I'm hungry for popularity...Song Ji-hyo transforms into Deep Dive Korea's long-cherished haenyeo (Roundup)

By Soyoon, Ahn

May 15, 2025

I'm hungry for popularity...Song Ji-hyo transforms into Deep Dive Korea's long-cherished haenyeo (Roundup)
Three Jeju haenyeo (Oh Ki-sook, Hyun Soon-sim, Park Mi-jung) and Song Ji-hyo (from left) Photo courtesy of JTBC



Actor Song Ji-hyo transforms into a promising haenyeo through 「Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-hyo's Haenyeo Adventure」.

The production presentation of JTBC documentary 'Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-hyo's Haenyeo Adventure' was held at Stanford Hotel in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul on the 15th. Song Ji-hyo, three Jeju haenyeo (Park Mi-jung, Oh Ki-sook, and Hyun Soon-sim), director of JTBC Entertainment Studio SAY, and later PD attended the site.

I'm hungry for popularity...Song Ji-hyo transforms into Deep Dive Korea's long-cherished haenyeo (Roundup)
Photo courtesy=JTBC
'Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-hyo's Haenyeo Adventure' (hereinafter 'Deep Dive Korea') is a documentary program about Song Ji-hyo's journey to challenge haenyeo material in Jeju and form a true bond with them.




Song Ji-hyo, who conducted high-level training to become a haenyeo, will tell the real life stories of haenyeo who create rough lives in the sea beyond simple experiences. In particular, he drew attention by revealing that he had a special interest in marine activities thanks to his mother, who was a swimmer, and his aunt, who was a former haenyeo.

When Song Ji-hyo first received the project proposal for "Deep Dive Korea", she felt that "Oh, this is mine". I wish no one would do it if it wasn't me. I'm acting and I've been doing entertainment shows for over 10 years, but it wasn't fun because I've been on a routine repeatedly. When I felt skeptical, I got a documentary cast"It's even a haenyeo's story, it's a sea story, and one of my family members did a haenyeo in Pohang, so I accepted it with a sense of fate."

Song Ji-hyo is currently serving as CEO of an underwear brand as well as acting and entertainment. He said, `The reason I started my business was because I wanted to enjoy my life and get more and more.' `As the years went by, fewer and fewer people were telling me something. In that sense, I really wanted to participate in 'Deep Dive Korea' as well," he stressed.




Afterwards, the producer "I had no idea that my aunt was a haenyeo in the process of casting Song Ji-hyo." My mother said that she was a swimmer, so I handed over the plan, thinking, 'Maybe she can swim well because she looks like her.' But after looking at the proposal, he said he had to do it unconditionally, and no one else could do it except me. In fact, Song Ji-hyo is an actor, entertainer, and businessman, and she had a lot of worries about whether it would fit well with the genre of documentary. I was wondering if you could assimilate well with the haenyeo and show them your sincerity, but we were attracted by just one word. I decided to go with Song Jihyo when I said, "I'll do this no matter what.", he explained.

Director Heo said "Song Ji-hyo had a hard time protecting the image of an actor by bleeding nose, runny nose, and drooling"Some of the broadcast was edited, but I was moved because he was so sincere."

I'm hungry for popularity...Song Ji-hyo transforms into Deep Dive Korea's long-cherished haenyeo (Roundup)
Three Jeju haenyeo (Oh Ki-sook, Hyun Soon-sim, Park Mi-jung) and Song Ji-hyo (from left) Photo courtesy of JTBC
Interest in the profession of haenyeo has also increased after the recent release of the original Netflix series 'I've been tricked into it'. After this, the PD said, `In fact, our program doesn't feel like inheriting the baton of 'were completely fooled'. Because I didn't know the timing of the drama, and I filmed it in the hope that Jeju haenyeo would be known to the wider world through the BBC."




On the other hand, Song Ji-hyo "I don't think differently from the producer. I hope it will be a hit thanks to the popularity of 'I've fallen for it'"If the drama contains the pain and sorrow of the haenyeo, our program contains those parts in more detail." I think many people will sympathize with our program even if they watch 'I got tricked' or 'I got tricked' first and then watch our program. I think you can understand why haenyeo don't want to hand down their jobs to their children."

I'm hungry for popularity...Song Ji-hyo transforms into Deep Dive Korea's long-cherished haenyeo (Roundup)
Photo courtesy=JTBC
Meanwhile 'Deep Dive Korea' is the first co-production content of JTBC and BBC Studios. BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the British public broadcaster BBC, responsible for the global production and distribution of premium video content and intellectual property rights. It produces more than 2,800 hours of content each year with domestic and foreign partners and boasts world-famous documentary expertise in nature documentaries, science, and premium factual programs. Director Heo said "While planning this program, I wanted to make it so that I could approach the haenyeo in a friendly way. While watching Song Jihyo become a haenyeo, I hope you can feel and relate to the strong spirit and way of life of the haenyeo," he asked for attention.

'Deep Dive Korea' will premiere on JTBC at 12 p.m. on the 15th.



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