Analytical Psychological Meaning of Masks in the Hahoe Pyolshin Gut Tal (Mask) Play Dance in Korea

In this paper, the psychological meaning of the masks (tals) used as symbols in Hahoe Pyoshin Gut Tal mask play dance, which originated in the Andong region in Korea, is explored and analyzed. The dance has been handed down to the present from 800 years ago, and it has received the UNESCO World Heritage designation. The tals (masks) represent problems in Korea. Moreover, they also depict psychological aspects, which are not lived out, to achieve the wholeness of the psyche through their expression in the tals. The mask play dance of the Andong region in Korea, called the Hahoe Pyolshin Gut Tal mask play dance, shares similarities with those in other cultural regions in the world.