Visit Gyeongbokgung: a Royal Korean Palace

By Ellen – (Updated Apr 2023)

⏱ 6 min

Welcome to our first post in our South Korea series! We just got back from a 2-week trip and will be sharing all about our travels over the next several weeks, starting with this post on arguably the most famous royal Korean palace.

Seoul, South Korea is home to five royal palaces, but Gyeongbokgung 경복궁 (also referred to as Gyeongbok Palace or Gyeongbokgung Palace) was the main royal palace during the Joseon Dynasty. It is the largest Korean palace and was home to the Kings that served during that period. This is one of the most visited sites in Seoul and is a must-visit for someone visiting Seoul for the first time.

Visiting the palace will provide you with insight into the history and traditions of the country, something we personally feel is important when visiting a new country. Something else about the Korean palace that leaves a strong impression, is the traditional architecture you see against the backdrop of the modern and high-tech city of Seoul. Once you enter the palace grounds you’ll feel like you’ve traveled back in time whilst still being in the heart of an urban city.

Read this post for everything you need to know about visiting Gyeongbokgung.

Also fun fact for 🎤K-pop lovers and BTS fans: BTS recorded a televised performance for an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2020 here.

A brief background of Gyeongbokgung

Gyeongbokgung means the palace “greatly blessed by heaven.”

• Gyeongbok 경복 (pronounced “gyoung-bohk”) = greatly blessed by heaven
• gung 궁 (pronounced “goong”) = palace

The palace was first built in 1395 and was the main palace throughout the Joseon Dynasty until the grounds were destroyed by fire during the Japanese invasions of Korea (Imjin War) from years 1592–1598. The premises were abandoned for two centuries until 1867 when Regent Heungseon Daewongun led efforts to restore the palace. According to the official website and documentation from the Royal Palace of Korea, the grand-scale restoration was completed with 500 buildings 😲 on a site of over 40 hectares.

Unfortunately, the palace was again destroyed by the Japanese in the 20th century, during their colonization of Korea. Specifically, more than 90% of the palace buildings were torn down in 1915 by the Japanese. Korea was liberated from Japan after WWII, and the restoration of Gyeongbokgung started in 1990 and is still ongoing today.

Top things to know when visiting the Korean Palace Gyeongbokgung

This section will provide you with useful information for planning your visit to Gyeongbokgung but first, here are the top things to know:

• The palace is closed on Tuesdays, and hours of admission depend on the season (see more info below)
• It is beautiful to visit at any time of the year, but springtime is particularly gorgeous because of the blooming flowers and cherry blossom trees
• Entrance is free if you wear a Hanbok! – Korean traditional attire. A lot of tourists rent Hanbok to take photos at the palace.
• Standard adult entrance fee is 3,000 KRW (see more info on ticket prices and discounts below)
• Free tours in foreign languages are available (see more info below)
• If you prefer to explore at your own pace, at least rent an audio guide so you can learn about what you are seeing while there
• Be at the main Gwanghwamun Gate at 10am or 2pm to watch the 20-minute changing of the guards ceremony

How to get to the Korean palace, Gyeongbokgung

Gyeongbokgung is located in northern Seoul and is easily accessible by subway. Gyeongbokgung station (경복궁역) is on subway Line 3 and if you walk out of Exit 5, you will be right in front of the main entrance Gwanghwamun Gate. You can also go to Gwanghwamun Station (광화문역) on Line 5. Take Exit 2 and it is a 7 mins walk.

When is the palace open and what time is best to visit?

The palace opens at 9:00 am every day, except Tuesdays. The closing time varies by month, and it’s best to check the official website for closing hours for the most up-to-date information.

You can go early to get your tickets, and early morning usually tends to be the quietest. If you want to see the changing of the guards ceremony, it is at at 10am and 2pm daily.

Sometimes they offer night tours, with a limited number of admissions. This year (2023) they have night tours on Wednesdays from April 5 – May 31.

How much does it cost to visit and where to buy tickets to this Korean palace?

You can purchase your tickets at any of the four entrances to the palace.

• Standard individual adult: 3,000 KRW
• Minors (age 18 and under): Free
• Seniors (age 65 and older): Free
• Wearing traditional Hanbok: Free

Gyeongbokgung isn’t the only Korean palace worth visiting. You can purchase a Combination Ticket (adults 10,000 KRW) which gives you one admission for each of the five different Korean Palaces. This includes Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung – the Secret Garden included, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and the Jongmyo Shrine. You can buy the ticket from any one of the palaces. If you plan to visit the others, it might be worth it!

You might also want to check out the Discover Seoul Pass and check if you plan to visit many other attractions that are included in the pass.

Free Guided Tours and Audio Guide

Currently, they are offering free guided tours (with your entrance ticket purchase) in the following foreign languages:

• English
• Japanese
• Chinese
• Vietnamese
• Indonesian
• Spanish

The tours last from 1-1.5 hours. See here for the schedule.

If you don’t want to go on a guided tour, you can rent an audio guide instead and it is available in the same languages above. We did this, and it was really good! They give you a map, an audio device, and something that looks like a digital pen. Just by tapping the digital pen on the map, it will give you audio information about that location. I honestly can’t remember how much it cost, I want to say it was around 3,000 KRW as well. They also will ask you to leave your ID with them to guarantee the return of the audio device.

How many hours should you spend at Gyeongbokgung?

I would plan to spend around 3 hours there. The palace grounds are large and there is a lot to see and learn while you’re there. Even if you are not wearing a Hanbok, I’m sure you will take many photos. There are also two museums inside the premises: the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea.

What else can you do around Gyeongbokgung?

While we continue to write more about visiting Seoul and South Korea, here is a short list of popular things to do near this Korean palace.

• Bukchon Hanok Village: a nearby neighborhood home to hundreds of traditional-style Korean houses and buildings called “Hanok”
• The Sool Gallery: a gallery of traditional Korean alcohol. They have free 30-min alcohol tastings in Korean and English. You can make a reservation on Naver (must-download Korean app) or contact them via email.
• Insadong: a neighborhood with traditional goods, art galleries, teahouses, and cafes
• Ikseondong: just east of Insadong, a small Hanok village of small picturesque alleys lined with Hanoks – Instagrammable cafes like Soha Salt Pond or Cheongsudang Cafe

Check below for more plans to do in Seoul!