The Sound of Jeju Haenyeo, Will It Touch the Heart of Singapore?

The 'Haenyeo's Kitchen', which has captured the life and food of Jeju haenyeo, is officially advancing into Singapore. This is attracting attention as it presents a new export model of K-content that has grown in coexistence with local communities, going beyond the simple K-food craze.

Opened in 2019, this place defines itself as a 'Cultural IP (Intellectual Property) Company'. It is not just a restaurant selling food, but a 'theater-style restaurant' where one can experience meals made from seafood harvested directly by the haenyeo, viewing their lives, recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, as a play.

This special space, where young planners in their 20s and haenyeo, who are well over 70 years old, create the stage and serve food together, has become a communication space that breaks down the boundaries of generations and experiences.

The core of 'Haenyeo's Kitchen' lies in the philosophy of 'coexistence'. They purchase seafood harvested by the haenyeo at prices 20% higher than the market rate, helping to provide stable income for the elderly.

Furthermore, a portion of the company's profits is returned to the fishing village development fund, creating a virtuous cycle where the growth of the business leads to the growth of the local community. This has proven a concrete model of how profit-seeking business activities can contribute to the recovery and sustainability of local communities.

This authenticity has been validated by the success of the Jeju headquarters. When reservations open, they quickly fill up, earning the title of 'the hardest restaurant to book', with an average reservation rate nearing 97%, and visitor satisfaction recorded at 4.8 out of 5, recognizing its value.

Building on this success, 'Haenyeo's Kitchen' has completed the establishment of a local corporation in Singapore. Their first overseas stage is 'The Arts House', a historic national cultural space in Singapore, where they are preparing for a long-term project aiming to start in October 2025.

This is not a one-time event, but a serious challenge to test sustainability by directly transferring a proven model from Jeju. The overseas tech media 'WOWTALE' has delved deeply into their business model and entry into Singapore, showing that there is already interest in their progress abroad.

The entry of 'Haenyeo's Kitchen' into Singapore is an important case showing how the stories of disappearing regions can meet modern business models and expand into the world. This suggests that the scope of K-content can extend beyond mere entertainment to become a vessel that contains the philosophy and narrative of a community's recovery.

The sound that started in a small fishing village in Jeju, what kind of resonance will it create in the hub of Asian culture? The very process of preparation is already telling us a lot.