The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center under the Cultural Heritage Administration and Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation will jointly host this year's Spring K-Royal Culture Festival from April 27 through May 5 at Seoul's five major royal palaces and Jongmyo Shrine. Seen is the festival's rendition of gilnori (traditional performance parade).

By Wu Jinhua
Photos = Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation

A festival to herald the arrival of spring will opens the doors of Seoul's five royal palaces.

The Royal Palaces and Tombs Centers under the Cultural Heritage Administration's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation on April 18 said they will jointly host this year's Spring K-Royal Culture Festival from April 27 through May 5.

The event's venues are Seoul's five major royal palaces of Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung and Gyeonghuigung plus Jongmyo Shrine.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the festival will put on a diversity of traditional customs and performing arts to add enjoyment for visitors to the palaces.

Changdeokgung will kick things off with the opening ceremony under the theme "Dignity of Traditional Performances" at the rear garden of Seonjeongjeon Hall, where visitors can see court singing, dancing and music. Performances will be held daily at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and no reservations are required.

The shows will feature the dignity of court music through a variety of dances including Bakjeommu (Butterfly Dance), Cheoyongmu (Dance of Cheoyong) – a National Intangible Cultural Heritage and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity –Gungjung Geommu (Royal Sword Dance) and Chunaengjeon (Dance of the Spring Oriole).

From May 4-5, Gyeongbokgung's Geunjeongjeon Hall will host for the first time "Palace Concert: A Performance by 100 Artists." This large-scale traditional arts show is sure to thrill audiences with 100 players of the gayageum (12-string traditional zither), daegeum (bamboo flute) and haegeum (traditional vertical fiddle).

Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung and Gyeonghuigung will each host a gilnori (traditional performance parade) with dynamic group dances. No reservations are required.

Gyeongbokgung will host a gilnori once on May 4 at 2:30 p.m. in conjunction with the annual shopping event Seoul Festa. The procession is expected to attract onlookers with performances of gijeob nori (traditional folk marching with a dragon flag), janggu (traditional drum), sogochum (small drum dance) and samulnori (traditional percussion music).

The other three palaces will hold the parade twice a day on their designated dates.

More information on the festival is available on the official websites of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center (royal.cha.go.kr/ENG/main/index.do), Spring Royal Festival (www.chf.or.kr/fest/en) and Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (www.chf.or.kr/chf/eng).

These official promotional posters are for the events "Dignity of Traditional Performances" and "Palace Concert: A Performance by 100 Artists" at this year's Spring K-Royal Palace Festival.