ANDONG, Sept. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – The 2024 Andong International Mask Dance Festival, a prestigious cultural event that aims to unite people from around the world, is set to take place in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, from September 27 to October 6.
This year’s festival, designated as an honorary representative cultural tourism event of South Korea, will be held under the theme “Dance of Culture Uniting the World,” celebrating the universal cultural significance of masks and mask dances.
The opening day, September 27, will feature a street parade through the old town center at 5:30 p.m., followed by a grand opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m.
In a departure from traditional formats, the opening ceremony is designed to blur the lines between performers and spectators, encouraging audience participation in what organizers describe as a “grand communal festivity.”
The festival’s poster prominently displays five colors, representing both the traditional Korean concept of the five elements and the diversity of global participants.
The dynamic intertwining of these colored fabrics to form a mask symbolizes the festival’s goal of creating and sharing cultural values among people from all corners of the world.
This year’s event boasts participation from 34 teams from 25 countries, marking the highest number of foreign performers in the festival’s history.
An additional 13 international teams have voluntarily joined the competition, further enhancing the global flavor of the celebration.
A unique feature of this year’s festival is the introduction of a “Mask Change Zone,” where wearing a mask becomes mandatory for passage. All festival staff will be required to wear masks, reinforcing the event’s central theme.
The festival will utilize various locations throughout Andong, centered around the old downtown area. Key venues include Andong Station (built in 1942), Talchum Park, and other sites spreading in all directions from the city center.
Talchum Park will host domestic and international mask dance performances, along with various experiential activities, vendor stalls, food courts, an amusement park, night market, and a mask culture-themed street.
This street will showcase global mask exhibitions, award-winning creative mask designs, mask object displays, and mask lantern streets.
The main stage will be set up at the site of the former Gugi Station. Here, visitors can also sample festival-exclusive dishes prepared by local restaurateurs who received recipe education and operational consulting from celebrity chef Baek Jong-won’s The Born Korea.
Throughout the old town, various events will take place, including the Gaekju Road food festival and market revitalization programs. Ungbu Park will offer cultural and artistic performances, exhibitions, and experiential events related to mask dancing.
During the festival period, over 20 associated events will be held across Andong, including Andong Day, a youth festival, and the Yeongnam Song Festival.
At Hahoe Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site, daily performances of Korean mask dances and the Hahoe Byeolsingut Tallori, a traditional mask-dance drama, will be held.
The spectacular Seonyu Julbul Nori, a traditional fireworks display, is scheduled for September 28 and October 5 at Mansongjeong and Buyongdae.
Image credit: Andong City / photonews@koreabizwire.com
