Free Admission to Palaces and Royal Tombs During Seollal Holiday

Saehwa Sharing Event to Be Held at Heungnyemun Plaza in Gyeongbokgung

The Cultural Heritage Administration's Palace and Royal Tombs Headquarters announced on the 20th that it will open palaces and royal tombs (including royal graves and mausoleums) free of charge in celebration of Seollal, a representative traditional holiday of our nation. The sites include the Four Grand Palaces (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung), Jongmyo Shrine, Donggureung, Gwangneung, Hongyureung, Sareung, Taegangneung, and Jeongneung. However, the Changdeokgung Secret Garden is excluded.

The period is six days, from the 25th to the 30th, during the Seollal holiday. All sites will be closed on the 31st, the day after the Seollal holiday.

Donggureung Gunwonneung Photo by National Heritage Administration

At the Heungnyemun Plaza of Gyeongbokgung, the 'Eulsa Year Seollal Saehwa Sharing' event will be held from the 28th to the 30th. Saehwa (歲?) are paintings that express wishes to prevent misfortune such as disease and disasters and to bring good luck throughout the year. This tradition originated from the custom of the Joseon kings bestowing such paintings to their officials at the start of the new year and has since become a folk custom.

This year's Saehwa was created under the theme of 'The royal guard standing proudly holding a flag with a blue snake and cats,' painted by artist Son Yu-young, who is known for her unique colors and techniques in cat folk paintings.

The sharing event will take place after the 'Royal Guard Changing Ceremony' (at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.), which reenacts the shift change of palace guards and royal soldiers. A total of 6,000 copies will be distributed, 1,000 per session. The digital paintings will also be available through QR codes provided on the Cultural Heritage Administration's website and at the event site.

Geunjeongjeon Hall, Gyeongbokgung Palace
Photo by National Heritage Administration

A representative from the Palace and Royal Tombs Headquarters said, "We hope that many citizens will visit the widely open palaces and royal tombs during the Seollal holiday to spend time resting with their families and to reflect on the meaning and value of Seollal, which is an important intangible cultural heritage of the nation."