A festival in Seoul promises a warm spring mood at the beautiful royal palaces in the capital.
The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Heritage Agency on April 7 announced their hosting of the Spring K-Royal Culture Festival from April 26 to May 4 at the five royal palaces of Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung and Gyeonghuigung and Jongmyo Shrine.
Marking its 11th edition, this year’s festival will have a grand opening ceremony on April 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Heungnyemun Gate Square of Gyeongbokgung. Directed by Go Seon-woong of Seoul Theater Company, the event will showcase the harmony between tradition and modernity under the theme “It’s a Flower!”
The festival highlight “Time Travel: King Sejong” is slated from April 26-30 throughout the palace. Its main programs include one that allows visitors to experience jobs at Gyeongbokgung during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and “Midnight Time Travel,” an evening program themed on the accomplishments of King Sejong the Great.
This will be the first time that the northern section of Gyeongbokgung (including Hyangwonjeong Pavilion and Jibokjae House) will be open at night.
A royal music concert featuring 100 traditional music maestros “sharing joy” is set for 7:30 p.m. from May 3-5 at Gyeongbokgung’s Geunjeongjeon Hall. The highlights will be court music like daechwita (military music), “Yeominak,” or a that literally translates into “music enjoyed with the public,” and Chunaengjeon (Dance of the Spring Oriole).
The program “Awakening the Morning Palace” is set from April 30 to May 4 at Changdeokgung, allowing a stroll through the palace’s forest paths to feel the morning atmosphere. Another event, “The Queen’s Wardrobe,” will allow visitors to wear Hanbok (traditional clothing) and take photos with Seongjeonggak Hall and other buildings in the background.
Over the same period, visitors to Changgyeonggung can participate in a “date tour” in which they wear Hanbok while walking to Changdeokgung. The free “Evening Stroll at Gyeonghuigung Palace” is offered from April 26-28.
