Changdeok Palace opens Sept. 10 for moonlit evening tours of Secret Garden
Summary
Changdeok Palace's Secret Garden will reopen for the Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour from Sept. 10 through Oct. 17, the Korea Heritage Service and Korea Heritage Agency said Tuesday. The evening program runs Thursdays through Sundays and offers a lantern-lit guided walk through the palace grounds after dusk. It includes stops at Geumcheongyo, Injeongjeon, Sangryangjeong, Buyongji and Yeongyeongdang, with traditional music, snacks and tea. Tickets are limited, with separate booking methods for domestic and international visitors.
Key Facts
- The tour is limited to 28 participants per slot across six nightly sessions because of conservation standards and the site's delicate condition.
- Non-Korean language tours in English, Chinese and Japanese will be held on Sept. 20, Sept. 27, Oct. 4 and Oct. 11.
- Domestic applications open Thursday through an online lottery on Ticketlink, and winning applicants can buy up to two tickets priced at 30,000 won each.
- Remaining general tickets and phone reservations for older adults and visitors with disabilities will go on sale Sept. 3.
A tourist looks around Changdeok Palace in Seoul, July 15. Yonhap
As summer turns to autumn, Changdeok Palace's secluded courtyards and historic gardens, also known as Secret Garden, are preparing to open their gates under the light of the moon.
The Korea Heritage Service's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, alongside the Korea Heritage Agency, said Tuesday that the popular Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour will return for its autumn run from Sept. 10 through Oct. 17. Operating Thursdays through Sundays, the program invites visitors to experience one of UNESCO's most celebrated World Heritage sites after dusk.
Launched in 2010, the intimate evening tour has become one of the capital's hardest-to-get cultural tickets. Participants are handed a traditional silk lantern before embarking on a guided trek through the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty-era palace grounds. The route leads past key heritage structures — including Geumcheongyo, Seoul's oldest stone bridge, and the illuminated throne hall of Injeongjeon — before venturing deep into the iconic Secret Garden (Huwon).
Along the trail, visitors are treated to curated artistic interludes. At Sangryangjeong Pavilion, guests pause to listen to the contemplative strains of the daegeum, a traditional transverse bamboo flute. Further along, at the picturesque Buyongji Pond, visitors can snap photographs alongside actors reenacting a royal stroll. The journey concludes at Yeongyeongdang Hall, where traditional court snacks and tea are served accompanied by a live ensemble performance of Korean traditional music.
Due to strict conservation standards and the delicate nature of the historical site, entry is tightly capped at 28 participants per slot across six nightly sessions.
For international visitors, dedicated non-Korean language tours — conducted in English, Chinese and Japanese — will take place across four select Sundays: Sept. 20, Sept. 27, Oct. 4 and Oct. 11. Tickets for these dedicated international sessions will be available on a first-come, first-served basis via Creatrip starting Aug. 28 at 9 a.m.
Domestic applications open Thursday via an online lottery system on Ticketlink, with winning ticket holders eligible to purchase up to two tickets priced at 30,000 won ($22) each. Remaining general tickets, as well as phone reservations for older adults and visitors with disabilities, will go on sale Sept. 3.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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