About this festival
Namsadang Nori was the art of Korea's wandering troupes, who performed acrobatics, puppet shows, and mask dramas for ordinary people across Joseon-era Korea. Baeudeokki was a legendary female leader of the 19th-century Anseong troupe. The festival brings this tradition to life over four days (October 3 to 6 in 2026) with full-scale performances of all six Namsadang Nori forms, open workshops for visitors to try acrobatics, and evening concerts. Selected as a Cultural Tourism Festival for the third consecutive cycle, it is one of the most comprehensive folk-performance events in Gyeonggi Province.
Getting there
Take the Gyeonggi Gookje intercity bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Anseong Bus Terminal (about 1 hour 10 minutes). Festival shuttle buses run from Anseong Bus Terminal to Anseong Matchum Land (about 20 minutes). Day tours from Seoul are frequently offered by tour operators during the festival period.
Tips
The performances are visually arresting and fun to watch even without Korean context; a short English summary of each form is available at the information booth. Anseong Matchum Land is a large park with open space for picnicking between performances. Autumn in Anseong is typically clear and cool, ideal outdoor festival conditions.
Dates by year
- confirmed
2026
October 2 – 5, 2026
Source: Korea Tourism Organization (TourAPI). Last verified 2026-05-09.