Andong and Hahoe Folk Village: how to get there, mask dance and what to eat

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Andong, in the hills of North Gyeongsang Province, is often called the capital of Korean spirit and tradition. It is where the old Confucian scholar families lived, and it still feels slower and more rooted than the big cities. Most visitors come for Hahoe Folk Village, but the food and the old academies are reasons to stay a night.

Getting there

From Seoul: the KTX-Eum high-speed train on the Jungang line runs from Cheongnyangni station in Seoul to Andong station. It is the quickest way and easy to book on the Korail website or app.
Express buses run from Seoul's Dong Seoul and Central City terminals to Andong.
From Busan or Daegu: intercity buses and trains connect regularly.
Andong to Hahoe: Hahoe is outside the city. Local buses run from Andong station and the bus terminal area; they are not frequent, so check the timetable at the stop or a tourist information centre and note the return times. A taxi is quicker if you are in a group.

Hahoe Folk Village

Hahoe is a living village of tiled-roof noble houses and thatched commoners' homes, built where the Nakdong River curves around it in an S shape. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed with Yangdong Village as the Historic Villages of Korea. People still live here, so keep out of houses that are not open and keep your voice down. Things to do:

Walk the lanes and look at the old clan houses such as Yangjindang and Chunghyodang.
Cross the river by the small ferry (when running) and climb Buyongdae cliff for the view down over the village.
Walk the pine grove along the riverbank.

You enter through a ticket office and car park a short way from the village, with a shuttle bus between them.

Hahoe masks and the mask dance

The village is famous for its wooden masks: a grinning aristocrat, a scheming monk, a flirtatious young woman, a butcher, a fool. The Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori mask dance drama mocks the upper classes with slapstick and satire, and is a nationally designated intangible heritage.

Performances are held at a stage near the village entrance on a regular schedule in the warmer months; check the current days and times before you plan around one.
The Hahoe World Mask Museum near the entrance shows the Hahoe masks alongside masks from around the world.
Every autumn the Andong Maskdance Festival brings troupes from Korea and abroad; dates are announced each year.

Byeongsanseowon

A short way from Hahoe, along an unpaved road, is Byeongsanseowon, a Confucian academy set facing the river and cliffs. Its long open pavilion, Mandaeru, frames the landscape like a painting. It is part of the UNESCO listing of Korean Seowon. The road is rough and there is little public transport, so most people go by taxi or car, or walk the trail from Hahoe if they have time.

Andong food

Andong jjimdak: chicken braised with glass noodles, potatoes, carrots and dried chilli in a sweet-salty soy sauce. The original street of jjimdak restaurants is in the old market in the city centre.
Heotjesabap: "fake ancestral rite rice", a bibimbap of seasoned vegetables served with soy sauce instead of chilli paste, plus fish, jeon and other dishes from a memorial table. A gentle, unusual meal.
Andong soju: a strong distilled soju with a long history; there is a museum dedicated to it.
Salted mackerel (Andong godeungeo): cured mackerel, a dish that came about because fresh fish could not reach the inland town.

Other sights nearby

Woryeonggyo Bridge: a long wooden footbridge across a lake, lit at night.
Dosanseowon: the academy founded in memory of the scholar Toegye Yi Hwang, who is on the 1,000-won note.
Bongjeongsa: an old mountain temple with one of the oldest wooden buildings in Korea.

When to go

Spring and autumn are best for walking. Autumn adds the mask festival, though Hahoe is busiest then. Weekday mornings are calmest. If you want both Hahoe and the city's food, stay overnight; a day trip from Seoul is possible on the KTX-Eum but leaves little time. Transport times and performance schedules change, so check the Andong tourism website before you go. Been to Hahoe, or planning the trip? Ask your questions or share your tips in the comments.