✦ A Korean Folktale ✦
The Haenyeo and the Mermaid
해녀와 인어 (제주 전설) · Haenyeo wa Ineo
The Lost Pearl
The story
The tale of The Haenyeo and the Mermaid
Jeju Island has long been home to haenyeo — women divers who slip through the deep on just one breath. Local tales say mermaids in the deep guard great pearls. Our story imagines what happens when a haenyeo finally meets one.
한국어로 읽기
제주의 바다에는 옛날부터 자신의 숨만으로 깊은 바다를 누비는 여자 잠수부, 해녀가 있어요. 마을에 전해지는 옛이야기 속엔 깊은 바다에 인어가 살아 큰 진주를 지킨다는 얘기도 있죠. 우리 이야기는 해녀가 그 인어를 만난다면 어떻게 될까 상상해본 거예요.
Origin
Where this tale comes from
An original tale woven from Jeju Island's diving women tradition and Korean sea spirit lore. The haenyeo of Jeju are real — recognized by UNESCO as a Living Heritage.
제주도의 해녀 문화와 바다 전설을 합쳐 새로 지은 이야기예요. 제주 해녀는 진짜로 있고, 유네스코 무형 문화유산이에요.
Vocabulary
Korean words you'll meet in "The Haenyeo and the Mermaid"
- 해녀haenyeo/HEH-nyaw/
A woman free-diver of Jeju who gathers seafood deep underwater without an oxygen tank.
- 테왁taewak/TEH-wak/
A round orange float a haenyeo rests on between dives and uses to hold her catch.
- 인어ineo/EE-naw/
A mythical sea being with a human upper body and a fish's tail — a mermaid.
- 진주jinju/JIN-joo/
A round gem that grows inside a shellfish — a pearl.
- 제주Jeju/CHEH-joo/
A volcanic island south of Korea, famous for its haenyeo, black volcanic stones, and blue sea.
Scenes
Color each moment of the story
This folktale becomes a 5-page coloring storybook in the app. Two of these pages branch — you choose which path the story takes.
The Deep Sea
A haenyeo diving in the Jeju sea spots something glowing faintly in the dark water. Following the light, she finds two paths splitting before her. Which way should she go?
The Coral Maze
The path branches again among colorful corals. A song drifts from somewhere deep. A mermaid emerges from the shadows, holding out a small pearl.
The Kelp Forest
Between the swaying kelp, a great sea turtle sleeps. A small pearl glows on its shell. A mermaid drifts quietly into view.
Guardian of the Sea · 🌊 The Sea Guardian ending
When the haenyeo returned the pearl, a soft blue light spread through the depths. From that day she became a guardian between village and sea, meeting the mermaid every full moon.
Hero of the Village · 🏝️ The Village Hero ending
She surfaced with the pearl and was welcomed by the villagers as a hero. The pearl became the village's treasure. But at night, the sea seemed to call her name from far away.
Our version
What's different in the app
There's no single original — we built two endings of our own. Return the pearl to become guardian of the sea, or bring it home to become hero of the village.
원작이 정해진 이야기는 아니라 우리만의 두 결말을 만들었어요. 진주를 돌려주면 바다의 수호자가 되고, 가져오면 마을의 영웅이 돼요.
Color your way through The Haenyeo and the Mermaid
Free · bilingual · branching endings · no sign-up · printable PDF when you finish.
🎨 Start coloring →
