Participants in the Moonlight Tour of Changdeokgung Palace walk along the Buyongji Pond while holding traditional red and blue lanterns on April 30.
Overseas journalists were able to enjoy the tranquility of a royal palace underneath the moonlight.
Foreign correspondents working in Korea and journalists from seven overseas broadcasters participated in the Moonlight Tour of Changdeokgung Palace on April 30. Attendees included Polish state broadcaster TVN, Egyptian State TV and FORO TV, one of Mexico's largest news channels.
When the sunset disappeared at 8 p.m., the Donhwamun Gate was opened on the orders of the chief gatekeeper. Tour participants entered the palace while holding cheongsachorongs, a traditional lantern decorated in red and blue. They took photographs of the night view of Seoul as seen from the Injeongjeon Hall, lit underneath the moonlight. They then moved on to the Biwon, the palace's secret garden, while using only the light of the lanterns, passing along the path surrounded by thick forests that blocked the moonlight.
Participants in Changdeokgung Palace's Moonlight Tour walk around the Injeongjeon Hall while holding traditional red and blue lanterns on April 30.
During the Moonlight Tour of Changdeokgung Palace, participants walk through the middle of the courtyard where the pumgyeseok, officials’ rank stones, stand, in front of the palace's Injeongjeon Hall on April 30.
A camera crew shoots some night footage of Seoul in front of Changdeokgung Palace's Injeongjeon Hall on April 30.
The reflection of the Juhabru Pavilion in the still waters of the Buyongji Pond wowed the participating journalists. At Yeongyeongdang House, they enjoyed the melody of traditional Korean music with gayageums, 12-string zithers, and pansori, a traditional form of narrative singing.
Even for many of the correspondents who have been in Korea for some time, this was the first time for them to tour the palace at night. These first-timers all agreed that the tour was better than expected and that it offered a good opportunity for them to learn more about Korean culture.
Article by Jeon Han, Yoon Sojung
Photos: Jeon Han
Korea.net Staff Writers
hanjeon@korea.kr
Journalists participating in the Moonlight Tour receive their traditional cheognsachorong lanterns as they pass through the Donhwamun Gate on April 30.
A traditional court dance is performed at the Yeongyeongdang House, the finale of the night's Moonlight Tour.
At the Yeongyeongdang House, the melody of a gayageum floats through the air while breaking the solitude.
A pansori performance is part of the Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace on April 30.
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