For the upcoming Andong International Maskdance Festival,
tourists are going to be flocking to Korea’s spiritual capital
for a variety of mask-themed performances from around the world
and all across Korea. The headlining act of the festival,
though, is from right in Andong, the tiny traditional village of
Hahoe. The Hahoe Maskdance Drama (하회별신굿탈놀이) traditionally
features eight madangs, (acts or perhaps skits), which
incorporate music and dancing, but also slapstick and satire. It
is told from the perspective of the Joseon Dynasty’s commoner
class, which offers a great opportunity to learn about history
as told by powerless peasants. Rather than portraying
supernatural beings, almost all of the masks depict a class of
Joseon society embodied in human — albeit grotesque — form, most
of which are called out on their hypocrisy. They were originally
used in shamanistic ceremonies that lambasted the empowered in
Joseon society. The plays were full of sex, violence, and nongak
(farmers’ music), and the content is n