■ Summer on Biyangdo is the Season of Octopuses and Flower Anchovies – People of the Biyangdo Fishing Community

Biyangdo is a small island home to about 50 residents, and at one time, it was so prosperous that it was called a "golden fishing ground." Captain Cha Won-seok (67), who started fishing at seventeen and is known as the "number one on Biyangdo" for his fishing skills, is still navigating the seas. When he pulls up the octopus pot, octopuses come up one after another; these are rock octopuses, which are considered the best among octopuses for their chewy texture. And there is a protagonist that colors the seas of Biyangdo silver in midsummer, just as much as the octopuses: the flower anchovy. The method of tidying up the nets underwater before hauling in the nets that were lowered into the sea beforehand is a unique work method of Biyangdo. It is a constant state of tension as they must navigate through the nets relying on a small light in the dark sea. The key is perfect coordination between the captain and the haenyeo. Captain Cha Won-seok's wife, Moon Bok-soon (65), tidies up the nets with seasoned skill. When the nets are pulled up, it is the turn of the couple's daughter, Cha Eun-kyung (34), and the reliable fisherman, Go Sun-ae (58), to shake them out! Cha Eun-kyung, who was sent off the island to study, eventually returned to the island and is now struggling to protect the value of Biyangdo.

Although it is called "flower anchovy," its official name is "saetjulmyeol," which belongs to the herring family. Although it is hard work to obtain flower anchovies, they are said to be an indispensable fish on the dinner table of the people of Biyangdo. Because they are larger and oilier than regular anchovies, there is nothing they do not prepare, from fried flower anchovies to flower anchovy and cabbage soup made with plenty of cabbage, and flower anchovy paste made by adding various seasonings to pre-fermented fish sauce—a true rice thief. From the hearty summer health tonic, Whole Octopus and Ginseng Stew, simmered with precious ingredients like chicken, octopus, and ginseng, to the seasoned sea tangle and mulberries, we encounter the table set by the summer sea and the people living and protecting Biyangdo.

■ Wisdom That Overcame Harsh Island Life – Geumneung Stone Net ‘Wondam’

Even after an underwater water pipeline connecting the main island to Biyangdo was installed in the 1960s, water remained scarce. Residents had to build stone walls to store rainwater in every house, staying up late at night to collect it for drinking and washing. Houses without water reservoirs often had to go around begging for water with buckets. Amidst the beautiful scenery of Biyangdo, often called a volcanic museum, the lives of the islanders were far from easy.

Across from Biyangdo, Geumneung-ri, Hallim-eup. Mr. Lee Bang-ik (94) goes out to sea every day, rain or shine, to watch over the ‘Wondam.’ As a young man who used to swim to Biyangdo Island, he rebuilt the collapsed ‘Wondam’ after his military discharge and has lived guarding it for over 70 years. Mr. Lee Sang-su (64) said he sometimes felt disappointed in his father, who always looked after the ‘Wondam’ before his children. Perhaps due to a deep, inseparable bond with the sea, he has followed in his father’s footsteps to guard the ‘Wondam.’ Built by stacking stones along the coast, the ‘Wondam’ is a type of stone net that prevents fish entering with the tide from escaping, and also serves as a breakwater to block waves. It was a place where villagers worked together to build and maintain it so that the ‘Wondam’ would not collapse. There were once about 260 ‘Wondam’ throughout Jeju, but now it is difficult to find even a trace of them. It is said that when the tide came in, schools of flower anchovies would surge in, and everyone would gather to catch them. Braised anchovies in seasoning, Jeju-style spotted squid mulhoe with savory soybean paste, and bakdaehoe—called 'sinchak' because it resembles a shoe sole—are dishes filled with memories of her father. Just like stone walls that are rebuilt even after collapsing from rough waves and winds, the lives of the people continue steadfastly in the same way.

■ Still, We Lived Because of the Sea – The Story of the Biyangdo Haenyeo

Looking down at the sea, the waters of Biyangdo are transparent enough to see right through, and they are teeming with seafood such as sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and conch shells. On this island, where arable land was scarce, the sea was like a 'bank' that provided whatever was needed at any time. Although diving was arduous, requiring them to throw themselves into cold water to make a living without even a rubber suit, they would still gain the strength to live on thanks to the sea. Sisters Park Young-sil (68) and Park Young-mi (53), who were born and raised on Biyangdo and swam and played in the sea from a young age, returned to their mother's side and followed in her footsteps...