The Jeonnam Gwangju Museum of History and Folk Culture will host a traditional mask dance festival Saturday and Sunday during the chuseok holiday.
The performance is structured in five acts, weaving together wit, humor and satire to offer audiences an accessible introduction to the charm and character of traditional Korean performing arts.
The first act, a "mungdung dance," draws on the mungdung drum dance of the Goseong Ogwangdae tradition to portray a journey from suffering and hardship toward joyful vitality.
Then comes the "Malttugi dance," rooted in the Malttugi dance of the Gangnyeong mask dance tradition, in which two characters express mutual understanding and harmony through spirited movement.
The third act, "The Grandmother Searching for a Butterfly," features a grandmother exchanging banter with the audience as she searches for the tiger of Mudeungsan, while a monkey appears to show off its tricks.
The fourth act, "The Mudeungsan Tiger's Transformation," humorously depicts the tiger shape-shifting into various animals. The fifth act, "Palmokjung Nori," is staged in the style of the eight-monk play from the Gangnyeong mask dance tradition.
Before the main performance, visitors can enjoy a traditional play area featuring berna nori (plate spinning), juggling, agricultural games, stilts and yutnori.
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