Hanbok Free Palace Entry 2026: How Much You Save at Gyeongbokgung, Rental Shops, and the Rules

Bottom line: Wear a properly assembled hanbok and Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Jongmyo are all free to enter. The only money that changes hands is the rental fee at a hanbok shop near the palace gate — not an admission ticket.

If you didn't know: skip the hanbok and you pay the regular fare — 3,000 won each for Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, 1,000 won each for Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Jongmyo. Visit all four palaces in one day in street clothes and that's up to 8,000 won gone, money a hanbok completely erases. The flip side matters too: showing up in a "jeogori over jeans" or "just a durumagi coat" combination can get you turned away from the free lane at the ticket booth, since the rule requires both a proper top (jeogori) and bottom (skirt or trousers) — and then you're paying the regular fare anyway.

The routine is simple: pick a hanbok at the rental shop, put on both the jeogori top and a skirt or trousers, keep the ties or buttons fastened rather than hanging open, then walk to the ticket booth and say you're there for free hanbok admission. Per the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center's own guideline, both traditional and modernized (saenghwal) hanbok qualify, but a T-shirt-style hanbok, a durumagi coat worn alone, or mixing a jeogori with jeans does not. Autumn is an especially good season for this: the palace's painted eaves and the turning leaves make a striking backdrop for hanbok photos. In crowded spots like the courtyard in front of Geunjeongjeon Hall, watch your step so you don't trip on a long skirt hem, and keep in mind the rubber shoes that come with a rental can be slippery on the palace's stone pavement.

Journey stage: During the trip · Verified 2026-10-30