This year’s night tours at Gyeongbokgung Palace, one of the royal palaces in Seoul, will take place in May and June, and ticket booking will begin this week, officials said Monday.
Special nighttime viewings of the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in the first half of this year are slated for May 8-18 and June 5-15, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.
Ticket booking for the event named “Gyeongbokgung Palace Starlight Night” will begin at 2 p.m. Wednesday, the offices said.
Participants in the night tour will be treated to a modern reinterpretation of a 12-plate royal dinner at Sojubang, the main kitchen of the palace in which food was prepared and cooked for its royal residents. This year’s first-half season menu will include a royal dish based on abalone cooked in the seasoning soy sauce.
At Gyotaejeon Hall, the official residence of Joseon queen consorts, a short sand art video featuring the love between King Sejong and his queen will be shown.
Participants will then enjoy a traditional Korean music performance at Gyeonghoeru, the venue for various state events and royal banquets, before visiting Geunjeongjeon Hall, the throne hall of the palace.
The CHA said it will increase the number of foreigner-only night tours of Gyeongbok Palace to 14 this year from three last year.
May 13 and June 10 will be exclusively designated for foreign participants, with 12 more foreigner-only night tours scheduled for the second half of the year, the administration said.
It said each night tour accommodates up to 60 visitors for 50,000 won (US$44) per person. (Yonhap)