Gyeongbokgung Palace hosts royal culture festival from 7 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 00:46 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Gyeongbokgung Palace (Gyeongbokgung) in Seoul will host programmes during the K-Royal Culture Festival from 7 to 11 October 2026. The five-day festival will bring performances, exhibitions, experiences and historical recreations to Seoul’s four royal palaces and Jongmyo Shrine. At this palace, the programme is anchored by the Hanbok Royal Banquet on 9 and 10 October.
Gyeongbokgung Palace opens its festival programme on 7 October
The K-Royal Culture Festival is hosted by the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service and organised by the Korea Heritage Agency. Its autumn edition runs from 7 to 11 October 2026 at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Deoksugung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, according to the official festival programme.
The palace’s main listed event is the Hanbok Royal Banquet, scheduled for 9 and 10 October 2026 in the nighttime viewing area. The programme includes a reenacted royal procession, an exhibition about seasonal court clothing, a fashion talk on Joseon royal dress and demonstrations connected with hanbok making. The organiser’s programme assigns the banquet two evening sessions, one on each date.
Gyeongbokgung Palace will also host the KBS Immortal Songs special performance on 6 October 2026 at Heungnyemun Square, marking the eve of the wider festival. This event links the palace’s ceremonial forecourt with a programme that combines traditional Korean music and K-pop.
Gyeongbokgung Palace places modern performances beside Joseon history
Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace was the first and largest royal palace constructed during the Joseon Dynasty. It stood at the centre of Seoul, then known as Hanyang, and served as the dynasty’s main palace.
The palace is also the largest of Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces. Its grounds contain the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea, while restoration work has rebuilt and maintained structures damaged or removed during the Japanese occupation. The festival’s focus on court clothing and processions therefore uses the palace’s surviving and reconstructed spaces as part of the programme rather than treating them as a neutral event venue. These historical anchors are recorded by the official Seoul travel guide.
Hanbok Royal Banquet connects court clothing with the palace grounds
The banquet is designed around hanbok culture and the nighttime viewing area of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Its royal procession, clothing exhibition and craft demonstrations give the 9 and 10 October programme a direct relationship with the palace’s former court function.
The wider festival also offers visitors a reason to see Seoul’s royal sites as a connected heritage landscape. Gyeongbokgung Palace provides the setting for royal court themes, while separate programmes at the other palaces and Jongmyo Shrine extend the festival across several historic sites.
Visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The K-Royal Culture Festival runs at Gyeongbokgung Palace from 7 to 11 October 2026. The Hanbok Royal Banquet is scheduled for 9 and 10 October 2026.
- The festival includes public programmes and reservation programmes. The Hanbok Royal Banquet is an advance-reservation event, and hanbok is required for its participants.
- Gyeongbokgung Palace is at 161 Sajik-ro in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The nearest listed rail links are Gyeongbokgung Station on Subway Line 3 and Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5.
- The official language is Korean and the national currency is the South Korean won.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Gyeongbokgung Palace
When does the K-Royal Culture Festival take place at Gyeongbokgung Palace?
The festival runs from 7 to 11 October 2026. The Hanbok Royal Banquet takes place on 9 and 10 October 2026.
What is Gyeongbokgung Palace?
It is Seoul’s first and largest Joseon royal palace, built in 1395. It was the dynasty’s main palace and now includes two national museums on its grounds.
Where is Gyeongbokgung Palace and how do you get there?
The palace is on Sajik-ro in Jongno-gu, Seoul. It is served by Gyeongbokgung Station on Subway Line 3 and Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5.
