Folk dances, including the farmers' dance, shaman dance and monk dance, became popular in the later days of Joseon, along with the mask dance known as sandaenori and puppet dance.

Mask dance, which combined dance with song and narrative, included shamanistic elements and thus greatly appealed to the grassroots. The performance was often accented by satirical passages that mocked the nobility, which the commoner audiences enjoyed all the more.

As for traditional dances, Confucian and Buddhist influences were very prominent. Confucian influence was often repressive, while Buddhism allowed a more tolerant attitude as shown in the beautiful court dances and many shaman dances for the dead.

A large number of traditional dances withered away during Japan's colonial rule, as well as the rapid industrialization and urbanization of Korea in the 1960s and 1970s. It was in the 1980s that people began to think about reviving these long-forgotten dances. Of the 56 original court dances, only a few are well-known today.

They include Cheoyongmu (the Mask Dance) of Silla, Hakchum (the Crane Dance) of Goryeo, and Chunaengjeon (Nightingale-singing-in-the-spring Dance) of Joseon. All of these dances have been designated as "Intangible Cultural Properties" by the government for their perpetuation while professional performers have been granted the titles of "Human Cultural Properties," the highest honor awarded to masters of traditional arts and crafts.

The development of modern dance in Korea was due largely to such pioneers as Jo Taek-won and Choe Seung-hui who were active during the Japanese colonial period. Following liberation, the Seoul Ballet Company was founded in 1950 to become the first organization that staged performances of ballet and modern dance.

To preserve and further develop traditional Korean music and performing arts, the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts was established in 1951. The government established the Korean National University of Arts in 1993 to offer world class education in the arts and to cultivate professional artists. The University has six schools - Music, Drama, Dance, Visual Arts, Film & Multimedia and Korean Traditional Arts. The Schools of Music and Dance are located in Seocho-dong, while the others are in Seokgwan-dong.