Friday, September 20, 2024 The Korea Heritage Service’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, in partnership with the Korea Heritage Agency, proudly announces the 2024 K-Royal Culture Festival – Fall Edition. This highly anticipated event will take place from October 9 to 13 at Seoul’s four iconic royal palaces: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, and Deoksugung. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the K-Royal Culture Festival is South Korea’s largest cultural heritage festival, drawing locals and international tourists to its biannual celebrations in spring and fall.
The spring edition earlier this year attracted over 600,000 visitors, eager to experience the vibrant cultural offerings. This fall, coinciding with Hangeul Day (a national holiday honoring the creation of the Korean alphabet), visitors will have the unique opportunity to engage in a variety of immersive cultural experiences highlighting the beauty and significance of Hanbok (traditional Korean clothing). At the heart of the festival’s fall edition is Gyeongbokgung Palace, where Hanbok-themed activities take center stage as part of a nationwide initiative to promote the traditional attire.
Visitors can witness the “Walking of Royal Family,” a reenactment of royal family members strolling through the palace grounds, accompanied by traditional Gugak performances. The highlight of the evening on October 9 will be the “Hanbok Royal Banquet,” a grand event where the palace ambiance will be enhanced by regal Hanbok displays. Attendees wearing Hanbok will enjoy free entry, and those who reserve in advance will receive exclusive gifts.
Other exciting activities include crafting Hanbok accessories and creating digital Hanbok caricatures, accessible through pre-reservation or on-site registration. For visitors interested in the history of Hanbok, the “Royal Tailor of Gyeongbokgung” exhibit will be held at Sujeongjeon Hall and Yungmuru Site from October 9-13, offering in-depth insights into Hanbok’s evolution. On October 10-11, the “Humanities Concert: Hanboks Worlds Apart” at Heungbokjeon Hall will explore the cultural significance of Hanbok in historical films and literature.
Moreover, the exhibition “Beautiful Hanbok Stories in K-Royal Palaces” will showcase award-winning Hanbok photographs from October 9-13 at Gyejodang Hall. Visitors can also participate in the “Hanbok Best Dresser Showcase,” running throughout all four palaces from October 9-13, offering an all-encompassing Hanbok experience while learning about efforts to preserve and promote this treasured element of Korean heritage. A special feature returning to this year’s fall festival is the highly acclaimed “Palace Concert: Ballet x Sujecheon,” a fusion of ballet and Sujecheon (court music), which will be held from October 10 to 13 at Jibokjae Hall.
Originally introduced in 2022, this crossover performance has garnered rave reviews, and this year, the program has been expanded with an increased audience capacity of 650 people per session and an additional performance, bringing the total to four. International visitors are encouraged to reserve their tickets in advance through Creatrip, a dedicated platform for foreigners, to secure a seat at this must-see performance. Changdeokgung Palace will host the ever-popular “Awakening the Morning Palace” program from October 9-13, offering visitors a serene morning walk through the palace grounds accompanied by stories from renowned artists and historians.
This tranquil morning experience allows guests to reflect on the palace’s rich history and its role in Korea’s cultural narrative. At Changgyeonggung Palace, theater lovers can look forward to the moving performance of “Peach Blossom: A Sorrowful Scene,” scheduled from October 11-13 at Myeongjeongjeon Hall. This historical drama explores the lives of key figures such as King Yeongjo, Crown Prince Sado, King Jeongjo, and Queen Heongyeong, weaving together tales of royal life, political intrigue, and personal tragedy.
For a more modern touch, the “Changgyeonggung Moonlight Lotus Show,” a media art display illuminating Chundangji Pond, will run from October 9-13, providing a captivating visual spectacle against the palace’s natural beauty. Additionally, the “Palace Concert: Classical Meets Pungryu” will blend traditional Korean Pungryu music with classical compositions from October 9-12 at Tongmyeongjeon Hall. At Deoksugung Palace, visitors can stroll through the historical grounds while enjoying traditional performances and exhibitions, further enhancing the cultural experience.
For those who cannot attend the festival in person, online programs are available. One such highlight is “Genre Painting for All,” running from September 13 to October 27. Participants can virtually create and share their own Hanbok-clad Joseon Dynasty characters through the dedicated website, bringing the joy of Hanbok to a global audience.
A limited-edition K-Royal Palaces PASS will also be offered, granting unlimited access to all four royal palaces, Gyeonghuigung, and Jongmyo Shrine throughout the festival. This pass, limited to 4,000 in total, includes one nighttime entry to Gyeongbokgung during the fall festival, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the palaces’ enchanting atmosphere after dark. In the lead-up to the festival, a 20-second promotional video will be broadcast on prominent outdoor billboards in the Gwanghwamun area from September 20 to October 13, thanks to the cooperation of the Jongno-gu Office.
Looking ahead to next year, the Korea Heritage Service plans to expand its promotional efforts by featuring a wider range of Korean heritage sites in videos to be displayed on major billboards throughout Seoul. The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service hopes the K-Royal Culture Festival will serve as a gateway for both Koreans and international tourists to deepen their appreciation for the rich history and traditions embedded in Korea’s royal heritage. By offering a wide array of programs, from cultural performances to educational experiences, the center aims to continue promoting the royal palaces and tombs as vibrant, living spaces that contribute to Korea’s dynamic cultural landscape.
For more information, visit the Korea Heritage Service’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center website (royal.khs.go.
kr), the Korea Heritage Agency website (kh.or.kr), or the official K-Royal Culture Festival site (kh.
or.kr/fest). You can also follow the festival on Instagram at @royalculturefestival_official.
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