Jeju Island, living with the sea: the haenyeo divers exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center

You're probably familiar with Jeju Island if you've ever heard of the famous female divers, the haenyeo. From May 22 to September 6, 2025, the Korean Cultural Center invites you to discover them in greater detail, in a brand-new exhibition paying tribute to the island and these emblematic figures of a maritime culture listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage since 2016.

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Located at the southernmost tip of the Korean peninsula, Jeju is South Korea's largest island. Born of volcanic activity around Mount Hallasan, the island is famous for its exceptional biodiversity and spectacular scenery, combining cliffs, lava tunnels, lush forests and unspoilt coastlines. A true refuge for nature, but also for people, the island preserves its traditions and continues to honor its memory, particularly that of the tragic uprising of 1948.

But at the heart of the exhibition are these exceptional and courageous women, who perpetuate an ancestral art of fishing, freediving and without equipment, at depths of up to twenty meters for the most gifted. Many of them are very old, yet continue to maintain this way of life in the heart of a veritable community, which is tending to disappear with the arrival of modernity.

Several artists have highlighted these women of the sea through contemporary works, including a video projection by Jane Jin Kaisen, a Danish artist originally from Jeju Island; photographic portraits by Kim Hyung-sun, revealing the inner strength and marks of labor on their faces; and a selection ofauthentic objects, such as wetsuits and fishing tools, which symbolize these women's trade.

Don't miss the immersive, sensory installation that plunges you into the heart of the island and its landscapes, on the first floor!

Topology of Water: Rocks, Plants and Wind: the immersive installation at the Korean Cultural Center
The Korean Cultural Center offers an immersive journey to the heart of Jeju Island with a video mapping installation combining art, nature and digital landscapes. From June 20 to September 6, 2025, this sensory fresco invites you to a poetic contemplation between sea and vegetation. [Read more]