TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The third annual Taiwan Mermaid and Underwater Dance Competition concluded Sunday at Hualien’s Farglory Ocean Park, drawing 83 contestants from across Asia.
Participants from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines competed in the two-day event, performing choreographed underwater routines without the use of oxygen tanks, relying entirely on freediving techniques, per CNA.
An 11-year-old Taiwanese competitor, Chu You-ning (褚又寧), won the children's division with a performance inspired by the character Chihiro Ogino from the animated film “Spirited Away.”
The event was co-hosted by the Taiwan Freediving Development Association, One Freediving, and the Mermaid Federation International. Organizers said the competition is helping expand the reach of underwater arts and establish mermaiding as a formal sport in Taiwan.
New this year was the addition of an underwater dance category, reflecting the event’s growing scale. Competitions included women’s, men’s, teen, and children’s solo events, as well as team routines.
Yurim Seo of South Korea won the open women’s division, while Gian Jurado of the Philippines took top honors in the open men’s category. The group event featured six teams, with South Korea’s “Love the Memory” team taking first place for their technical execution, coordinated formations, and visual artistry.
Farglory Ocean Park General Manager Nelson Shen (沈建劭) said the competition was held at Taiwan’s only “Mermaid Theater,” a professional underwater stage equipped with lighting and 12-meter-wide viewing windows that allowed spectators to see the performances up close, per Hualien Today.
The venue’s Director of Sales and Marketing Leo Deng (鄧淳仁) said the park hopes to become a hub for mermaid athletes worldwide. He noted that the event has become more professional over the past two years, aiming to raise awareness about ocean conservation through high-quality performances.
Organizers said the event showed that mermaiding is evolving into a serious sport that blends physical skill, performance, and culture. With its growing visibility in Asia, Taiwan is becoming a regional hub for the sport, attracting new fans and competitors drawn to the dreamlike spectacle of underwater performance.
