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| Dancers perform "talchum," a traditional Korean mask dance. Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration |
By Dong Sun-hwa
"Talchum," a traditional Korean mask dance, is highly likely to be included on the list of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The United Nations' culture agency announced on its official website Tuesday that "Talchum, Mask Dance Drama in the Republic of Korea" was recommended to be inscribed on the list during a subpanel meeting of its Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The final decision regarding the addition of talchum is set to be made during the 17th committee meeting, which will take place from Nov. 28 to Dec. 3 in Morocco. Historically speaking, cultural heritage that has been recommended for inscription has rarely failed to make it onto the list.
If talchum gets registered, it will mark Korea's 22nd entry on the UNESCO list. The 21 intangible cultural heritage elements include "pansori," the traditional genre of musical storytelling that was inscribed in 2003; the traditional folk song "arirang" in 2012; and "yeondeunghoe," a lantern lighting festival celebrating Buddha's Birthday, in 2020.
Talchum, a form of comprehensive art that involves singing, dancing and drama, often deals with different social issues through satire and humor. As of today, it has many variations, including Bongsan Talchum, which originated from Hwanghae Province in North Korea. It zeroes in on the frustrations faced by people of the lower classes during the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty.
Korea's Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) submitted talchum for review on UNESCO's list in 2020, saying, "Talchum has consistently inspired the artists of the modern day with its content, format and critical topics."
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