Korean masks have a long tradition in a variety of contexts. They were used in war, on both soldiers and their horses; ceremonially, for burial rites in jade and bronze and for shamanistic ceremonies to drive away evil spirits; and in the arts, particularly in ritual dances, courtly, and theatrical dramas. We call Korean masks tal, and all Korean traditional masked dramas are called Talchum(Tallori). The masks are usually made of wood, paper and gourd. Of the old wooden masks, the Hahoe masks of Andong area were handed down from Goryeo period(11th century) have been collectively designated as national treasures. Through masked-dance dramas, Korean ancestors humorously interpreted their joy and sorrow in life.
