WHILE mermaids are a familiar figure in folklore, with their waist-long tresses and shimmering tails, their existence has long remained a mystery. 

But on Jeju island, some 50 miles off the coast of South Korea, live a group of “real-life mermaids” who spend their days trawling the ocean’s floor, harvesting seafood for hours on end. 

One of the group’s youngest, Sohee Jin, is leading the next generation of mermaids – turning her back on days spent glued to an office chair, opting instead for the sea’s glistening and chilly waters.

Haenyeo women – “women of the sea” in Jeju – have been diving to the seafloor without oxygen for hundreds of years, collecting fish to sell at market.

Their ability to hold their breath for prolonged stretches of time and swim in harsh, cold waters has been the subject of scientific marvel.

Breath holding is so integral to Jeju culture that the language’s short words are often attributed to the divers’ need to communicate quickly when they break the sea’s surface.

But now, research has revealed that Jeju’s women possess “superhero genes” that enable them to plunge tens of metres below the water’s surface and hold their breath for up to two minutes at a time. 

Dr. Melissa Ilardo, the study’s co-author, told The Sun that she began investigating the Haenyeo divers around two years ago – curious to learn more about their seemingly supernatural abilities.

When she arrived on the remote island of Jeju, she was immediately struck by the women’s unwavering grit.

Unphased by the snow blanketing the sea, they told her they go out in the water “no matter what”.

She said: “When in first arrived in Jeju to do an initial visit, it was winter and very cold.

“I drove through this port town and I saw this Haenyeo walking out of the water. The current was just so strong, and it was so cold.

“I just couldn’t get over the fact it was winter and even with wetsuits they had still done a full day of diving. 

“When I interacted with them I found they had this incredible combination of strength, and also this femininity and a softness. It was just really beautiful.”

Melissa was eager to know how the Haenyeo are capable of enduring such extreme lifestyles and wondered if evolutionary adaptations might have shaped the women to be better divers.

Joined by a team of colleagues, she spent weeks comparing the women with Jeju’s mainland inhabitants in a series of experiments the divers found “a little silly”.

The results were astonishing.

Melissa found the Haenyeo heart rate fell by about 50 per cent more than their non-diving counterparts.

Because their hearts aren’t working as hard, the oxygen-filled blood can travel to their vital organs more easily, allowing them to stay underwater for longer.

According to Melissa, the difference between the two groups is down to a lifetime of diving experience.

The researchers then took saliva samples to determine any genetic differences between the groups.

Unbelievably, they found the divers and Jeju islanders all shared a particular gene that makes them more tolerant to pain.

This means they can weather far colder temperatures than the average person.

They also discovered Jeju’s inhabitants have much lower blood pressure than those in the rest of South Korea, which could explain why so few people die from strokes on the island.

According to Melissa, this is likely because all of Jeju’s population is descended from divers so they all have a chance of carrying this protective genetic variation.

For Melissa, these revolutionary findings might be the key to helping people around the world from avoiding this life-threatening condition.

She said: “It’s exciting because if we figure out whether genetics is playing a role in how they’re protected, that could inspire therapeutics in the future that could help people all over the world.”

Becoming a Heanyo involves rigorous training, which many of the women begin from as early as 10 years old.

And while traditions have evolved (plunging in wetsuits rather than white cloth vest) their work remains perilous.

According to Melissa, all Haenyeo women dive while pregnant – with many still plunging to the ocean’s floor right up until their due date and returning just days after giving birth. 

They carry various tools to help with their harvest, including a heavy knife called a bitchang, a small sickle, and a broad bladed knife for removing sea urchins. 

And on their tail, bobbing along the sea’s surface, is their tewak – a small float attached to a net where they keep their catch.

It’s unclear why no men partake in the impressive yet life-threatening work.

One theory suggests that women tend to have more fat and a higher shivering threshold, making them better suited to work in cold waters. 

It’s more likely, however, that the women on Jeju island began diving when many of the men were conscripted to the army in the 17th and 18th century.

Introducing a new generation

The risky and demanding nature of the work, however, has caused a sharp decline in the number of Haenyeo and fewer women in Jeju are now turning to the tradition as a source of income.

In the 1970s there were roughly 14,000 Haenyeo compared to just 3,000 today.

While the majority of divers are now in their 60s and 70s, two young South Koreans are trying to revive the century-old tradition.

In a bid to encourage a new generation of Haenyeo, Sohee Jin and Jungmin Woo, have – quite literally – jumped head first into the job.

Sharing their ventures online to thousands of followers they reveal the everyday quips and quirks of such extraordinary work.

Unlike most Haenyeo, the women didn’t grow up in Jeju and learnt their diving skills as adults.

Sohee moved to Geoje, an island off the east coast of South Korea from the bustling city of Busan, after her aunt encouraged her to become a Haenyeo.

Following a year-long apprenticeship, she met Jungmin on a boat and the two have been friends and diving partners every since.

Speaking to Erin Henderson media, Sohee said: “I can never go back to sitting in an office.

“When I dive, I come up from the water and witness every season around me from the water and it’s a beautiful feeling.”