50cm Hyangeo: The Hardships of Farming in Muddy Water

Hyangeo, a carp-family freshwater fish introduced during the food shortage of 1973, grows to an average length of 50cm.

Known for its mild flavor, it is mainly enjoyed as raw freshwater fish or simmered into a health-boosting soup.

The ponds are completely cut off from the outside and use groundwater pumped up; about 65,000 Hyangeo are raised here.

Because the fish peck at the mud, the pond water always stays muddy.

The pond floor is silt, making it difficult for workers to move, and because the fry are small, delicate and careful work is required.

If the net lifts even slightly, the fry can slip out through gaps, so workers stomp on the weights to hold the net down.

With visibility blocked by the muddy water, they work by feel alone.

Raised for two to three years from April after hatching, Hyangeo suffer a sharp drop in feed efficiency if small fish are not separated out.

To cut wasted feed and reduce feed costs, repeatedly sorting the fish by size is essential.

Because the fish constantly peck at the soil, there is always a risk that the pond embankment will collapse.

Three of the four sides of the pond are waterproofed to prevent collapse, while the remaining side is left in its natural state for the fish's habits.

During the rainy season, continuous patrols are needed to prevent the fish from escaping when embankments give way.

The deepest part of the pond reaches 2m, well above a worker's height, and the slippery mud bottom makes movement very difficult.

There is also a constant risk of accidents from falling into deep holes the fish have dug.

Seven workers pull the nets to gather the fish into one spot, using the same method as when sorting fry.

Fish about 13 months old after hatching and about 20cm long are selected and sold to other ponds as seed stock.

All work is carried out quickly so that the freshness of the fish is not compromised.

Hyangeo has firm, dense flesh with excellent chew, and is most often eaten raw with chogochujang (vinegar-chili sauce).

The name 'Hyangeo' is said to come from the character for fragrance (香), because the flesh has a fragrant smell.

The fish are so strong that unless the stakes are firmly set, workers get pushed back by the resistance.

Most fish sent to restaurants for raw dishes are about 2kg, the most preferred product size; fish that are too large or too small are excluded during sorting.

Hyangeo have so much energy that unless a worker holding the net drives in a stake, they will be pushed along.

The net is extremely heavy and hard to move, and the fish's weight makes the scoop nets bend, requiring considerable strength.

Workers must lift fish weighing about 4kg each around 200 times a day in mud and water, a severe drain on stamina.

This high-intensity labor, lifting about 4kg per fish roughly 200 times a day in mud and water, takes a huge toll on the body.

Hyangeo raised in these ponds keep their chewy texture even in restaurant tanks, earning recognition for their marketability.

This work is a continuous cycle of high-intensity labor with no time to rest.