Dano Jojeonje (Morning Ritual) is held every morning at 10:00 AM from May 4th to May 8th of the lunar calendar, when the Danoje Festival takes place, at the Dano altar. As the Danoje Festival is a ritual to pray for a bountiful harvest and peace throughout the Gangneung and Yeongdong regions, the heads of organizations and institutions in Gangneung serve as heongwan (ritual officials) to perform the sacrificial rites. Confucian-style ancestral rituals are male-centric rituals, mainly performed with men taking an interest in praying for the well-being of the entire local community and the prosperity of their livelihoods.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.


Before the Gangneung Danogut begins in earnest, this is a ritual to purify the gutdang (ritual hall) and dispel impurities. It is a ritual to purify the gutdang prior to performing the gut. To ensure that Guksa Seonghwangshin and various other deities can comfortably seat themselves in the ritual hall, the munyeo (female shaman) sings a bujeongmuga (song to dispel impurities), dances holding a shinkal (shamanic knife), and cleanses the impurities that followed from here and there using water and fire.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.


Guksa Seonghwangshin and Yeoguksa Seonghwangshin are separated between Daegwallyeong Pass and downtown Gangneung, but they meet once a year when the Danoje Festival arrives. All deities, including the Guksa Seonghwangshin couple, participate in the Danogut. Hwahoe Dongchamgut (Ritual of Harmony and Joint Participation) is performed with the meaning that all the divine characters seating themselves at the altar should accept the gut well without any conflict until the Danogut concludes. This gut is interpreted not only as a ritual solely for the deities, but also as a way to help resolve conflicts and grudges among people to foster harmony.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.

Josanggut is a gut (shamanic ritual) that serves the ancestors of families. First, after serving the Seonghwangshin (Guardian Deity), who is the object of collective faith, the ritual is performed by inviting the ancestors who serve as the objects of individual faith for each family. In Josanggut, they serve the Gakseongbaji and Yukseongbaji ancestors, which refers to the ancestors of all people participating in the gut. It is a gut that releases the grudges (han) of the ancestral deities and chants Buddhist prayers (yeombul) to pray for their peace in the afterlife.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.

Sejongut is also called "Sijungut," or "Danggeumaegigut" after the name of the female protagonist. It is a gut (shamanic ritual) that recites a shamanic myth about the birth of triplet sons through the union of Sejon, the deity overseeing production (childbirth), and Danggeumaegi. In Sejongut, which is recited as a narrative shamanic song (seosamuga), a janggu player (janggujaebi) and a female shaman (munyeo) usually recite the long shamanic song just by themselves.

The content of Sejongut is a story where, while her parents are away from home, Danggeumaegi forms a bond with Sijun, a Buddhist monk, and becomes pregnant. She is then expelled from her home, gives birth to and raises three sons by herself, and goes to find her husband with the sons. Sijun grants divine positions (shinjik) to the three sons and Danggeumaegi, so Danggeumaegi becomes Samsin (the Goddess of Childbirth), and the three sons also become deities overseeing production.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.

Jungjaebigut is a gutnori (shamanic ritual play) performed at the end of Sejongut, and is a kind of skit performed by the musicians who lead the gut. Jungjaebigut evokes laughter through the witty remarks (jaedam) and humorous movements of the nammu (male shamans). It is a gut that prays for thieves to disappear from the village and wishes for peace and well-being.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.

Sanshingut is a gut (shamanic ritual) that invites the mountain deities of various famous mountains and serves the mountain deity of Daegwallyeong Pass, without any special shamanic song (muga). Considering that the main deity of the Gangneung Danoje Festival is the Mountain Deity, Sanshingut is one of the important gutgeori (ritual procedures) in the Gangneung Danogut. It is a gut that serves various mountain deities and prays for the peace of households and the prosperity of descendants.

Gangneung Danogut is the core traditional ritual of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a Daedonggut-style (grand communal ritual) gut that serves Guksa Seonghwangshin (the Guardian Deity of Daegwallyeong Pass) and invites various other deities.

