- First published
- Oct 11, 2026
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Seoul's principal Joseon royal palace and one of the clearest places to understand the city's ceremonial geography. In September–October, regular daytime admission is 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00), with Tuesday as the usual closure day. General adult admission is KRW 3,000 for Koreans aged 25–64 and foreign visitors aged 19–64; free categories and hanbok admission have specific rules. Evening programmes and private pavilion tours are separately booked and should never be assumed to be part of the regular ticket.
October 9 is Hangeul Day; the palace's regular October daytime hours are 09:00–18:00 subject to same-day notices. The 2026 Gyeonghoeru–Hyangwonjeong internal guided visit explicitly does NOT operate on October 9 or during the October 7–11 royal culture festival period; do not promise this tour to walk-in visitors. Verify any festival crowd arrangements before departure.
Why go
Walk the royal courtyards and palace gates, then continue to Gwanghwamun Square and the history museums. Treat royal-palace general entry, special guided pavilion visits and evening events as three distinct experiences with different booking requirements.
Plan the visit
Use the confirmed place facts below, then continue to the broader travel guides for transport, facilities and eating practicalities.