Gombaengi Teotta (곰뱅이텄다)

Namsadang Nori is a traditional Korean performing art that has been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Most of the members were men, and the dances and acrobatics with humor and satire brought laughter and emotion to the common people of the Joseon Dynasty. Currently, the troupe performs every weekend at the Namsadang Performance Site in Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do. The reason why the Namsadang Performance Site is located in Anseong is related to Baudeogi, a legendary figure of the Namsadang troupe that existed in the Joseon Dynasty. Baudeogi was a 15-year-old girl who rose to become the head of the majority-male group, which is a remarkable feat in itself. Gombaengi Teotta is a Namsadang Nori featuring Baudeogi as the principal figure. Baudeogi and the Namsadang troupe of Anseong performed at the Gyeongbokgung Palace reconstruction to boost the morale of the workers, and the performance was a resounding success. In recognition of this accomplishment, Heungseon Daewongun* presented Baudeogi with okwanja, a symbol of high office, and the performance is based on this story. It is composed of six chapters, including deolmi (puppet show), pungmulnori, beona (plate spinning), salpan (ttangjaeju*), eoreum (tightrope walking), and deotboegi (mask play), presenting a variety of traditional arts. *Heungseon Daewongun: The biological father of King Gojong *Ttangjaeju (ground acrobatics): A traditional performance in which a performer shows various skills using his or her body to the music, accompanied by a clown.