The ritual begins with the Shinju Bitgi (brewing the sacred liquor) on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month, and the sacred tree of Daegwallyeong is escorted on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month. Then, through the Yeongsin Haengcha (Welcoming the Deities Procession) on the 3rd day of the 5th lunar month, the sacred tree is enshrined at the Namdaecheon Stream Gutdang (ritual hall), after which various gut rituals are performed continuously from morning till evening until the day Dano ends.

A key feature of Gangneung Danogut is that it is performed by seseubmu (hereditary shamans) who have inherited the shamanic profession through generations within their families. Unlike those who undergo spiritual possession, these hereditary shamans are professional shamanic priests who perform rituals based on the shamanic knowledge and skills passed down to them since childhood by parents, siblings, or relatives, possessing outstanding artistic talent.

In Gangneung Danogut, about 20 gutgeori (ritual procedures) are performed, serving a wide variety of deities. These include the main deities—Guksa Seonghwangshin and Guksa Yeoseonghwangshin (the Female Guardian Deity)—as well as the Mountain Deity, the deity overseeing childbirth and production, the deity granting longevity, the deities protecting the village and household, the deity granting wealth, and the deity warding off diseases. To truly witness and understand the meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, one must see the Danogut.

Chukwongut is a gut (shamanic ritual) that offers prayers and blessings for the audience participating in the gut. It prays for the comfort and peace of households, the well-being of descendants, and abundance. When the Chukwongut is performed, one can see many elderly residents of Gangneung coming forward to burn sacred paper (soji) and make their wishes.

[Ako Entertainment] is a multinational art project team that creates a new performance language by combining traditional Korean music and Eurasian world music, centered around the accordion. Composed of Alexander Sheykin, an accordion maestro from Russia, Nilufar Muhidinova, a violinist from Uzbekistan, and Park Seong-wan, an accordionist and folk-pop vocalist, this core trio of three reconstructs music originating from different cultural backgrounds on a single stage, establishing a unique sound that connects Eurasia, Central Asia, and Korea.

<Dano (Grand Communal) Daedong Nanjang> is a performance with the concept of "The Path of Sound Flowing Along the Silk Road, Meeting as One at Gangneung Dano," consisting of three acts: Act 1: The Wind of the Continent - Eurasia, Act 2: The Center of Exchange - Silk Road, and Act 3: The Peak of Harmony - K-Pungryu. Music that flowed along the Silk Road and Korean tradition are connected as one, presenting a 'Daedong Nanjang' (Grand Communal Festival) that all generations can enjoy together through an interactive stage that breathes closely with the audience without any distance.

[Korean Music Ensemble SOAK] is a traditional instrument-based acoustic ensemble founded in Daegu in 2018. Just like its name meaning "small house (小屋)," the group continues to pursue its music while aiming for a cozy and deeply permeating resonance.

The five performers gather their differing breaths and textures to create a single landscape, within which tradition and the present, sound and memory, and space and emotion are naturally connected. While keeping the inherent resonance of traditional instruments at the center, they overlay today's sensibilities onto the texture of ancient sounds, capturing a familiar yet unfamiliar emotion. The sound created in this process possesses a delicate and sensuous texture like a sophisticated painting, quietly permeating the sensibility of contemporary audiences.

SOAK’s music touches upon painting momentary landscapes and evoking long-lasting memories and nostalgia. In each performance, they carefully read the air and stories of the space, shaping a time that can only flow in that very place into music. Through music that slowly saturates people and spaces, SOAK continues to write today's stories in their own unique way.

It is a stage where you can encounter colorful folk performances from various countries around the world in one place. Through each country's unique traditional dance and music, you can enjoy the Gangneung Danoje Festival as a global cultural festival.

