Hahoe Folk Village

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For those yearning to see what Korea looked like before skyscrapers and buses, spend a day at Hahoe Folk Village, about 25 km east of Andong. Although the residents have telephones, electricity, and probably even cable TV, for the most part they have preserved the traditions handed down through generations and kept the village in the same state as it was several hundred years ago.

Built along an S-shaped bend (from which it gets its name) in the Nakdong River, this picturesque village is popular among producers filming historical dramas and documentaries. On weekends and holidays, it gets overrun with tourists and it loses its charm, so try to go during the week, or at least first thing in the morning before the droves of tourists arrive.

Hahoe's history dates back to the late Koryo period (918-1392). Unlike other villages, both upper class and commoners lived in the same village together, with the upper class houses located in the village center and the lower class ones along the outside. Another distinguishing feature is that the houses face in all directions from the center. (Most houses in other villages all face south.)

Yangjindang, one of the oldest houses in the village, belongs to the head of the Ryu clan in the P'ungsan area. It has been designated Treasure #306. Ryu, Seong-ryong (1542-1607), a famous court minister who helped protect Korea from the Japanese invasion of 1592, lived here.

Across the river from Hahoe, Puyongdae offers a picturesque setting with forrested cliffs overlooking the river. The sandy beach usually has fewer tourists than the rest of the village and can be a good place for a picnic away from the rest of humanity.

The village is also famous for Hahoe Pyolshingut Talnori, the Hahoe area's combination of masks, dance, drama, and shaman rituals. Designated Important Intangible Cultural Asset #69 by the government, it uses humor and satire to ease tensions among the different social classes. Just before the village, the Hahoe Mask Museum contains hundreds of examples of Korean masks, as well as dozens from other cultures around the world.

Near the entrance to the village is a large collection of changseung. Similar to totem poles found in North America, the carved wooded statues stood outside a village's main gate and guarded against evil spirits. Usually found in pairs, with one on each side of the road leading to the village, the left one appeases the the air spirits, while the right one appeases the earth spirits (please see the Andong Folk Village page for a good example). A few kilometers outside the Hahoe Folk Village is another changseung gongwon (gongwon means park) with many different examples of the art.

Hours: 9:00-19:00 (daily)

Admission:
Adults: 2,000 won (Groups: 1,700 won)
Youths, Soldiers: 1,000 won (Groups: 800 won)
Children: 700 won (Groups: 600 won)

Directions: Andong City -> Pungsan (Maegokgyo (Bridge)) -> Entrance of Hahoe Folk Village

See related tour(s).

Food and Drink:
A number of homes inside the villages are also restaurants and offer a limited selection of common Korean food and drink. A few places also sell snacks and drinks. Outside the village, on the road from highway 34, are a number of places offering traditional, regional dishes and alcohols.