During the Lunar New Year holiday, the Cultural Heritage Administration will offer free admission to major palaces and royal tombs across the country and distribute “sehwa” paintings at Gyeongbokgung Palace wishing for prosperity and peace in the new year. From February 14th to 18th, 22 locations including the four major palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and Joseon Royal Tombs will be open to the public without any admission fees, except for the rear garden of Changdeokgung Palace. Jongmyo Shrine, normally accessible with guided tours at fixed times, will be open for free exploration during this period. However, on February 19th, the day after the holiday ends, these sites will be closed.
The “2026 Byeongoh Year Sehwa Sharing” event will take place from February 16th to 18th at the Heungnyemun Gate Plaza in Gyeongbokgung Palace. Sehwa are symbolic paintings given by kings to their officials during the Joseon Dynasty to ward off disasters and bring good fortune and have since spread to the general populace. This year’s theme is “Red Horse Guardian of the Twelve Zodiac Signs,” created in collaboration with Jeong Guija, a holder of the intangible cultural heritage ‘Minhwa’ of Seoul. Two sessions will be held daily at 10:20 AM and 2:20 PM, with 1,000 copies distributed per session, totaling 6,000 copies available. These paintings can also be downloaded as digital images via the Cultural Heritage Promotion Agency’s website and a QR code.
Additionally, in light of the current dry weather and the increased risk of wildfires, the Cultural Heritage Administration has elevated the Heritage Disaster Alert from “Alert” to “Caution” in preparation for the holiday. Alongside local governments, they are conducting safety inspections on wooden cultural heritage sites vulnerable to fire.