The official poster for the 2026 Andong International Mask Dance Festival. [Andong City]
The official poster for the 2026 Andong International Mask Dance Festival. [Andong City]

Andong city in North Gyeongsang Province and the Korea Spirit and Culture Foundation announced Wednesday that advance ticket sales for performances at the 2026 Andong International Mask Dance Festival have begun.

The presale period runs through Sept. 17.

Advance tickets are priced at 6,000 won ($4.30) for general admission and 4,000 won for students — a 2,000 won discount off the on-site price.

Buyers will also receive a "Talseumsarang coupon" worth 2,000 won, redeemable at designated venues in the festival grounds and the historic downtown area.

Tickets are available both online and in person. Online purchases can be made through Naver, KakaoTalk and Coupang Inc, while in-person sales are offered at the city hall general affairs office, 24 township and neighborhood administrative welfare centers, and designated local retailers.

Purchased advance tickets can be exchanged for admission passes at the on-site box office during the festival.

The 2026 Andong International Mask Dance Festival runs for 11 days from Sept. 24 through Oct. 4 at venues including the Jungang Line 1942 Andong Station, Mask Dance Park, the historic downtown district and Hahoe Village. This year's theme is "Memory of the Mask, Dance for All."

The festival will feature 28 overseas performance troupes from 24 countries, presenting a range of programs including Korean mask dance — inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list — alongside mask dance traditions from around the world, original theatrical works and madang-guk (open-air folk plays).

The festival has been designated a "Global Festival" by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism starting this year, making it eligible to receive 800 million won annually for three years, totaling 2.4 billion won.

"Buying tickets in advance lets you enjoy both the discount and the Talseumsarang coupon benefit," an Andong city official said. "We hope many people will take an interest and join us at the 2026 Andong International Mask Dance Festival, where you can experience mask dance traditions from around the world alongside a wide variety of programs."


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