Ganggangsullae was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.
Ganggangsullae is a Korean circle dance traditionally performed by women who hold hands and sing while moving together. It is especially associated with harvest celebrations, including Chuseok, and with parts of southwestern Korea. Performances can include changing formations and improvised movements.
UNESCO’s 2009 inscription recognized Ganggangsullae as both a performing art and a community tradition. Its cultural importance extends beyond choreography: participants transmit songs, movement patterns, social cooperation, and local identity across generations.
The dance is sometimes described simply as a Chuseok performance, but it has also been connected with other seasonal celebrations and historical communal occasions. The UNESCO listing date is 2009, not the year when the modern South Korean national heritage system first recognized it.