The river bend
Water wrapped round the village.
Bernard Gagnon — CC0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC0
A Joseon-era clan village in a wide bend of the Nakdong River, which wraps around it in an S-shape and gives it its name: ha for river and hoe for turning. It was founded by the Ryu family between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and their descendants still live here. Together with Yangdong it has been on UNESCO's World Heritage list since 2010, and it receives about a million visitors a year. The village has about 120 houses, the tiled homes of the nobility and the thatched homes of commoners, spread among earth lanes, fields and old trees. Among the best known are Yangjindang and Chunghyodang, the house of Ryu Seong-ryong, chief minister during the war of 1592. Hahoe is famous for its carved wooden masks, National Treasures, and for its folk mask dance, which pokes fun at nobles and monks with good humour and is performed in the village regularly. Across the river rises the tall cliff of Buyongdae, which gives the finest view over the village and the water. People live here, so respect the closed houses. Byeongsan Confucian Academy is close by, so the two make one day.
Water wrapped round the village.
A satirical folk show.
The best view of the village.
Pungcheon, about 25 km west of central Andong, by local bus or taxi
About 25 km west of the centre: around 50 minutes by bus or half an hour by taxi.