[Dano Puppet Theater Troupe] is a professional puppet theater troupe affiliated with the Gangneung Danoje Festival Preservation Association, created for various creative performances utilizing the original contents of the Gangneung Danoje Festival. Since 2009, they have been presenting the Gwanno Gamengeuk (Gwanno Mask Dance Drama) as a puppet show so that people of all ages can enjoy it easily and playfully.

is a work newly recreated into a spoken (yueon) puppet show by adding humorous and witty dialogue to the Gangneung Danoje "Gwanno Gamengeuk," which is the only traditional silent (mueon) mask dance drama in Korea centered on dance and movements without any dialogue.

With dialogue included, it is a performance that is easy to understand, allowing people of all ages to enjoy the Gwanno Gamengeuk easily and playfully; puppeteers who control string puppets, a byeonsa (narrator), and musicians decorate the stage together. also strictly follows the structure of the Gwanno Gamengeuk in terms of its characters and plot development.

It is a talnori (mask dance-drama) performed during the "Gangneung Danoje Festival," which is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. As a mask dance-drama performed by gwanno (slaves belonging to government offices during the Joseon Dynasty), it conveyed stories through humor and satire despite status restrictions. It is the only silent traditional mask dance-drama in Korea, expressed solely through dance and gestures without any dialogue.

The main characters include Yangban-gwangdae (the aristocrat clown), Somae-gaksi (the young woman), two Shishitakttaki (the troublemakers), and two Jangjamari (the fertility/cleansing characters), along with musicians who lead the mask dance-drama. It consists of a total of five gwajang (acts): the first act begins with Jangjamari appearing to heighten the excitement of the performance; the second act features the romance between Yangban-gwangdae and Somae-gaksi; the third act shows Shishitakttaki interfering with the two; and the fourth act stirs up a major commotion with Somae-gaksi’s suicide scare. Finally, the fifth act is a scene of reconciliation between Yangban-gwangdae and Somae-gaksi, ending with all characters and even the audience coming together to dance and harmonize.

In Gangneung-si, various organizations learn and pass down the tradition of Gwanno Gamyeon-geuk, and a stage is set up every year at the Danoje Festival for them to show off their skills. In Gangneung, there are also teams learning and staging Gwanno Gamyeon-geuk at several Buddhist temples. Let's enjoy the Gwanno Gamyeon-geuk performance by Gwaneumsa Temple, which unfolds at the Gangneung Danoje Festival.

[Bupyeong-gu Folk Music Association] is a performance group that has continued its legacy alongside the 1st Bupyeong Pungmul Festival in 1997, representing the 22 dong (neighborhoods) of Bupyeong-gu. It has established itself as a representative regional pungmul (traditional folk music) group working to preserve traditional culture and create a specialized pungmul culture.

[Bupyeong-gu Folk Music Association] is also the main host of the "Bupyeong Pungmul Festival," which engages in cultural exchanges with the Gangneung Danoje Festival Committee. Its key feature is the composition of the "Bupyeong Daedong Pangut," which combines dansimjul-nori (a traditional ribbon-weaving dance) that builds a community culture based on the pangut (ritual ritual dance and music) of the Gyeonggi and Chungcheong Ut-dari Nongak (farmers' music) lineage. The "Bupyeong Pungmul Festival" is a historic festival celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. As an urban festival held on Bupyeong-daero, it is a representative pungmul festival in Korea where you can encounter all forms of pungmul and traditional games from across the country. The Daedong Pangut performed by the Bupyeong-gu Folk Music Association, who shapes this festival together, will serve as a stage that expresses a grand communal harmony (daedong) unlike any other pungmul pangut.

The performance to be showcased this time is the <Five-Color (Osaekjul-nori Performance Performance) Ribbon>, which symbolizes regional unity and harmony. It is a work that newly adapts a traditional folk game—where five different colored cloths are tied to a dansimbong (center pole) and hung down long while playing instruments—into Bupyeong's unique five-color ribbon performance, allowing everyone to joyfully enjoy it together.

