Ogwangdae refers to mask dance in the southern part of the country, and it is widely believed that the name Ogwangdae comes from Ohaengseol. This game is played on the night of the fifteenth of lunar January, during which the ritual of Cheollongje was held on the first day of the first lunar month, and then the jisinbapgi was performed.

The origin of Gasan Ogwangdae was that a box adrift on the beach of Gasan 100 years ago, and when residents opened it, it contained documents containing the lines of mask and play, and the mask was stored in the ark and used only for play.

Gasan Ogwangdae Nori consists of six madangs of Obangsinjangmu, Yeongno Dance, Mundung Dance, Yangban Dance, Halmi Dance, and Yeonggam Dance, reflecting the life of the people, satire about yangban and pagyeseung, and the problems of wife and concubine.

The characters include a total of 30 characters, including General Obang, Yeongno, Yangban, small yangban, Maltuki, Mundoong, Oldjang, Sangjwa, Seoul Baby, Somu, Halmi, Madangso, Yeonggam, Ongsaengwon, and Mudang.

Gasan Ogwangdae is the only Ogwangdae in the country where the dance of Obangsinjangmu remains, and the only Ogwangdae where inspiration dies, not Halmi.

In addition, one or two other Ogwangdae characters, but in Gasan Ogwangdae, five people come out to dance and play Jangtaryeong and Tujeon.

Talchum (mask dance) was performed across the country up to the early Joseon Period (1392 – 1910). Gangnyeong Talchum (Mask Dance Drama of Gangneung) is a type of Sandae Dogamgeuk, which was performed at the Royal Palace. After the mask dance drama came to be no longer performed there by 1634 (the 12th year of King Injo’s reign), it was still enjoyed as a pastime by ordinary people.

The Mask Dance Drama of Gangnyeong is performed on Dano (May 5 on the lunar calendar) in Gangnyeong-eup, Hwanghaenam-do, and dates perhaps from the late Joseon Period.

The event is composed of seven acts, Lion Dance, Malttugi Dance, Mokjung Dance, Sangjwa Dance, Dance of the Nobleman and Malttugi, Dance of Chwibari and the Old Monk, and Dance of the Old Couple.

Prior to the performance, the 20 members of the troupe march, playing music to entertain spectators along the road. The play includes satire about such issues as nobles harassing commoners, depraved monks, and male chauvinism as shown in the custom of allowing a man to take plural wives.

Dance movements are slow. The main dance is Jangsamchum (Long Sleeve Dance). The rhythms used are dodeuri, taryeong, and jajin gutgeori. Thirty-plus types of narration are used, each of them using its unique rhythm.

The parts concerning three brothers of a noble family talking about the essentials of the noble class or calling Malttugi, or Malttugi’s gag are similar to those of Ogwangdae (Mask Dance Drama) of Gyeongnam-do. The scene of an old female clown turning a spinning wheel is similar to that of Ogwangdae of Gasan. These similarities have a very important significance in the handing-down of mask dance in the country.

Performers wearing masks displaying realistic facial expressions and engaging in elegant and slow dancing movements are features of Gangnyeong Talchum, which distinguish it from Bongsan Talchum, another kind of mask dance performed in Hwanghae-do.