.

On her trip to the mountain, Junja is wearing a wooden rack like this one, but instead of an open basket, she has a large lidded wicker container attached to hers.

Shaman tying knots into banner.

Shaman loosening the knots of the banner.

The spectacular coastline near Lonely Rock.

A traditional bulteok, or enclosure where haenyeo made their fires and changed. This one is on Gappado Island.

This Gappado Island haenyeo’s comment—“If I’m born again, I don’t want to learn how to be a haenyeo”—inspired Junja’s comment to Suwol: “My mother always says that in her next life she doesn’t want to be born a haenyeo.”

This short clip comes from a longer description of how young haenyeo fared in their training. The woman wiped away tears as she described how not every teenaged haenyeo survived the brutal lessons of the sea.