Free Admission to Palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and Joseon Royal Tombs During Lunar New Year Holiday

The Cultural Heritage Administration's Palace and Royal Tombs Division announced on the 20th that it will open palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and Joseon Royal Tombs free of charge during the Lunar New Year holiday (January 24?27). Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and the Joseon Royal Tombs will be open even on Monday, when they are usually closed. Jongmyo Shrine, which normally requires reservations, will allow free admission. However, the Changdeokgung Secret Garden is excluded from the free admission. The Palace and Royal Tombs Division also offered free admission to palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and Joseon Royal Tombs during last year’s Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays.

Various cultural events will be held nationwide at cultural heritage sites to celebrate the Lunar New Year. At Gyeongbokgung Palace on the 25th, a master painter of Buddhist paintings, designated as a National Intangible Cultural Property, will distribute Sehwa (歲畵, New Year paintings created to wish for good fortune and ward off disasters) depicting the royal guards and Jongmyo officials. Deoksugung Palace and the Sejong the Great Historic Site Management Office in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, will offer folk game experiences such as Yutnori, Jegichagi, rolling hoops, and playing ttakji during the holiday period.

The National Maritime Cultural Heritage Research Institute in Mokpo, Jeollanam-do, will introduce the symbolism and proverbs related to the rat, the zodiac animal of the Gyeongja year (庚子年), on the 25th and 26th, and will operate folk games and craft-making events. Hyunchungsa Shrine in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, and Chilbaekui-chong in Geumsan will also hold folk game events from the 24th to the 26th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.