Enjoying the Spring Night Atmosphere of Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces... Participants Recruited by Lottery System

'Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour' and 'Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour'
"Intended to provide fair experience opportunities"
Temporary opening of Chwihyanggyo, said to be favored by King Gojong

A spring night experience event to stroll through Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces and feel the atmosphere of the palaces will be held starting next month.

The Geunjeongjeon Hall is illuminated by lights at the 'Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour.' Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

The Cultural Heritage Administration's Office of Palaces and Royal Tombs and the National Heritage Promotion Agency announced on the 12th that they will operate the first half of the year events 'Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour (April 2 - May 17)' and 'Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour (April 10 - June 15)'. These are representative palace utilization events, popular enough that every year a 'picketing' (a term meaning ticket booking as fierce as a bloody war) occurs.

From this year, participants will be recruited through a lottery system. An official explained, "We changed the method to provide a fair experience opportunity to many citizens." TicketLink will start accepting applications for Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour tickets from 2 p.m. on the 13th, and for Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour tickets from 2 p.m. on the 17th. Each account can apply only once, and if selected, up to two tickets can be requested. The participation fee is 60,000 KRW and 30,000 KRW respectively.

Participants of the 'Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour' are enjoying traditional art performances in a sojubang while tasting royal court cuisine.

The Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour is held twice a day from Wednesday to Sunday during the event period. Participants taste royal court cuisine, a modern reinterpretation of the 12-course meal served to the king and queen in Sojubang, the palace kitchen, while watching traditional art performances. An official said, "A vegetarian menu is also prepared, consisting of dishes such as Tangpyeongchae, Samhapjanggwa (shiitake, button mushroom, radish), grilled deodeok, and pomegranate shiitake mushroom soup."

After the meal, participants carry cheongsachorong (traditional Korean lanterns) to light up the darkness and tour Janggo, Jibokjae, Palwoojung, Geoncheonggung, and Hyangwonjeong with a professional guide. They take commemorative photos at Janggo, where various sauces such as doenjang and ganjang were stored, and sit on the Yonggyo-ui (dragon-shaped chair) at Jibokjae, known as King Gojong's study. The Chwihyanggyo, which King Gojong liked for its charm different from daytime, should not be missed. It is a bridge connecting Geoncheonggung and Hyangwonjeong, open only during this period and very popular.

Participants of the 'Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour' are holding Cheongsachorong lanterns and viewing the pavilions of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

The Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour, held six times a day from Thursday to Sunday, allows participants to learn about the history and culture of Changdeokgung while carrying cheongsachorong and listening to a cultural guide's stories. Participants start from Geumhomun Gate and visit places such as Injeongjeon Hall, Huijeongdang Hall, Nakseonjae, Buyongji Pond, Aeryeonjeong Pavilion, and Yeongyeongdang Hall. Especially at Nakseonjae Sangryangjeon and Yeongyeongdang, traditional art performances such as daegeum (bamboo flute) music and royal court dances are also enjoyed. The royal court dance is a comprehensive art consisting of instrumental music, singing, and dancing performed at royal banquets, said to have been created by Crown Prince Hyomyeong.

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