Funeral Procession - Goseong Ogwandae

At the end of the Goseong Ogwandae, a funeral procession occurs. The coffin of the wife is being carried out, accompanied by percussionists and some chanters.

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Gosung Ogwangdae - Scene 5

Second wife and husband at the ceremonial table. Note the downward gaze of the woman.

The fifth scene of the Gosung Ogwandae is also known as the Dance of Jaemilju, the Concubine. The wife searches to find her husband, only to discover that he has mistress. 

Concubine and husband dancing

Halmi, spinning.

The mistress delivers a baby in a rather quick birth. She regain consciousness, only to discover that the older wife has the baby in her arms. In a bit of tug-of-war with the baby son, the two jealous women end up dropping the baby, which dies. I found it interesting that the baby was very primitive looking - like a stiff, simple doll.

Descriptors from some websites then describe the concubine as attacking the wife, with the wife falling and also dying. The fifth scene is a satire of the relationship between a wife and a concubine.

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Goseong Ogwandae - Scene Four: Monk's Dance

The fourth scene of the Goseong Ogwandae masked dance focuses on on an old monk who had led an ascetic life at a Buddhist monastery in the mountains. When he sees a barmaid who begins flirting, the monk loses self-control and begins to seduce her.  

While the mockery of the yangban noblemen was rather severe in the Goseong Ogwandae play, the satire towards the monk was more mild, due to the stronger prominence of Buddhism in the originating region.

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Goseong Ogwangdae - Scene Three: Bibi Dance

My favorite scene of the Goseong Ogwandae is also known as the Bibi Masked Dance. In it, Bibi, a rather playful creature who loves to eat anything, taunts the noblemen. Bibi loves to leap at and jump from behind, scaring the wealthy scholar. In between, Bibi stops to play with and wag his tail between his legs.

I did not see the character Bibi appear in the masked dance at Andong.

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Goseong Ogwangdae - Scene Two

In the second scene of the Goseong Ogwandae masked dance, Malttugi (servant) enters on stage, dancing with the noblemen and poking fun at them.

The Hahoe masked performance also featured a yangban aristocratic nobleman.

Yangban aristrocratic mask from Andong

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Goseong Ogwangdae Masked Dance

When it was still warm out, I attended a free masked performance in downtown Seoul. Having already attended a Hahoe mask performance down in Andong, I had some idea of the basic structure of Korean masked dances. A brochure was provided, but unfortunately was only in Korean and Japanese. I would have to be a careful observer to try and figure things out. As in the Hahoe mask performance, the Goseong Ogwandae (from the southern coast of Korea) masked dance is broken up into distinct scenes - five in total. Ogwandae indicates that five clowns appear in the play. Like the Hahoe mask performance, Goseong Ogwandae is rather satirical and pokes fun at certain people in society. Goseong indicates the region of Korea where it originated, located by the southern coast. Originally, the Goseong Ogwandae was performed on the first lunar month of the year, but later it was danced in the spring and summer.  

Unlike the masks of the Hahoe in Andong which were constructed out of wood, these masks were papier mâché. The Goseong masks appeared to me to be less refined and simpler.

The first scene is known as the Mundung clown dance, so named as the noble descendant the was suffering from mundung disease (leoprosy). Both angry and sad for not being able to succeed in life, the nobleman complains that his disease is the result of his ancestors' sins.

Read more about the Goseong Ogwandae and other masked dances of Korea at http://www.mask.kr/coding/english/sub08.asp

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Can't Forget the Cow

Although not one of the masked Hahoe performers in Andong, I believe that the cow deserves some attention as well. This character in the performance (actually made possible by two performers) is quite straightforward. It meanders about near the beginning of the performance, even stops to take a bathroom break, and unfortunately succumbs to the knife of the butcher. 

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Kaksi Mask, Korea

The final Hahoe mask I will write about is Kaksi (or Gaksi). She represents a young newly-married woman. Still a common practice in Korea, she lives with her in-laws, where she must be humble, discreet, and non-judgmental towards her new family. The only masked Hahoe figure to have firmly closed lips, this connotes her need for endurance during those first challenging years of marriage. With slightly downcast eyes and gentle twisted hair, she walks with light, but unwavering steps. Kaksi is the only Hahoe mask to be portrayed in a more heroic, non-hypocritical manner.
Read more about Kaksi and other Hahoe masks at the Hahoe Mask Museum website.

