When Deoksugung Opens at Night: Inside the Korean Empire's Palace

Through October 18, Deoksugung Palace's Seokjojeon Hall in central Seoul runs its "Night at Seokjojeon" program. Organized by the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center under the Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Heritage Foundation, the evening unfolds as a guided tour of the building inside and out after dark, coffee and refreshments to classical music on the terrace, a musical performance themed o

n the Korean Empire era in the reception hall, and photos against the illuminated night backdrop. The fee is 35,000 won per person, booked through an application-and-lottery system -- only winners get a set window to reserve a slot, so checking the official site (kh.or.kr/short/M3K4) for the next application period ahead of time is worthwhile. Unlike a daytime palace visit, this program lets gue

sts see the illuminated exterior and lit interior together, with visitor numbers capped so the Korean Empire-era Western-style architecture and rooms can be taken in without a crowd. Being a paid, capacity-limited program means a more unhurried pace than free night-opening events -- a real plus for visitors who want to enjoy the palace without racing the clock. Korea Tourism Times Editorial Desk