Next Door to Gyeongbokgung, Ghost Stories Begin at Dusk - 20 Seats per Night, Hurry

What have Koreans feared, generation after generation? One of the best places to hear the answer is the National Folk Museum of Korea, just east of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Its adults-only evening program, 'Evening Ghost Story Society: An Eerie Folk Walk' (September 16 to October 28, five sessions, 90 minutes each, free), unfolds in two parts. Part one is a 30-minute walk through the museum's outdoor grounds after dark - past the jangseung village guardian poles, an old traditional house and a recreated old schoolhouse. Part two, the 60-minute 'Ghost Story Salon,' is a lecture and Q&A by Yonsei University professor Choi Ki-sook on what Korean ghost stories reveal about views of humanity, death and community psychology. As the museum puts it, 'ghost stories are a cultural record of what people of an era feared and desired' (Asia Economy Daily). If K-dramas and films have sparked your interest in Korean occult lore, this is 90 minutes at the source.

The catch is seats: only 20 per session, first come first served, and registration opened September 1 on the museum website (one session per person). Remaining dates are September 16 and 30, and October 7, 14 and 28, at 6:30 pm - check today if you are interested. The notice does not specify the language of instruction, so if your Korean is limited, confirm with the museum before applying. Missed out? There are alternatives: the Royal Culture Festival's night programs run October 7-11 at neighboring Gyeongbokgung, and the museum's permanent exhibitions are free to visit by day.