On 3 October, HANU will mark Korean National Day with The Last of the Sea Women — a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration uniting Chef Kyung Soo Moon with Sohee and Jung Min, two of Korea’s last living haenyeo (female sea divers). Celebrated in award-winning documentaries and featured in films including one on Netflix, the haenyeo are recognised as guardians of a centuries-old tradition inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Flying to Dubai for the first time, Sohee and Jung Min will bring seafood from Korea’s southern waters to form the Sea half of the menu, while Chef Moon presents refined meat dishes to symbolise the Mountain.
At the heart of the evening are Sohee and Jung Min, whose artistry and resilience embody the spirit of Korea. Known as the free-diving fisherwomen of Jeju, the haenyeo dive without oxygen tanks to harvest shellfish and seaweed in a practice that has been passed down through generations of women. Their collaboration with HANU is not only rare, but also deeply symbolic, a dialogue between heritage and contemporary dining, honouring courage, skill, and living culture.
The 12-course omakase menu will unfold across four thematic chapters: Inspire, Engage, Celebrate, and Empower, each weaving together the symbolism of sea and mountain. Guests will experience a journey that begins with delicacies such as caviar, tuna, and sea urchin, followed by seaweed, oyster, and sea squid; moving into celebratory dishes like seabass, abalone, and wagyu; and concluding with a poetic finale of dessert and dasik, a traditional Korean confection. Each chapter reflects not only the landscapes of Korea but also the resilience and spirit of the sea women themselves.
“Cooking with Korea’s sea women is both a privilege and a responsibility,” says Chef Kyung Soo Moon. “This collaboration is our tribute to their courage and living heritage, told as a dialogue of sea and mountain through HANU’s modern vision of Korean tradition”.
Hosted at HANU’s Chef’s Table, the dinner will feature two seatings, at 6 PM and 9 PM, limited to just 10 guests per session. The experience is priced at AED 1,095 per person, inclusive of champagne and wine pairings, and available by reservation only.
To secure a table, please visit the website or contact +971 4 278 4844 and email at reservations@hanu-restaurant.com.
