South Korea - Cheju Island, Woman Divers

 Diving Women in Cheju Island

- - -

Woman Divers

- - - - - - -

Haenyeo (sea women) are female divers in the Korean province of Jeju. They are known for their independent spirit, iron will and determination.

Traditionally, girls started to train to become haenyeo when they were 11 years old.  Beginning in shallow water, trainees worked their way up to more challenging depths. After about seven years of training, a girl was considered a "full-fledged" haenyeo.

All together, the tools of a haenyeo consist of a wetsuit, goggles, gloves, chest weights (to assist diving) an L-shaped weeding hoe, and a net attached to a floatation device.  The haenyeo stash their catch in these nets until they are done for the day.

Korea - Changwon Main Stadium

Changwon Main Stadium, South Korea

Korea Changwon, The charming City
2009

- - - - - - -

Changwon Civic Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Changwon, South Korea. It is currently used mostly for football (soccer) matches. The stadium was built in 1993 and holds 30,000 (27,085 seats) people.

Korea - Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, UNESCO site

Suwon Hwaseong

The sender writes:
The picture on the face of this postcard is of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. This fortress was built from 1794 to 1796 by King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty to house and honor the remains of his father Prince Sado.  There is a tragic story about Prince Sado.  He had been murdered by being locked alive inside a rice chest by his own father King Yeongjo after failing to obey the command to commit suicide.  The Fortress includes King Jeongjo's Palace Haenggung.  The site was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

This postcard is postmarked in 2014. 

Korea - Bride and Bridegroom at a Wedding

The bride and bridegroom
1971

- - - - - - -

In ancient times, weddings (Honrye) were held in the bride's yard or house. The groom traveled by horse to the bride's house and after the wedding ceremony took his wife in a palanquin (sedan chair - as seen in the postcard above) to his parents' house to live. The bride and groom wore formal court costumes for the wedding ceremony. Ordinary people were permitted to wear the luxurious clothes only on their wedding day.