Beat summer heat like royalty at Changdeok Palace's royal infirmary

Visitors take a respite at Changdeok Palace's royal infirmary in Seoul, May 14. Yonhap

As summer temperatures begin to climb across the capital, modern-day travelers and heritage enthusiasts visiting Seoul’s historic core will soon have the rare opportunity to escape the grueling seasonal humidity using the exact wellness methods once reserved exclusively for Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) monarchs.

The Changdeok Palace Management Office, operating in close partnership with the Dongui Bogam Academy of the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, said Thursday that the palace’s historic Yakbang — the ancient royal infirmary — will open its doors to the general public as a specialized summer cooling shelter.

Running from July 15 to Aug. 16, the seasonal program will effectively transform the meticulously restored medical pavilion into a quiet cultural sanctuary, operating from Wednesday through Sunday each week to accommodate peak summer tourist traffic.

Historically known as Naeuwon, the Yakbang served as the absolute epicenter of court health care, where elite royal physicians monitored the daily well-being of the king and the immediate imperial family. While the wooden compound has primarily functioned as a static exhibition space since its extensive restoration in 2005, this specific seasonal opening looks to directly revive its historical mandate of health preservation by actively safeguarding contemporary palace visitors from heat-related ailments and exhaustion.

The centerpiece of this immersive historical experience lies in its daily beverage curation, which will recreate two staple tonics favored by Joseon Dynasty rulers to combat severe summer fatigue.

Visitors stepping inside the pavilion will be offered complimentary tastings of Jehotang — a chilled, highly potent herbal refresher crafted from finely ground smoked plums, honey and medicinal herbs that kings historically bestowed upon aging ministers to ensure their survival through the dog days of summer.

Alongside it, the palace will serve Omija-cha, a tart, five-flavor berry tea famously prescribed by court doctors to King Seongjong to alleviate severe heat illness and restore depleted physical energy. The refreshing drinks will be served daily in two sessions at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, with a total of 400 portions available to the public each day.

On weekends, the cooling program will expand to include hands-on cultural workshops.

Beginning July 18, the shelter will host daily morning sessions allowing 100 participants to craft their own traditional yakhyang (medicinal aroma) pouches packed with aromatic herbs. To better engage the capital's growing international audience, organizers will also distribute detailed multilingual handbooks on the Dongui Bogam — the definitive 1613 Korean medical encyclopedia listed on the prestigious UNESCO Memory of the World register. Supported by Sancheon County, these educational materials will be available in 13 languages, including English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

The cooling shelter and its accompanying interactive programs are entirely free of charge to all ticketed visitors entering the main grounds of Changdeok Palace.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.