[SUNYO Band] is a team that creates straightforward and energetic music based on a solid band sound. They are building their own independent sound by adding their unique colors on top of a traditional band lineup centered on guitar, bass, and drums. Through lyrics that honestly unfold everyday stories and emotions, they pursue both popularity and authenticity at the same time. Rather than flamboyant techniques, they focus on the message and delivery, aiming for music that anyone can relate to.

Their performance at the Gangneung Danoje Festival is themed Heung (興, Joyful Excitement) Awakening Dano. It reinterprets the essence of Dano—prayers for a bountiful harvest, warding off evil spirits, and community harmony—through music and movement, expressing the process in which traditional energy comes back to life in the modern era.

The performance is structured so that audiences can simultaneously experience a powerful sound and an immersive flow through various stages featuring [SUNYO Band]'s unique original songs and fusion traditional music. Prepared so that the entire performance feels like a single story, it fills the space with the power of the music itself without excessive staging, allowing the audience to truly enjoy the fun of a live show breathing together with them. Let's dive into the most vivid music of SUNYO.

"May the sounds of the metal drums and gongs ring out, and may everything unfold in pure joy and delight!"

Daacheondong Geolgong refers to a nolpangut (a festival play ritual) that prays for the well-being and peace of the village community. It brings together Jeju’s ritual instruments (yeonmul) and diverse masked/costumed characters (japsaek, such as simbang [shaman], gudae-jinsa, gkwong-bachi, etc.) to unwrap the playful ritual (norigut) of Jeju’s gut ceremonies into a humorous street drama.

Originally, Geolgong referred to a pungmulgut (traditional percussion ritual) performed in Jeju from the first to the second month of the lunar calendar for the well-being of the villagers. Believed to have originated from terms like geolgong, geollip, and gwolgong, Geolgong was initially a shamanic ritual that started as a street gut, where a simbang (shaman) would play shamanic instruments while touring the village during a danggut (shrine ritual). The japsaek characters that performed in Jeju's Geolgong were infused with the unique regional characteristics of the Jeju area.

Influenced by agricultural mock plays that turned Jeju's labor scenes and lifestyles into play, as well as the gutnori (ritual plays) found in shamanism, it is characterized by a strong theatrical aspect, such as performing rituals to ward off evil spirits.

This performance was organized as a mutual invitation performance between the Jeju Tamna Cultural Festival and the Gangneung Danoje Festival. Through this mutual exchange, it aims to form a friendly relationship and promote cultural and artistic exchange between the two regions.

It is a talnori (mask dance-drama) performed during the "Gangneung Danoje Festival," which is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. As a mask dance-drama performed by gwanno (slaves belonging to government offices during the Joseon Dynasty), it conveyed stories through humor and satire despite status restrictions. It is the only silent traditional mask dance-drama in Korea, expressed solely through dance and gestures without any dialogue.

The main characters include Yangban-gwangdae (the aristocrat clown), Somae-gaksi (the young woman), two Shishitakttaki (the troublemakers), and two Jangjamari (the fertility/cleansing characters), along with musicians who lead the mask dance-drama. It consists of a total of five gwajang (acts): the first act begins with Jangjamari appearing to heighten the excitement of the performance; the second act features the romance between Yangban-gwangdae and Somae-gaksi; the third act shows Shishitakttaki interfering with the two; and the fourth act stirs up a major commotion with Somae-gaksi’s suicide scare. Finally, the fifth act is a scene of reconciliation between Yangban-gwangdae and Somae-gaksi, ending with all characters and even the audience coming together to dance and harmonize.

In Gangneung-si, various organizations learn and pass down the tradition of Gwanno Gamyeon-geuk, and a stage is set up every year at the Danoje Festival for them to show off their skills. The Gwanno Gamyeon-geuk by the Gangneung Danoje Preservation Association is the performance closest to the most authentic form, and it can be said to be a stage that represents the history and tradition of the Danoje Festival.

[Gangneung Branch of Korean Traditional Dance Association] is a regional cultural arts organization established for the succession and development of our traditional dance. Its purpose is to widely promote the artistic value and identity of traditional dance to the local community and continue preservation activities.

