From October 29 to November 9, the “Korea Grand Festival” will take place, during which Seoul’s main palaces and Joseon royal tombs will be open to the public for free. On September 29, the implementation of visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists led to a crowd of Chinese and other foreign tourists at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center announced on the 17th that during the festival, visitors can enjoy free admission to the four grand palaces—Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, and Changgyeonggung—as well as Jongmyo, the Joseon royal tombs, and the Sejong the Great historic sites.
This initiative aims to increase public participation and cultural enjoyment. Normally requiring reservations, Jongmyo will also be open for free visits. However, the special tours of Changdeokgung’s secret garden will remain paid. The closure dates will remain the same: Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo will be closed on November 4, while Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Joseon royal tombs, and Sejong the Great historic sites will be closed on November 3.
The Cultural Heritage Administration has previously offered free access to palaces and royal tombs during major holidays. During the previous Chuseok holiday (October 3-9), 1.42 million people visited the four grand palaces, Jongmyo, and the Joseon royal tombs, with Gyeongbokgung attracting the most visitors, totaling 510,000, followed by Changgyeonggung (220,000), Changdeokgung (210,000), and Deoksugung (180,000). Huh Min, the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, stated that the popularity of K-culture has brought the annual number of visitors to Gyeongbokgung to the level of the Vatican Museums, and plans are in place to establish a cultural product center for national heritage within Gyeongbokgung for international tourists.