창경궁
About
Illuminated palace halls, royal history and seasonal cherry blossoms and autumn foliage at Changgyeonggung.
At Changgyeonggung, the palace halls take on a different character under night lighting. The grounds are quiet after dark, and the illuminated buildings make the visit as much about looking and taking photographs as about walking through royal history. Changgyeonggung was built during King Seongjong’s reign for royal elders; on guided night tours, docents give the buildings and their history context, with explanations reviewers say work for children and adults alike. Allow about an hour and a half for a guided night tour. The palace is also worth visiting in daylight for its walking paths: visitors call out the cherry blossoms in spring and autumn foliage. During the 궁중문화축전, a hanbok experience has been offered at Gyeongchunjeon and Yanghwadang, but it requires advance booking and is tied to the festival rather than a regular palace visit. For the night 물빛연화 event, reserve ahead and show your mobile ticket at the general information center, just left of the entrance. The event ticket is ₩1,000 and includes palace admission. On-site reception is at the Honghwamun side; for later slots, the cutoff is 19:40. If you enter the palace before the reception time, admission is counted separately. Night entry closes at 20:00, even though the listed closing time is 21:00. The palace is closed on Mondays. Evening traffic can be heavy, and parking may not be available for the event, so public transport is the safer plan. Go for a measured walk, seasonal blossoms or a guided introduction to the palace rather than a packed schedule. The night tour explanations noted in reviews are in Korean; there is no confirmed English-language option in the visitor information here.
Local tips
- Book the 물빛연화 night event in advance.
- Show your mobile ticket at the information center left of the entrance.
- Reach the Honghwamun reception point before the 19:40 cutoff for later slots.
- Use public transport on event evenings; traffic can be heavy and event parking may be unavailable.
- Avoid Mondays, when the palace is closed.
Details
Opening hours
- Sunday
- 09:00–21:00
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 09:00–21:00
- Wednesday
- 09:00–21:00
- Thursday
- 09:00–21:00
- Friday
- 09:00–21:00
- Saturday
- 09:00–21:00