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Sonbi Mask, Korea

Another one of the traditional Hahoe masks from Korea is Sonbi (or Seonbi). A scholar of noble heritage, the stern looking Sonbi is seen in the performance squabbling with the aristocratic Yongban over which had the higher status. Its bulging eyes indicate excessive reading, and the high checkbones and hollow upper lids connote someone who is so absorbed in his studies he couldn't look after his household. Hollow cheekbones are typical of other masked figures who have hardship, but Sonbi's are somewhat intentional and self-inflicted due to his complex thoughts. Overall, his look is one of personal dissatisfaction. In the play, Sonbi competes with Yonban over wooing the woman Pune.

Read more about Sonbi and other Hahoe Masks at the Hahoe Mask Museum website.

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Choraengi Mask, Korea

Yet another one of the twelve original Hahoe masks is Choraengi. A servant of the aristocratic Yongban, Choraengi is haughty and disrespectful towards his master. Its protruding brow is symbolic of one who is obstinate, and its short wrinkled nose is indicative of one who is unable to accumulate property and is quick-tempered. Choraengi also has hollow-looking cheeks (much like Halmi the old woman and Sonbi), indicating a life of hardship.
Read more about Choraengi at the Hahoe Mask Museum website.

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Paekchong Mask, Korea

Paekchong (or Baekchong) is the butcher in the Hahoe mask performance. Like other societies, its meat-handling profession put it in lowest class in Korean society. Its facial features including pointed eyes, furrowed wrinkled brow, protruding lip, cheek lines, and an overall rough look connotes a certain amount of wickedness and ruthlessness. Like the Chung (monk) mask, the character has a small lump on its forehead, connoting gloom. However, Paekchong does feel guilt for the taking of life. In the play I saw, Paekchong battled with the cow, killed it, promptly butchered it and removed the heart and testicles, which he first offered to the audience and then sold to the Yangban character.

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Imae Mask, Korea

Imae, a servant of the aristocratic character Seonbi, is depicted as the village idiot or fool. Good natured (symbolized by drooping eyes), Imae bears the brunt of his master's temper. Just as Imae's nose is crooked, other parts of his body are deformed, including a limp arm and twisted leg. Although Imae's disabilities were much more pronounced, other Korean masked characters also include illnesses and deformities. Unlike many of the Hahoe masks, Imae is missing a lower jaw. According to legend, the original mask maker Ho died while making the Imae mask, leaving it incomplete.
Read more about Imae and other masks on the Hahoe Mask Museum website.

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Chung Monk Mask, Korea

The Chung (or Jung) mask represents a monk who has wandered and transgressed. Without financial status and likely no children, the apostate character also has a lump on his forehead, often associated with gloom. However, when he saw Pune (she was urinating), he became turned on and later on even abducts her. With his wide, scrunched nose, squinty eyes, and wrinkled forehead, Chung is depicted as being sly, lewd, and lustful. Even his jerky steps connote deceitfulness and cunning behavior.
Read more about Chung mask on the Hahoe Museum website.

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Pune Mask, Korea

The Pune (or Bune) Hahoe mask from Korea is historically seen as a widow. With a gentle smile hinted at by the mouth and eyes, as well as crescent-shaped eyebrows and a thin high nose, the Pune depicts classical beauty according to traditional Korean standards. She is usually seen in performances with the Yongban and/or Sonbi, who boast of their high status and education in order to seduce her. Through actions and gestures (the character never speaks), Pune is somewhat flirtatious.
Read more about Pune on the Hahoe Mask Museum website.

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Yangban Mask, Korea

Prompted by a request from a friend about Korean masks, I decided to devote the next few blog posts on the topic. Featured here is the Yangban mask. This masked figure represents the aristocratic class during the Joseon Dynasty. With its happy, gentle expression, this wooden mask with a hinged jaw is perhaps the most popular of the Hahoe style masks.  When watching the Hahoe mask performance at Andong, the masked actor seemed to portray a slightly haughty disposition. The depiction of the aristocrat connoted in a somewhat mocking way that this higher class should be a bit more humble and approachable. Read more about the Yangban and other Hahoe masks at the Guide to the Hahoe Masks and the more academic writing from the Hahoe Museum.

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