Korean Job Discussion Forums

sojourner1 · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:08 pm Post subject: Andong Mask Festival this weekend

I couldn't find a thread on it so here it is.

Anyone know how to get there from Daegu or Busan?

The website is www.maskdance.com

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

I don't think you looked very hard.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=99326

I'm here with the fam at the moment ... arrived Wednesday. Going home tomorrow, unfortunately. This festival has to be one of the best I've been to, extremely well run and organized, great performances, awesome people, friendly volunteers who actually make an effort to speak English, the list goes on. I'll post some pics when I get my films back in a few days. It ends on Sunday, so if you live nearby, or anywhere els e for that matter ... just come. One last night for pork bbq and a tipple for me!

ChopChaeJoe · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul

I went last year, loved it. I left before the fireworks tho.

sojourner1 · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:08 am Post subject:

Oh, yes, it was briefly mentioned during my time in rural America in September away from the internet and I missed it. Thanks for posting the link.

It does mention that the train is not the best way to go, so bus from Daegu must be the way to go. Probably the bus terminal outside of Dong Daegu? No wait, is it one of the 4 or 5 different bus terminals Daegu has?

Who knows, guess you just have to explore and hope it doesn't take a whole day to figure it out. Navigating Korea is so tough as compared to anywhere else where I could just figure it out quite quickly, even in non speaking countries like Germany. Guess it makes Asia exotic, by being an increased difficultly level to navigate. It's hit or miss by luck on anything here. If you know how to speak Korean, then Korea is probably a real fun place to be. I know there are lots of concerts, cultural events, and lots of other things if you know; how, what, where, and when.

Anyone got any more info? Have a good weekend.

ChopChaeJoe · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul

Getting to Andong should be no problem by bus or train. From the bus station in Andong (or Train station), cross the street to find a bus stop, and take a local bus to the Hahoe ("ha-whe?") folk village.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

just so you know, there are direct buses from Changwon to Andong..

Times are: 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:30
Cost is 11,900 and takes 3 hours.....

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

One last little nudge to bump this to the top of the page ... I cannot give this festival enough glowing reviews. Awesome, awesome time. Wish I could have stayed until the end of the weekend, but I don't think my liver or waistline would have forgiven me. Beautiful weather for it at the moment as well. Saw maybe 7 or 8 performances. I reckon my pick of the bunch were the group from Gangneung ... see them if you get the chance. I think I gained half a stone from all the pork bbq and soju.

I also reckon there must be a thousand Koreans with pictures of my daughter. At one of the performances at Hahoe Village, I turned around to see she had her very own crowd that had gathered in a semi-circle to gasp and watch her play with a Korean lad about the same age.

If you have the chance, check this thing out. You won't be disappointed.

GoldMember · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

Is this an "International" event?

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

GoldMember · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

Yea, taking the piss. Sounds like an event here finally worth attending.
Will put on the calendar for next year.
Audiences can be asses sometimes. Saw a great dance performance in Cambodia. People yapping, walking about. It's disrespectful towards the performers.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

It's not some village festival or town fair . . . it's one of the most well-known festivals in Korea, and once you get to Andong it will be a peace of cake to get to the village. It shouldn't take you a half-a-day to navigate. (It may take you half-a-day to find a motel, but that's another story). Worst case scenario, you get confused . . . if that's the case, go to Andong Station (a few blocks from the bus terminal) and visit the tourist information center there. They have English maps and can tell you exactly where to get the bus to the festival. The bus stops in town all have the times written on them, so you know exactly when to catch the bus.

Though I found some things about Andong extremely annoying---mostly the endless catcalls and taunts from local students---I was really impressed with the tourist information center. I guess when tourism is the only reason for your town's existence, you'd better be good . . . but still, compared to almost every other place in Korea I've been to, this was light years beyond.

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

Tip for a place to stay: smack next to the bus terminal, near the festival ground, are a cluster of 3-4 yeogwans and, if you're on the cheap, a few yeoinsuk. We paid 40k a night for a big room with a PC, aircon and cable telly. Rose Motel it was called, I think. And they had parking.

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

Just thought I might bump this thread up one last time, to share some of my pics from this great, great festival. Here are a few shots of the performers I saw.

Indonesia:

Thailand:

Turkey:

Bhutan:

Korea:

If you're really bored, and you feel like it, you can check out the whole photo set here.

Cheers.