This weekend is a great opportunity to spot namsadang, a traditional group of travelling performers whose activities date back to the Joseon period.
The namsadang tradition was born in Anseong, in Gyeonggi prefecture, south of Seoul. Since 2001, the city has been home to a huge annual festival to keep namsadang performing arts alive. This year’s festival started on 28 September and ends on 2 October. If you dig traditional costumes, dances, unusual musical instruments, or circus skills like tightrope walking, this festival is a must-see.
There’s a livestream on YouTube running while the festival is on.
If you missed the livestream, no worries – YouTube has hours worth of recordings from the main stage.
Of course nothing beats the live shows, so if you’re in Korea this weekend, check the official site which has detailed English pages on what performances are happening when.
