Among mask dances that were practiced in Hwanghaedo area, Gangryung Mask Dance is Haeju-type mask dance that represents the coastal regions such as Haeju, Ongjn, and Gangryung. On the other hand, Bongsan Mask Dance represents the flat regions such as Hwangju, Seoheung, and Bongsan. Just like Bongsan Mask Dance, Gangryung Mask Dance that represents Haeju-type among the mask dances of Hwanghaedo, was widely practiced in the early 20th century which is about about 80~90 years ago. It is known as deeply related to Haeju.
During that time, Gangryung was a small town with about 300 households 80ri southwest of Haeju. With the Japanese occupation during the end of Chosun Dynasty, the dancers of Haejugamyoung (place where governor of Hwanghaedo worked) and other mask dancers were dispersed. As the result of the dispersal, some of the dancers gathered together in Gangryung. The clowns residing in a talent village near Gangryung supported the dancers, thus contributing to the development of mask dance.
Unlike Bongsan,which had a convenient transport route and had many flat and industrial areas nearby, Gangryung did not influence the dance of other regions because it did not promote the dance through gatherings and demonstrations. While performing the annual May Dano event of local people, Gangryung Mask Dance was first introduced to Seoul on October 1939 in order to advance to the central stage as it was performed at Gyeongsung Bumingwan (located at Taepyeongro: equivalent to Sejong Art Hall). Through its newspaper issues on October 13th (Number 65197) and 14th (65200) of 1939, Donga Daily Newspaper commented, that Bangsan should yield to Gangryung in terms of acting and dancing while Gangryung should yield to Bongsan in terms of talking.
Although Gangryung Mask Dance flourished in local events, it was stopped due to the Japanese invasion. When the nation became free on August 15, 1945, 4 myuns' public peace keepers in Ongjingun worked to revive the mask dance that was stopped due to the Japanese occupation. The mask dance was performed at the foundation ceremony of the government of Republic of Korea in 1948, but it was stopped again due to Korean Civil War after the last Dano performance held on the 20th and 21st of June 1950.
The mask dance was later restored when Lee Du Hyun, a member of cultural assets, visited Oh In Gwan, who had participated in mask dance in Gangryung. The Gangryung Mask Dance was finally restored in 1969. In July 1970, it was designated as the intangible cultural assets number 34 and it went through many supplementations until the present day.
* Gangryung was included in Ongjingun Gyeonggido Korea because it was below the 38th parallel line prior to the Korean Civil War.