Pungcheon-myeon Hahoe-ri 287.
Andong, Gyeongbuk.,
Korea (south)

"Dedicated to Korean masks, the Hahoe Mask Museum was opened in September 1995 near the entrance to Andong Hahoe Village, a popular tourist site in Andong. Many remember that Queen Elizabeth of England paid a visit to Andong on her birthday in 1999. The museum was established by Kim Dong-pyo, master craftsman of important intangible cultural properties no. 69 hahoe mask, who also directs the museum. The only mask in Korea that is designated as a national treasure, this hahoe mask was used in the performance of the Hahoe Byeolsin Gut Mask Drama at Hahoe Village. Originally there were twelve human and two animal masks. Three of the human masks have been lost, and eleven masks remain today. While the exact dates are unknown, the masks were probably produced in the 11th or 12th centuries.

"The reason for the masks’ survival over the centuries and handed down to this day can be attributed to their limited use. Reserved for the annual Hahoe Byeolsin Gut drama, they were stored immediately after the drama. It is also believed that ritual taboos surrounding the masks during the rest of the year may have contributed to their preservation. Like human faces, the left and right sides of these masks are slightly asymmetrical and some have a movable jaws, enabling a variety of facial expressions.

"The original hahoe masks are kept at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul. The Hahoe Mask Museum houses 300 Korean masks of 19 types, including the duplicate hahoe masks made by Kim Dong-pyo, together with 500 foreign masks from 35 countries.

"Visitors can take part in a mask-making program using Korean hanji paper (made of gourd and other plants). In addition, the museum has wax dolls of Hahoe Byeolsin Gut drama characters and other accessories. A 300㎡ outdoor area is the site of various mask performan."

-english.visitkorea.or.kr