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Hahoe masks sold at Hahoe Folk Village in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Talchum are traditional Korean mask dances that developed from shamanistic rituals in rural villages.
Despite its sacred roots, talchum is known for its flamboyant costumes and satirical humor, often critiquing
Songpa sandaenori (mask dance) which
has been handed down to Songpa regions (present day Seoul).
the upper classes and offering commentary on the everyday lives of peasants.
While most forms of talchum involve dancing, miming, speaking and even singing, each region has its own unique variations.
Masked dances were usually performed for ritual purposes (e.g. as a rain dance), at state functions an festive occasions. Audience participation is expected as everyone joins in for a lively, raucous dance for the finale!
Performances are usually held in the open air to audiences in large circles.
The popularity of talchum dates back to the middle of the Goryeo Dynasty (50 BCE–935 CE).
Such was its importance during this era that an 'Office of Masked Dance-Drama' (Sandae Togam) was established to oversee talchum and various traditional performance arts.
The mask dance is normally performed in different acts, with new characters revealed in each one.
Typical themes include mocking the yangban (aristocratic) class, infidelity between married couples, lustful and corrupt monks, and a classic 'good vs evil' plot where good ultimately triumphs.
In one scene,
an old monk (left) falls for the seduction of Somu, a young shaman girl (right) and they perform a comical dance together.
Tulchum performers often wear colorful silk hanbok, traditional Korean clothes worn during formal occasions.
They are fitted with long, white sleeves to help the actors make their movements more dramatic and expressive - especially since they are unable to convey emotions from behind their masks.
Traditionally, masks are carved from wood, but some are made of dried gourds, papier-mâché and rice-straw.
Mask depicting Somu (left), a young female shaman and Chwibari (right), an old bachelor.
Tulchum masks are brightly coloured caricatures of the characters they portray, and how they are decorated is highly symbolic.
Colour is used to depict a character's age, gender and class - black for an old person, white for a young woman and red for those who are drunk. Masks of the upper yangban class are always comically deformed to mock them - the more criticism they are due, the more grotesque the mask.
Masks of yangban may look jolly, but they are often deformed with exaggerated, lopsided features.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talchum
[2] https://cducomb.colgate.domains/globaltheater/asia/for-and-by-commoners-bongsan-talchum-korean-traditional-mask-dance/
[3] https://www.thoughtco.com/traditional-korean-masks-195133
All photos sourced from Wikimedia Commons
Paintings my own
© Tina Leung, 2021