South Korea’s Hawaii-like Jeju Island, is a popular tourist destination for Koreans. Here, a group of all-women divers work year round to collect seafood from the depths of the water.

The findings of an investigation, published on May 2, 2025, shows that these women have unique genetic differences that may play into their ability to spend so much time in the water.

According to a 5/7/2025 article on CNN,, “…the practice is dying out. Young women are no longer continuing this matrilineal tradition; the current group of Haenyeo divers, with an average age of around 70 years, may represent the last generation.”