They conduct traditional dance performances, participate in regional festivals and cultural events, provide traditional dance education, nurture talented individuals, and carry out preservation, research, and succession activities for traditional dance.

Korean traditional dance is the matrix and origin of national art that was born and has continuously developed along with the history of the Korean nation. It is our history, philosophy, and ideology that has contained the soul and thoughts of the Korean people.

Because traditional dance professionals living today have an obligation to expand their roles for the continuous succession and infinite development of national dance art, they founded the Korean Traditional Dance Association in 2012.

At this Gangneung Danoje Festival, you can encounter a variety of Korean traditional dance movements, including 'Janggochum' (hourglass drum dance), 'Taepyeongmu' (dance of great peace), 'Hwaraengi' (shaman's dance), and 'Ipchum' (impromptu dance).

Haksan Village, harboring a thousand-year history of the Gulsansa Temple Site in the south of Gangneung, is a prosperous and sacred ground, so much so that the saying "Living, one wishes to reside in Mosan and Haksan (生居茅鶴山)" has been passed down. This place is a historical and cultural village that is both the sacred birthplace of State Preceptor Beomil, the main deity of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, and the precious keeper of Gangneung Haksan Odokttegi, our nation’s noble labor song.

'Odokttegi' is a farming song embedded with the pungryu (refined arts) of Silla's Hwarang and a philosophy of mutual coexistence in cultivating noble fields. Its historical value is so high that King Sejo of the Joseon Dynasty admired its skill and had them accompany the royal procession with the courtesies of court musicians. This sound, which sublimated arduous agricultural labor into art, goes beyond a mere song to symbolize the persistent vitality and community spirit of the Gangneung people.

Gangneung Haksan Odokttegi Preservation Society reproduces the entire one-year process of farming labor from rice planting to threshing based on the tradition passed down through generations, reviving the resonance of a thousand years ago into today's shinmyeong (joyful excitement).

At the Gangneung Danoje Festival performance, you can personally experience the essence of 'Odokttegi' imbued with the scent of the soil from the Haksan fields—stretching from the vivid 'Paraesori' (weeding song) to the cheerful 'Jajinarari' (fast-paced Arirang), and the lighthearted joy of 'Madaengisori' (threshing song).

Gangneung Sacheon Hapyeong Dapgyo Nori is a representative folk game of agricultural culture created within the natural environment. It is a game performed in Hapyeong Village, Sacheon-myeon, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, where people walk on a bridge (dari-bapgi) on Jomsangnal to pray for unity and a bountiful harvest.

In the early evening of Jomsangnal (Jomsaenginal) on the sixth day of the second lunar month, when a crescent moon rises in the western sky, a cluster of stars (Jomsang-byeol) is visible behind the moon. It is a game that divines the harvest or crop failure of the year's farming by looking at the distance between the moon and Jomsang-byeol, viewing the crescent moon as the 'mother' and Jomsang-byeol as the 'child.' It is said that if the gap between Jomsang-byeol and the moon is wide, a bountiful harvest will enter, and if the gap between Jomsang-byeol and the moon is narrow, a crop failure will enter. The reasoning is that if there is a bountiful harvest and plenty to eat, the child walks away from the mother, whereas in a bad harvest year, the child is hungry and follows close to the mother.

In addition, people walk across the bridge while chanting the lead and refrain verses, "Ah-tta, this bridge was built well, let's cross smoothly and briskly." It is said that if you walk across the bridge on Jomsangnal, illnesses disappear and you avoid misfortunes for all twelve months. Sacheon Hapyeong Dapgyo Nori, the only Jomsangnal folk game passed down in the entire country, has been transmitted centering around the [Sacheon Hapyeong Dapgyo Nori Preservation Association] as a Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Intangible Cultural Heritage. Recognizing its value nationwide, including winning the Presidential Award at the 42nd National Folk Arts Festival in 2001, it is promoting the unique cultural tradition of the Gangneung region.