‘Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-Hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure’ is BBC Studios’ first original production in Korea and its first co-production with JTBC
BBC Studios is delighted to bring the lives of the haenyeo and the beautiful landscapes of Jeju to viewers through the eyes of Song Ji-Hyo and this original production for JTBC and BBC Earth Asia.”— Ryan Shiotani, Senior Vice President of Content at BBC Studios Asia
BBC Studios and JTBC announced that they will co-produce Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-Hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure for JTBC in South Korea and BBC Earth across Asia (as 3×48’), marking the first time they have partnered on an original production and BBC Studios Asia’s first co-production in Korea.
Across three visually spectacular episodes, Korean star Song Ji-hyo will undertake the greatest challenge of her life: free diving with the legendary haenyeo female underwater sea fishers, who she feels a special connection to. The haenyeo are keepers of a precious tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation for at least 400 years. Every day these incredible women, many of whom are in their 80s, risk their lives by plunging up to 20 metres to the seafloor without air apparatus or advanced equipment, to gather shellfish for their families and for their livelihood.
Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-Hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure will follow Song Ji-hyo on an adventure like no other, as she subjects herself to the intensive training necessary to become one of Korea’s legendary sea women. Her mother was a former swimming athlete and her aunt was a haenyeo, with Song Ji-Hyo fascinated by the inspiring aquatic abilities and charisma of her relatives. However, most haenyeo start their training in the sea at the age of eight but Song Ji-hyo, in her 40s, will have to cram over 30 years’ worth of training into just a month. She will not only need to exercise her body but also prepare her mind – it’s a high-stakes adventure that will reveal an unseen side to both Song Ji-hyo and Korea.
Through deep access to the community, Song Ji-hyo will submerge herself in haenyeo techniques and their sisterhood, forming genuine bonds with the women and getting viewers closer than ever to these amazing sea divers, their culture and ancient wisdom. She will take viewers beneath the waves with the divers to reveal their incredible talents, while the cameras will immerse viewers in the extraordinary landscape of Jeju Island which has been declared one of the seven natural wonders of the world, with 368 mountains and more than 160 epic underground lava tubes.
Song Ji-Hyo has already won hearts across Asia and beyond for her warm, competitive personality on Running Man, Korea’s longest running variety show, and as an actress (Intruder, 2020, Was It Love?, 2020) For years, she was the only female cast member in Running Man, holding her own in physical challenges against the men. This series will reveal a completely unknown side to the Korean star.
Ryan Shiotani, Senior Vice President of Content at BBC Studios Asia, says: “BBC Studios is delighted to bring the lives of the haenyeo and the beautiful landscapes of Jeju to viewers through the eyes of Song Ji-Hyo and this original production for JTBC and BBC Earth Asia. We recognise the importance of Korea as a leading content producer and collaborator, and we’re excited to take our first steps into co-production with leading broadcaster JTBC and with the support of KOCCA. We have ambitious plans to strengthen and evolve our relationships with partners in Asia and to bring more Asian stories to the rest of the world.”
Lee Dong-hee, Managing Director of SAY, JTBC’s unscripted studio, says: “This documentary is a significant opportunity for JTBC to introduce Korea’s precious cultural heritage to the global stage. The Haenyeo of Jeju live a unique life where tradition and nature come together, and we are thrilled to share their story with an international audience. We plan to set a new paradigm for international content production moving forward.”
Song Ji-hyo also says: “I’m incredibly excited to be part of a project that brings together JTBC and BBC Studios . After over 20 years in the entertainment industry, I’m looking forward to pushing beyond the limits I’ve felt, and this project could be that chance. It’s more than simply stepping into the shoes of a Haenyeo—it’s about truly immersing myself in their authentic way of life and evolving through that shared journey.”
BBC Studios is the commercial arm of the British broadcaster, the BBC, responsible for the global production and distribution of premium video content and its IP. BBC Studios produces 2,800 hours of content annually for domestic and global partners, and has world-renowned documentary expertise in natural history, science, and premium factual programming. JTBC, one of Korean content powerhouses, is known globally for hits on Netflix such as Itaewon Class, Single’s Inferno, as well as for Shaman and My Sibling’s Romance in Korea.
BBC Earth is one of the most distinctive factual brands in the world with the channel offering documentaries in the natural history, science, and travel and adventure genres to an audience of 60 million across Asia. It tells the definitive stories about our world, inviting people to fall in love with our planet through compelling storytelling. Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-Hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure joins BBC Earth’s acclaimed line up of travel and adventure content and will premiere in its new ‘Asia Hour’ every Sunday from 9pm SGT.
Asia has long been an essential component of BBC Earth’s prime factual genres, featuring in acclaimed titles such as Planet Earth III, Mammals and the upcoming Natural History landmark Asia, alongside insightful travel series like Joanna Lumley’s Japan. BBC Studios Asia is committed to creating more Asia-related content through close collaborations with local production companies and has separately agreed a MOU with KOCCA to develop and co-produce new documentary projects with local independent production companies.
Jeju’s haenyeo culture was recognised for its unique cultural value and was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.
(Source: BBC Studios)
