[AZ On the Scene] ③"Battling the Waves" - A Novice Haenyeo Experience... Same-Day Harvested Sea Urchin Roe Delivered to Gangnam Department Store

Shinsegae Department Store Explores Supply of 'Haenyeo's New World' Seafood
Firsthand Experience: Joining Jeju Haenyeo in Sea Urchin Harvesting
Two Hours of Diving, Five Hours of Sorting Roe, and Cooperative Purchase
Packaged and Air-Shipped, Then Displayed in Seasonal Seafood Section
Ready-to-Eat Menus Developed for Customer Convenience and Versatility

Editor's NoteThe retail industry is currently engaged in a fierce delivery war. Unlike in the past, when it took several days to receive ordered products, delivery times are now being shortened to next-day and even same-day delivery, including weekends. Not only e-commerce and delivery platforms, but also department stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, and convenience stores have joined the delivery race. A reporter in his 40s, representing the 'AZ' generation, shares a firsthand account of the vibrant delivery scene.

Haenyeo divers are preparing to dive for sea urchin harvesting along the coast of Sincheon-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju.

On June 19, along the coast of Sincheon-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju. By 8 a.m., haenyeo divers had gathered in small groups to prepare for their dives. Most were skilled divers over the age of 70, each with more than 50 years of experience in the sea, and they were busy harvesting sea urchins, which are in season. Wearing tight-fitting wetsuits, I followed them as they prepared their orange buoys called 'tewak', mesh bags for seafood, goggles, hooks, fins, and other necessary equipment.

Jeju haenyeo diving to harvest sea urchins.

About ten haenyeo divers dove into the sea without any particular signal and swam in a line for about 300 meters. Watching them made me anxious to keep up. Without having received any instructions on how to harvest sea urchins, I hurried after them. Although I considered myself an above-average swimmer, my legs, kicking with fins, felt like they would cramp up at any moment. Peering underwater with goggles, I saw only small fish, seaweed, and rocks?no sign of sea urchins. I kept slipping as my fins hit rocks and the waves tossed me around, making it hard to keep my balance. After wandering underwater for about 20 minutes, I started to feel seasick. To catch my breath, I sat on a coastal rock and watched the haenyeo. As they surfaced, I could hear the distinctive "hwee-ee~" sound of their exhaled breaths.

Harvesting and Processing... A Full Day for 2kg of Sea Urchin Roe

Since February 28, Shinsegae Department Store has renovated the supermarket section of its Gangnam branch as 'Shinsegae Market' and officially launched the 'Haenyeo's New World' corner, distributing seafood harvested by haenyeo divers on the same day. To observe how raw seafood is harvested, processed, packaged, and delivered, I chose the haenyeo's workplace as my third field experience.

Jeju haenyeo harvesting sea urchins.

After diving, the haenyeo use hooks to turn over rocks or reach into crevices to find sea urchins. After carefully observing this process, I took a deep breath, dove down about two meters, and managed to harvest my first spiny sea urchin. By searching around the spots where the haenyeo gathered, I was able to collect about ten more sea urchins. Perhaps feeling sorry for a beginner struggling underwater, some nearby haenyeo even placed a baby octopus and large sea urchins into my mesh bag.

The sea urchin harvesting continued nonstop for about two hours. The haenyeo's mesh bags, filled with sea urchins and turban shells, were heavy with seawater?so much so that even two adult men would struggle to lift them. Nevertheless, the haenyeo, most of whom were over seventy, slung their bags over their shoulders and, with bent backs, headed to the workshop.

Jeju haenyeo heading to the workshop after collecting sea urchins.

