Tickets for the K-Royal Culture Festival Fall 2026 to open on Sep 4

A Special Time in the Autumn- Colored Palace: The 2026 K- Royal Culture Festival

- Held Oct 7–11 at the four Royal Palaces and Jongmyo Shrine, with expanded opportunities for international visitors to participate

- New programs make their debut, including the "Gyujanggak Chogye Munsin Workshop" and "Tracing Joseon Space"

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hosted by the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service (Director General Jo Gyu-hyeong) and organized by the Korea Heritage Agency (President Lee Gui-young), an affiliated organization of the Korea Heritage Service, K-Royal Culture Festival Fall 2026 will take place over five days from Oct 7 (Wed) to Oct 11 (Sun), at the four palaces (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung Palaces), as well as Jongmyo Shrine.

The K-Royal Culture Festival is Korea's flagship national heritage festival, presenting a wide range of programs across Seoul's royal palaces and Jongmyo Shrine, including performances, exhibitions, hands-on experiences and historical reenactments. The spring editions of the festival in 2026 attracted about 725,000 visitors, setting a new record. This fall's festival will offer a distinctive experience from the spring edition, with an expanded lineup of nighttime viewing, guided tour and hands-on programs designed to make the most of autumn of the royal palaces. During the day, visitors can enjoy exhibitions, tours and experience programs that invite them to explore the spaces and history of the palaces in greater depth. At night, the focus shifts to performances and immersive experiences set against the palaces standing in harmony with natural scenery.

- K-PALACE Meets K-POP… KBS2 "Immortal Songs" Special Performance

On Oct 6 (Tue), the eve of K-Royal Culture Festival Fall 2026, a K-Royal Culture Festival Special Performance: "KBS2 Immortal Songs" performance will take place at Heungnyemun Square of Gyeongbokgung Palace to celebrate the opening of the festival. Under the theme "Palaces Awaken the Arts", the performance will bring together music ranging from traditional Korean music to K-POP, offering something for audiences of all generations. Admission is free, and applications to attend the performance will be available later through the official KBS "Immortal Songs" website.

- Autumn at the Four Royal Palaces and Jongmyo Shrine: A Unique Array of Programs at Each Palace

First, at Gyeongbokgung Palace, "Hanbok Royal Banquet (Yeonhyang)" (Oct 9–10 19:00~21:00) will offer an immersive program spanning the entire area open for nighttime viewing. Highlights include "A Royal Stroll"(Oct 9–10 19:00~20:30), a reenactment of a royal procession featuring the king and queen; "A Guide to Royal Court Attire from Sunhwagung Palace"(Oct 9–10 19:00~21:00), an exhibition spotlighting 「Sajeol Boksaek Jajang Yoram」, a record by Royal Consort Gyeongbin Kim (consort of Heonjong, the 24th king of Joseon) detailing the seasonal attire of women at the royal court; and "Joseon Royal OOTD"(Oct 9–10 19:20~19:40), a fashion talk show exploring the functions and symbolism of royal court attire. A variety of other programs will also be presented, including "The Sounds of Making Hanbok"(Oct 9–10 19:00~21:00), featuring live demonstrations by holders of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

At Changdeokgung Palace, the craft exhibition "Tracing Joseon Space : The Rhythm of Stillness" (Oct 7–11, 10:00~17:00) will be held at Huijeongdang Hall. The exhibition is directed by Baek Jong-hwan, CEO of WGNB. Drawing on the rhythm of traditional wooden architecture and the use of empty space, the exhibition interprets "white" as an aesthetic order defined by emptiness, restraint and harmony. Also, "Awakening the Morning Palace", a popular program at the festival that invites visitors to experience the palace at daybreak while walking through its halls and the Secret Garden, will be offered twice daily throughout the five-day period.

And the first to be presented the "Gyujanggak Chogye Munsin Workshop" (Oct 9–11, 14:30) at Changdeokgung Palace is an interactive history lecture program inspired by the "Chogye Munsin", young civil officials who received special training at Gyujanggak, the royal library and scholarly institution of the late Joseon Dynasty. Virtual history-themed creator "Hyangachi" will host the program, joined by experts from various fields as panelists. Held once a day, each session will explore different topics. After each session, visitors can also take part in "Find Hyangachi," an activity where they search for Hyangachi around Changdeokgung Palace and solve quizzes along the way.

