Andong (안동) is where Koreans go to touch the country's older, slower soul. Tucked into the inland hills of Gyeongsang province, it was a stronghold of Confucian, scholarly culture in the Joseon era, and that heritage is still everywhere — in its UNESCO folk village, its old academies, its mask-dance tradition, and food recipes passed down for generations. If Gyeongju is ancient kingdoms and Jeonju is food, Andong is living tradition.
It's an easy KTX ride from Seoul, and a rewarding one. Here's what to see.
The heart of Andong, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hahoe is a 600-year-old village wrapped inside a loop of the Nakdong River — clay-walled thatched cottages and elegant tile-roofed noble houses, all still lived in by descendants of the original clans. Wander the lanes, look across the river to the cliffs, and you're walking through a Joseon-era painting that never stopped being real.
People live here — be respectful of homes and gardens. A shuttle runs from the village entrance.
Andong's other claim to fame is its mask dance — the Hahoe byeolsingut tal-nori, a centuries-old folk drama of satire and ritual, performed in carved wooden masks that are treasures in their own right. You can often catch performances near Hahoe, and every autumn the city throws the Andong International Mask Dance Festival, when troupes from around the world fill the streets. It's the best time to visit if you can.
The festival is usually held in autumn (around late September–October). Dates change yearly, so check the official festival site.
A serene hillside Confucian academy founded in honour of Yi Hwang (Toegye), one of the most revered scholars in Korean history — the face on the 1,000-won note. Set among trees above a river, with simple wooden halls and study rooms, it's a quiet, dignified place that tells you a lot about the values that shaped this region. One of Korea's Seowon academies inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
A little outside town, best reached by car or taxi. Pairs well with a riverside drive.
A long wooden footbridge across the Nakdong River, built in a traditional style and lit beautifully at night, when its lights reflect on the dark water. There's a touching local love story behind it, and an evening stroll across it — especially with the fountain shows in season — is one of Andong's gentlest pleasures. A lovely way to end a day.
Closer to town than the village; especially pretty after dark.
Andong's food is famous nationwide. Andong jjimdak is a big sharing dish of chicken braised in a sweet-savoury soy sauce with vegetables and glass noodles — comfort food at its best. Andong gangodeungeo is salted mackerel, a tradition born from preserving fish carried inland. And Andong soju is a strong, traditional distilled liquor far removed from the green-bottle kind. Try the jjimdak at the city's famous "jjimdak alley."
Jjimdak portions are generous — great for sharing. The old market area is the place to find it.
How to get there & get around
Andong is well connected: the KTX from Seoul to Andong Station takes roughly two hours. The town sights (the bridge, the market, jjimdak alley) are central, but Hahoe village and Dosan Seowon are out of town, so a mix of local buses, taxis or a rental car works best for linking everything.
If Andong is part of a wider trip — it pairs naturally with Gyeongju — a rail pass keeps the train legs simple:
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The Andong International Mask Dance Festival in autumn is the city at its liveliest — performances, parades and food everywhere. Exact dates shift each year, so check the official festival pages before you build a trip around it. Subscribe below for festival timing as the seasons come.
The bottom line
Andong is for travellers who want the deep, quiet, traditional Korea — the one of masks and academies and ancestral homes. Walk Hahoe village, cross the moonlight bridge, share a steaming jjimdak, and if you can, come in autumn for the masks. It's one of the most soulful days out in the country.
Planning more? See my guide to Korea's best small cities, the Gyeongju guide nearby, and grab a T-money card for the buses and trains.