In the Joseon Dynasty, Toegyewon used to be a commercial city, serving as one of the transportation hubs to Hanyang, the old name for Seoul. Toegyewon Sandae Nori is a mask performance that presents apostate monks, declined yangban, servants, old men, old women, concubines, troops of traveling actors, and so on, to expose and satirize the foibles of society. It also portrays the fun and pain of life as well as sensuality.