Andong Mask Dance Festival

Andong is a city in the Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392 -1897) it became the birth place of Confucianism in Korea. Nowadays Andong is very famous for its Mask Dance Festival. The festival is held between the 28th of September and the 7th of October. The slogan of the festival is "hearts bursting with excitement; feel exuberant".

Andong Mask Dance Festival

Dances and exhibitions are organized in the Mask dance park and Hahoe folk village. Mask dances performed during festival are Kwanno, Songpa Sandae, Kangrung, Pongsan, Unyul, Suyoung Yaryu etc. Dancers are accompanied by traditional Korean music, for example melodies by folk percussion instruments known as Pungmul. Mask Dance Festival also includes various groups from abroad.

The festival also offers various performance of Korean folk traditions like for example Songhwanggjae and Shamanist Ritual Feast, Naebanggasa Chanting Contest, Lotus Lantern and Bompae Ceremony. In the Hahoe village visitors can enjoy the exhibition of ancient village totems called the Jangsung.

Like in all similar events visitors can buy local dishes. Among the most popular ones are jjimdak, heotjesatbap, kalguksu and geonjinguksu.