Andong-si · KR
Andong Hahoe Folk Village
Tucked into a great looping bend of the Nakdonggang River in Andong, Hahoe Folk Village is one of Korea's most beautifully preserved clan villages and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For centuries it has been the home of the Pungsan Yu lineage, and its tile-roofed mansions, thatched cottages, Confucian shrines and gnarled old trees still hold the rhythm of Joseon-Dynasty life. The village is divided into a southern and northern quarter wrapped by the meandering river, and it remains a living community rather than a museum diorama.
Hahoe is best known for its masks. The ancient Hahoe and Byeongsan masks—carved from alder wood with lacquered color and chins that hinged on string so the characters could 'talk'—are Korea's oldest surviving stage-play masks and a designated National Treasure. They were made for the Byeolsingut, a village guardian ritual performed for roughly five hundred years, and the vivid mask dance drama that grew from it is still staged here on a regular basis today.