As the flowers begin to bloom in the spring, the scenery at Gyeongbokgung Palace's Gyeonghoeru Pavilion becomes even more beautiful. The Gyeonghoeru Pavilion used to be a banquet venue for the monarch and his courtiers during Joseon times, and it's listed as National Treasure No. 244.
By Hahm Hee-eun
Photos = Cultural Heritage Administration
As spring wakens blossoms across the land, parts of Seoul's beautiful royal Joseon palaces will be re-opened to the public starting this April.
Special tours of the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, National Treasure No. 224, at Gyeongbokgung Palace have been available since 2010. This year, tours will be available for seven months, from April 1 to Oct. 31.
The Gyeonghoeru Pavilion is a two-story wooden structure that stands in the center of a pond. At the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, the Joseon monarch and his courtiers would enjoy banquets or feasts, greet guests, and hold ritual ceremonies for rain during a draught. The reflection of the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in the pond water and the gently falling spring flower petals add to the magnificent beauty of the Gyeonghoeru’s architecture.
During the special tours, normally restricted entry to the second story will be allowed. Spectacular landscapes can be seen from the second floor, with Gyeongbokgung Palace to the east and the beautiful peaks of Inwangsan Mountain to the west.
The special tour of the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion includes an expert guide, free of charge.
Tours are provided three times per day on weekdays at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., and four times on weekends at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The tour lasts about 30 to 40 minutes. Tickets can be bought online at the Gyeongbokgung Palace website (www.royalpalace.go.kr), six days to one day before the tour. The first reservation starts at 10 a.m. on March 26.
Visitors on the 2017 Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace, holding up a traditional cheongsachorong lantern with a red-and-blue silk shade, walk over the Geumcheongyo Bridge and look around the Injeongjun Hall at Changdeokgung Palace. Changdeokgung Palace, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, is a historic site that has experienced the rise and fall of Joseon.
If you want to take a quiet walk under the dark night sky, it's worth noting that the 2018 Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace will run from April 5 to Oct. 28.
Enjoy the deep sound of a traditional daegeum bamboo flute and enjoy the taste of a traditional hangwa snack under the silver moonlight. You’ll easily get immersed into the story of Changdeokgung Palace and Joseon through the expert commentary.
In particular, starting this year, a shadow show, with the theme of "Four seasons of the king," is newly added to the program. There's also a performance of traditional pansori musical storytelling and other traditional art performances.
As for Korean-speakers, Thursday, Friday and Saturday are open for tours. Tickets can be bought online at Auction Ticket (http://ticket.auction.co.kr) starting at 2 p.m. on March 21.
For non-Korean speakers, tours are available every Sunday and a guide will be provided in English, Mandarin and Japanese. For further information, please contact the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (http://www.chf.or.kr, 02-2270-1243).
hehahm@korea.kr
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