GURYONGPO MURAL VILLAGE

On the shores of Guryongpo in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, lived a cute little haenyeo named Soeun.

Soeun loved this village filled with the scent of the sea dearly.

Hearing the crashing waves made her heart flutter, and gazing at the sea brought a smile to her face.

Soeun's grandmother was the most famous haenyeo in the village.

Though she's now over a hundred years old and has stopped diving, she spent more time with the sea than anyone else.

Grandmother held Soeun's hand and taught her the names of each sea creature.

Grandmother always told stories like this about the sea. Thanks to her, Soeun easily became friends with the ocean.

Soeun was known throughout the village as a spirited child.
Even though she was still young, she wasn't afraid of the water, and her eyes would sparkle like stars whenever she heard stories about the sea.

But deep within Soeun's heart, there was always an unresolved curiosity.

It was because of the legend the village elders would gather to tell on nights when the sea breeze grew calm and the moonlight shone.

"Long ago, on a stormy day, ten dragons tried to ascend to the heavens from the sea before us.
But one plunged back into the ocean, and only nine reached the sky.
That's why our village came to be known as Guryongpo, the Port of Nine Dragons.
After the dragons ascended and the storm subsided, a beautiful rainbow stretched across the sky."

The adults told this legend as if it were something to boast about, but to Soeun, it sounded like nothing more than a dreamlike, mysterious tale.

So Soeun would often mutter to herself.

‘Why did one dragon dive back into the sea?
Could there be a reason?’

Then one day, a fierce storm raged, just like the day in the legend.
Thunder roared and lightning flashed all night long.

The next morning, the rain stopped. Warm sunlight peeked through the clouds, and a beautiful rainbow shimmered over the sea.

The moment she saw the rainbow, Soeun's footsteps carried her toward the sea.

“The sea must be crystal clear right now!”
With a fluttering heart, she took a deep breath and plunged into the ocean.

As she swam through the water, a ray of light caught her eye between the waves.

Swimming closer, Soeun saw something faintly glowing.
It wasn't a seashell or colorful coral, but a large, egg-shaped bead.

What is this? It looks like a stone, yet also like a huge pearl!'
The large bead had a blueish tint, and when it touched her fingertips, a warm energy flowed through her.

Carefully placing the bead into her net, Soeun's heart pounded wildly.

Holding the net tightly to keep from losing the bead, she surfaced.

Soeun was known throughout the village

as a spirited child.
Though still young, she wasn't afraid of the water,
and her eyes would sparkle like stars

whenever she heard stories of the sea.

But deep within Soeun's heart,
there was always an unresolved curiosity.

On nights when the sea breeze grew calm

and moonlight shone,
it was because of the legend the village elders

gathered to tell.

"Long ago, on a stormy day, ten dragons
tried to ascend to the heavens from the sea before us.
But one plunged back into the sea,
and only nine ascended to the heavens.
That's why the village came to be called

Nine Dragons Port, Guryongpo.
After the dragons ascended and the storm subsided,
a beautiful rainbow arched across the sky."

The adults told that legend

as if it were something to be proud of,
but to Soeun, it sounded like nothing more than

a dreamlike and mysterious tale.

So Soeun would often mutter to herself.

‘Why did one dragon dive back into the sea?
Could there be a reason?’

And then, gathering her courage, she plunged into the sea!

First to approach Soeun was a sunfish.

Swaying its broad, flat body as it drifted leisurely, the sunfish opened its mouth slowly, like a sage of the sea.

“Hello, little Haenyeo?”
“Oh, it's a sunfish.”

“Guryong told me in a dream to help you, so I came up to the surface.”
“I need to meet Guryong too. Can you help me?”

The sunfish blinked its large eyes and nodded.

"We sea friends can't just help humans. Only if you solve the we give you can we help you. To reach Guryong, you must pass through that rock gate. Care to try?“
”Of course! I absolutely must go.“

Soeun approached the rock gate, guided by the sunfish.
These words were carved into the rock gate.

<”What is the sunfish's international name?">

After passing through the rock gate,

the path split into two.

One led into a deep, dark forest of seaweed,

while the other was blocked by a sturdy clam-shaped lock.

Hesitating over which way to go,

Soeun read the sign at the fork.

Written on it was a riddle.

<“When winter comes, who are we who gain new clothes and new names?”>

Soeun stared intently at the sign and tilted her head.

“Clothes change in winter? What on earth does that mean?”

Just then, a silvery wave rushed toward her.

Hundreds of herring swirled around Soeun,

their tails fluttering.

The herring with the long ears at the front grinned and whispered.

“Little Haenyeo, what troubles you?”

Soeun swam for a long time until the silver path vanished.
Then a village filled with abalone and seaweed appeared.

One abalone cautiously poked its head out of its shell.

“Soeun, we've been waiting for you. Guryong told us.”
“Right! I came to meet Guryong.’”

“Then you must pass through this village.
But you can't just walk through.
Only humans who truly know the sea can pass through our village.
Now, care to solve a riddle?”
“Of course!”

The abalone spoke slowly, in time with the waves.

“I cling tightly to rocks to live.
But what tool is used to pry us off?”

How deep had she gone?
Suddenly, the ocean waves began swirling like a whirlpool.

“Ah!”

Soeun clung tightly to the fishing net,
but the fierce current swept her away, her strength fading.

That was when it happened.
A long, soft arm slid toward her and gently embraced Soeun.
It was the long-eared octopus, hiding like a rock.
Slowly revealing its crimson body, the octopus spoke in a low, kind voice.

“Little Haenyeo, are you okay?

That was a swirl in the sea that almost swallowed you just now.”
“Thank you so much, Octopus.
If it weren't for you, I would've been in big trouble.”

“Really? I want to see Guryong quickly too.”
“Then first, we must escape this maze-like place.
Only then can we reach where there are no swirls.
If you trust me, will you come with me?”

The octopus extended one of its long arms toward Soeun.

Soeun hesitated for a moment,

then firmly grasped the soft octopus arm.

“Now, hold on tight.
To meet Guryong, we must go to the cave.
I'll take you there.”

And so, holding hands,

the two swam through the maze toward the cave.

Finally, we arrived at the blue cave

where Guryong lived.
Inside the cave, it was dazzling

as if stars were pouring down,

and shells and coral clung to every wall,

making it as magnificent as a jeweled palace.

As Soeun hesitated briefly at the entrance,

a large shadow fell before her.
It was the whale, the guardian of the cave.

"You've worked hard to get this far,
little Haenyeo. I am the whale who guards this cave."

The whale's voice was deep and kind.
And it resonated.

“Then, where might Guryong be?
I brought the wish-granting pearl.”

The whale smiled, looking at the pearl.

“You can meet Guryong

in the deepest part of this cave. Follow me.”

Soeun felt a little scared of the dark, vast cave.

Just as she hesitated to go deeper inside,

the waves rippled, and she heard someone approaching.

“How did you get here?”

Turning around, she saw a sunfish, a herring,

an abalone, and an octopus rushing toward her.