"This Weekend Eol~ssu Is Great!"... 'Songpa Talchum Festival' Held

UNESCO Heritage 'Songpa Sandae Nori' and National Intangible Cultural Heritage Mask Dance Performances Held at Seoul Nori Madang
▲Hwanghaedo 'Eunyul Talchum' ▲Bukcheong Lion Play ▲Bongsan Talchum ▲Songpa Sandae Nori All in One Place!

Songpa-gu (District Mayor Seo Gang-seok) will host the 'Songpa Talchum Festival' at 'Seoul Nori Madang,' the only traditional open-air theater in Seoul operated by the district, on the 27th and 28th.

First held last year, the 'Songpa Talchum Festival' is an event designed to provide residents with diverse cultural experiences by inviting national intangible cultural heritage mask dance performances from across the country, including Songpa-gu’s proud cultural asset, ‘Songpa Sandae Nori,’ which is registered with UNESCO.

‘Songpa Sandae Nori,’ performed 250 years ago at the Songpa marketplace, is the only mask dance tradition preserved in the Seoul area and was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2022.

This year’s festival will take place at ‘Seoul Nori Madang,’ which has been transformed into a world-class outdoor performance venue after extensive renovations. The festival is prepared to showcase seven mask dance performances from across the country, allowing audiences to experience the unique excitement and energy of each region in one place.

Starting at 3 PM on the 27th, the performances include ▲‘Gilnori’ by the Songpa Folk Preservation Society, ▲‘Eunyul Talchum’ from the Eunyul region of Hwanghae Province, ▲‘Goseong Ogwangdae,’ and ▲‘Bukcheong Lion Play’ performed during the first full moon of the lunar year in Bukcheong County, Hamgyeongnam-do.

From 3 PM on the 28th, audiences can enjoy ▲‘Gasan Ogwangdae,’ ▲‘Bongsan Talchum,’ the most well-known mask dance from Hwanghae Province’s Haeseo region, ▲‘Gangneung Gwanno Mask Play,’ and ▲‘Songpa Sandae Nori,’ which was performed around the Songpa marketplace. These mask dance performances humorously depict the satirical social hierarchy and the hardships of the common people. Each performance lasts 30 minutes, and admission is free.

Additionally, hands-on programs allowing visitors to experience Korea’s traditional culture of ‘Talchum’ more closely will be available. From noon to 5 PM during the two-day festival, there will be zones for making Songpa Sandae Nori masks and trying traditional folk games such as Yutnori, top spinning, Tuho, and Jegichagi.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “We hope many people will come to the 'Songpa Talchum Festival,' organized to widely promote the excellence of our traditional culture, and enjoy the lively mask dance performances from various regions across the country while also feeling the lives and humor of our ancestors.”