Hahoe Folk Village

Hahoe Folk Village is a traditional clan village in Andong, wrapped in an S-shaped bend of the Nakdong River – the name itself means "river turning back". The Pungsan Ryu clan has lived here for almost 600 years, tiled-roof mansions stand alongside thatched cottages, and people still live in the houses. In 2010 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List with Yangdong Village in Gyeongju as the "Historic Villages of Korea".

History: home of the Pungsan Ryu clan

The village grew into a single-clan settlement after the Pungsan Ryu family settled here in early Joseon; even today about 70% of residents are Ryus. The Heo and An families lived here first, and tradition says the Hahoe masks were made by a young man of the Heo family. Ryu Seong-ryong, chief state councillor during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s, and his elder brother Ryu Un-ryong were born here. Ryu Seong-ryong's Jingbirok, written so later generations would learn from the war, is a National Treasure. The late-Joseon geographer Yi Jung-hwan praised Hahoe in his Taengniji as an ideal place to live. In 1999 Queen Elizabeth II visited and celebrated her 73rd birthday in the village.

What to see

• Yangjindang: the head house of the Gyeomam branch, a Treasure, combining building styles from different periods in its men's and women's quarters.
• Chunghyodang: the head house of Ryu Seong-ryong's line, also a Treasure. Its Yeongmogak hall displays his writings and belongings, and a tree planted by Elizabeth II stands in the yard.
• Samsindang zelkova: a centuries-old tree at the heart of the village, hung with paper wishes.
• Buyongdae Cliff: the high cliff across the river to the north. From the top you see the whole village cradled in the river bend.

Mask dance and fire strings

The Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori mask drama grew out of a village rite for the guardian deity and is a National Intangible Heritage. Masked clowns mocked the aristocracy, giving voice to ordinary villagers. The Hahoe masks used in it are a National Treasure and the oldest surviving masks in Korea. Around the 16th day of the seventh lunar month, the Seonyu Julbullori festival may light up Buyongdae with strings of falling fire.

More on the masks and the Jingbirok

Nine Hahoe masks survive – the bride, monk, aristocrat, scholar, servant Choraengi, Imae, the flirt Bune, the butcher and the old woman – while three others were lost. The Byeolsingut mask play was part of a village rite held roughly every ten years, often at the first full moon of the lunar year; it lapsed after 1928 and was later revived. It is structured in eight acts, from the opening dance to the wedding night. The Jingbirok was printed in Joseon and later published in Japan as well, and in 1712 the court banned its export to Japan.

Tripto tips

• Etiquette: many houses are private homes. Enter only where it's open, and don't peer through gates or photograph residents.
• Viewpoint: after walking the village, climb Buyongdae to understand its layout at a glance.
• Combine with: nearby Byeongsan Seowon Confucian academy makes a full day of Andong's Confucian heritage.
• Practical info: check admission, shuttle buses and mask dance performance times on the official site before you go.
• Time needed: allow 2–3 hours for the village and Buyongdae.