By Wu Jinhua and Hong Angie

As the summer heat wave subsides and the cool autumn breeze starts blowing, Gyeongbokgung Palace, a leading tourist attraction in Seoul, is hosting events for the season led by the Gyeongbokgung Palace Starlight Tour.

Korea.net on Sept. 14 went on the tour, which lit up the night at the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty.

Launched on Sept. 8 and running through Oct. 8., the semiannual event offers visitors a taste of royal court cuisine under the autumn moon, traditional music performances and hidden attractions in the compound. Twice per night, this distinctive evening tour offers sights and interactive programs unavailable in its day edition.

The 110-minute tour began at Oesojubang, the palace's largest kitchen where doseuksurasang, or court cuisine prepared for important guests invited by the Joseon Dynasty king, was arranged for visitors. 

Doseuk is an archaic word for dosirak (lunchbox), or "a small bowl of rice." The meal served of rice and 12 side dishes, the daily fare for the Joseon royal court, featured a modern reinterpretation but did not seem to pale in comparison to what was served back then.

Four brass plates piled up and covered with a blue cloth had traditional food such as hongsam galbijjim (braised beef short ribs with red ginseng), saseuljeok (egg pancake made with beef and flatfish), deodeokgui (roasted bellflower roots) and goldonggaeng (soup with beef broth) neatly arranged. A gayageum (12-stringed traditional zither) performance accompanied the meal. 

Bluish darkness soon descended on the palace. Visitors held cheongsachorong (traditional lantern made with blue and red silk patchwork representing yin and yang) while following their sanggung, a high-ranking lady-in-waiting of the royal court, as a guide to officially begin the tour.

Gentle lights from lanterns made with Hanji (traditional paper) illuminated the path.

The first stop was Jagyeongjeon Hall, the living quarters of Queen Sinjeong, adoptive mother of young King Gojong. The first eye-catching part was the backyard chimney engraved with the Ten Symbols of Longevity, a traditional design featuring the sun, mountains, water, clouds, rocks, pine trees, eternal life herbs, turtles, cranes and deer that represent the wish for a long and healthy life.

Next was the janggo, where the king's meals were prepared and usually off-limits to the public. After entering this venue, visitors watched a small play between a janggo mama (staff in charge of the janggo) and court ladies.

Afterwards, the tour continued to the halls of Jibokjae and Parujeong, the king's study rich in Chinese and Russian architecture that created an exotic atmosphere within the palace, and visitors were allowed to look inside.

The event's interactive programs included sitting on a yonggyoeui, or the royal throne with the image of a dragon on it, and taking photos with the official stamp of the Korean Empire (1897-1910).

The tour proceeded to Geoncheonggung Residence and then to the last leg and highlight of the tour, Hyangwonjeong Pavilion. The illumination of this structure by splendid lighting designs had visitors quietly murmuring their amazement. 

On Chwihyanggyo, a bridge leading to Hyangwonjeong, a small play expressing the aspirations of King Gojong, who reigned from 1863 to 1907, was held. When the doors to the bridge opened, visitors crossed it in order and took photos of the actor playing the king.

Given the tour's steady popularity, tickets were sold in the second half of the year under a lottery system for the first time. Tours with English-speaking guides will be held on Oct. 8 for foreign visitors.

"Because the program is highly popular, we planned this year new lighting designs illuminating Hyangwonjeong and a short play expressing King Gojong's aspirations," said Kim Do Sung, deputy head of the usage planning team at the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation who is in charge of the tour. "We hope that participants in the Gyeongbokgung Palace Starlight Tour create many memories there."

jane0614@korea.kr