Gyeongbokgung Hosts Immersive Historical Experience

Royal Culture Comes Alive This Spring — Explore Seoul’s Five Palaces with Gyeongbokgung Through Heritage and Music

The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Cultural Heritage Promotion Institute will host the 2025 Spring Royal Culture Festival from April 26 to May 4, for nine days across Seoul’s five major palaces—Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, and Gyeonghuigung—as well as Jongmyo Shrine.

The event features a wide range of programs designed to reinterpret the beauty of royal court traditions in a modern way, offering visitors an immersive journey into Korea’s cultural heritage.

The festival will officially open on April 25 at 7:30 PM with a Grand Opening Ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace’s Heungnyemun Square.

Directed by Ko Seon-woong, the artistic director of the Seoul Metropolitan Theatre, the show will center around the theme “It’s a Flower!” and combine traditional and modern performing arts in a vibrant, dynamic performance.

The event is free for pre-registered guests.

One of the main attractions is the experiential program “Time Travel, Sejong”, held from April 26 to April 30 at Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Visitors can participate in hands-on activities representing various royal professions such as royal confectionery making, dance lessons, and crafts through the “Royal Apprentices” program.

The “Nighttime Time Travel” tour allows guests to explore the northern areas of Gyeongbokgung—like Hyangwonjeong Pavilion and Jibokjae Hall—at night for the first time during this festival. Each session is open to 600 guests, and participation fees for these events range from 10,000 KRW per person.

From May 3 to 5, the “Royal Court Concert: Yeomin Dongrak” will take place at Gyeongbokgung’s Geunjeongjeon Square.

Featuring 100 masters of Korean traditional music, the concert will present court music pieces such as Daechuita, Yeominrak, and Chunaengjeon, embodying the spirit of “enjoying with the people.” Tickets are 20,000 KRW, with 650 seats available per performance.

Each palace also offers uniquely tailored experiences. At Changdeokgung, visitors can enjoy a tranquil “Morning Palace Walk” and participate in “The Queen’s Closet”, a hanbok-themed photo shoot. Changgyeonggung offers a romantic hanbok date course titled “Nice to See You in Hanbok”, while Gyeonghuigung will host a “Night Stroll at Gyeonghuigung” tour from April 26 to 28, which is free of charge.

A limited-edition festival souvenir in the form of a traditional Korean norigae ornament will be available for 10,000 KRW (3,000 units only) via Ticketlink.

Purchasers will receive free admission to the palaces and a complimentary drink at the on-site café “Sarang.”

In addition to pre-booked events, the festival will also include numerous on-site programs for spontaneous participation, enhancing the celebratory atmosphere for all visitors.

For more information or to book programs in advance, visit www.ticketlink.co.kr or contact the Palace Cultural Program Call Center at 1522-2295, or the Ticketlink Help Desk at 1588-7890.

The organizers stated, “We hope this year’s Royal Culture Festival allows more people to explore the beauty of Korea’s palatial heritage through diverse and personalized programs.”

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🎒 Natural Note

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