As soon as the diving ended, the process of sorting sea urchin roe began. Each haenyeo piled up her catch, cut the shells open with a knife, and used a teaspoon to remove the innards and impurities. This process alone takes about four to five hours, during which the haenyeo, barely moving, extracted the yellow roe until 3 p.m. On average, a haenyeo processes just over 2kg of sea urchin roe per day. Kang Youngnam, seafood buyer (manager) for Shinsegae Department Store's fresh food team, explained, "A sales corporation contracted with the local fisheries cooperative purchases these wild-caught seafood products at about 140,000 won per kilogram. Sea urchin roe is one of the more profitable seafood items, so during the harvest season, the workshop is very busy."

Jeju haenyeo are cleaning sea urchins harvested at the workplace.

The processed sea urchin roe is kept refrigerated in a truck and sent to the Manje Fisheries Cooperative. This partner company of Shinsegae Department Store purchases seafood from about 20 local fisheries cooperatives on Jeju Island. The sea urchin roe, initially processed by the haenyeo, is further cleaned and commercialized by staff at facilities certified with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). The products are portioned according to client requests, and the designated shipments are flown to the mainland on the same afternoon. Not only sea urchin roe, but also horned turban shells, sea snails, seaweed, hijiki, and turban shells, all harvested in season, go through these steps and reach consumers at department stores in Seoul and other major cities by the evening of the same day.

Expanding Haenyeo Sales Channels... Increased Use in Ready-to-Eat Meals

Since last year, Shinsegae Department Store has been selling seafood harvested by haenyeo divers on the same day through its food section. The goal was not only to distribute fresh seafood, but also to share the sustainable lifestyle and authenticity that Jeju haenyeo have maintained. Despite these ambitions, sales remained sluggish. Customers were unfamiliar with the raw ingredients and unsure how to prepare them. In addition, since diving is highly dependent on weather conditions, it was difficult to secure a stable supply of raw seafood.

Seafood harvested on the same day by Jeju haenyeo, including horned turban shells, sea snails, and wild rock seaweed, are displayed at Shinsegae Market in Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam branch.

To address these challenges, the company developed ready-to-eat seafood dishes. Korean and Japanese cuisine experts at Shinsegae Market were enlisted to create convenient meals using seafood harvested by Jeju haenyeo. At the request of Manager Kang, Japanese cuisine expert Ryu Siju, head chef of Sushi Dokugen, and Korean food researcher Kim Jaehee, CEO of Sihwadang, developed the menu. About 40 different Korean and Japanese dishes were created, including horned turban shell bibimbap, sea urchin roe and crab chirashidon, octopus carpaccio, hijiki seaweed salad, and horned turban shell and turban shell porridge?offering options as meals, side dishes, or snacks.

Head Chef Ryu said, "We focused on menus familiar to consumers while highlighting the unique characteristics of Japanese cuisine. Prices were set in the 10,000 to 20,000 won range to make them more accessible." CEO Kim explained, "Because the raw ingredients are so fresh, we prioritized menus that could best showcase their unique flavors and aromas."

Seafood prepared by Jeju haenyeo is displayed at the 'Haenyeo's New World' corner in Shinsegae Market at Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam.

These dishes, now officially branded as 'Haenyeo's New World', are currently available at four Shinsegae Department Store locations: Gangnam, South City, Times Square, and Food Market Dogok. Raw seafood is also sold at the main branch, Centum City, Daegu Shinsegae, and Gwangju Shinsegae. Shinsegae Department Store is the first major retailer to directly sell both the raw seafood harvested by Jeju haenyeo and the dishes made from it. Although logistics costs are high, the department store explained that it operates with minimal margins to help increase haenyeo incomes as much as possible.

Sales of Haenyeo's New World are on the rise. From the opening of Shinsegae Market until June 22, over approximately four months, the combined sales growth rate across eight stores reached 316%. Compared to the sales targets set at the brand's launch, sales grew by 143%. A Shinsegae Department Store representative said, "By operating Haenyeo's New World, we have gained a better understanding of the distribution process after harvesting. As we introduce recipes using raw seafood and collaborate with renowned chefs to develop convenient products, sales have been growing rapidly."