Song Ji-hyo Says Female Diver Documentary “Felt Like Destiny” After 10 Years on Running Man

Actress and variety star Song Ji Hyo decided to join JTBC’s documentary Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure, calling the project a turning point in her career and personal life.

At the show’s press conference held on May 15 at Stanford Hotel, Seoul, Song appeared alongside Director Heo Jin, PD Lee Hu, and three real-life haenyeo (female divers) from Jeju Island, whose lives the documentary will spotlight. The project is notable as the first co-production between JTBC and BBC Studios, aiming to highlight Korea’s traditional female divers with global storytelling standards.

“When I first received the proposal, I immediately thought, ‘This is meant for me,'” Song revealed. “I wanted it so badly that I hoped no one else would take it if I didn’t.”

She also shared a deeply personal connection: “For the first time, I’m revealing that my aunt has been a haenyeo in Pohang for many years.”

Song confessed that despite her long-running success on Running Man, the grind had started to take its toll. “I found no joy in the routine of filming and acting anymore. It wasn’t that I disliked it—I just felt empty. Then came this documentary, about haenyeo and the sea I love. It felt like fate.”

That sense of skepticism vanished once she immersed herself in the life of a haenyeo. Song said she was deeply moved by how the haenyeo—who spend their days diving, farming and managing household chores—never once complained. “I realized I had so much, but didn’t even know how precious it was. It made me reflect on myself,” she confessed. Since this experience, she has learned to cherish and feel gratitude for her everyday work—signaling a transformative impact on her life.

Seeking new meaning in her work, Song explained that she recently ventured into business in search of inspiration and emotional fulfillment. “But these days, there aren’t many people who show me something new. That’s why I decided to take on this project, along with business and acting,” she said.

Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure offers a rare glimpse into the physically demanding, culturally rich world of Jeju’s female divers—many of whom are in their 60s and 70s and continue to harvest seafood without oxygen tanks.

With this new venture, Song Ji-hyo steps away from her variety show persona and closer to the sea and stories that shaped her family and spirit—redefining what it means to rediscover purpose through passion.

Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure, the first co-production between JTBC and BBC Studios, premieres on May 15 at midnight and will air as a three-part series every Thursday at midnight.