At Deoksugung Palace, "From Gwangmu(光武) to Yunghui(隆熙)" (Oct 7–11, 10:00~17:00) will be held at Deokhongjeon Hall to mark the 100th anniversary of the passing of Emperor Sunjong and reflect on the history of the Korean imperial family. The program will feature a chronological exhibition on Emperor Sunjong, an AI-powered conversation session, and a historical tour of Deoksugung Palace accompanied by a Jeongisu (traditional storyteller). An academic seminar under the theme "K-Royal Culture Festival as a K-Content Platform" will also be held at Jeonggwanheon Hall.

At Junmyeongdang Hall of Deoksugung Palace, the "JunMyeongDang Hall Children's School" (Oct 9–11, 10:00, 13:00, 16:00) will offer a program for children. The program gives children the opportunity to experience royal court etiquette and learn about nature within the palace grounds. All participating children are required to wear hanbok, while a child actor portraying Princess Deokhye will engage them in role-play scenarios designed to create a more immersive experience. The program will be held three times a day and is open to children aged 7 to 10.

At Changgyeonggung Palace, "A Time Travel, Changgyeonggung Palace" (Oct 9–10, 12:00, 15:30) will recreate scenes from daily life at the royal court across Myeongjeongmun Gate, Tongmyeongjeon Hall, Haminjeong Pavilion and Munjeongjeon Hall. "Donggowol Jangwonseo" (Oct 7–11 10:00, 14:00, 16:00) , a hands-on traditional horticulture program inspired by Jangwonseo, the government office responsible for landscaping the royal palaces, will also be offered.

At Jongmyo Shrine, "Jongmyo Shrine Architectural Expedition" (Oct 10–11, 09:30, 11:30, 14:00, 16:00) will offer a mission-based guided tour for teenager visitors. Participants will explore Hyangdaecheong Hall, Jaegung, Jeongjeon Hall and Yeongnyeongjeon Hall while completing missions such as "Uncover the Secrets of Jeongjeon, the World's longest Wooden Shrine Building" and "Spot the Differences: Jeongjeon vs. Yeongnyeongjeon". Through these activities, participants will discover the stories embedded in Jongmyo Shrine's architecture and spaces.

- Expanded Opportunities for International Visitors: Dedicated Sessions and Reserved Capacity

K-Royal Culture Festival Fall 2026 will expand opportunities for international visitors to experience Korea's national heritage by offering dedicated sessions and reserving a set number of places specifically for them. "Hanbok Royal Banquet (Yeonhyang)" will reserve a total of 800 places for international visitors over two days (400 per day), while the second daily session of "Awakening the Morning Palace" will be conducted in English exclusively for international visitors. A total of 300 seats will also be reserved for international visitors at the special eve performance at Heungnyemun Square of Gyeongbokgung Palace, which will mark the commencement of the festival.

- "Moonlight Lotus Show", Illuminating Changgyeonggung Palace on Autumn Nights & "Palace Concert: Ballet × Sujecheon" at Gyeongbokgung Palace

During the Festival period, partner program "Moonlight Lotus Show at Changgyeonggung Palace" (Oct 7 – Nov 1) will welcome visitors to the Chundangji Pond area. This nighttime media art program combines light and visual projections with the natural scenery around Chundangji Pond, offering visitors a unique way to experience the history and beauty of Changgyeonggung Palace. This fall, a pilot advance reservation system will be introduced to ensure safe operation and reduce crowding. "Moonlight Lotus Show", a media art presentation at Scene 2, Daechundangji Pond, will be open exclusively to visitors with advance reservations. It will run for a total of 20 days, from Wednesday through Sunday each week, with three sessions per day at 19:00, 19:30 and 20:00.

Tickets for individual festival programs will go on sale sequentially from the noon of Sep 4 (Fri) and can be booked through Ticketlink (www.ticketlink.co.kr). Programs for international visitors can be booked through the Korean travel platform Creatrip (www.creatrip.com).

Tickets for individual festival programs will go on sale sequentially from the noon of Sep 4 (Fri) and can be booked through Ticketlink (www.ticketlink.co.kr). Programs for international visitors can be booked through the Korean travel platform Creatrip (www.creatrip.com).Tickets for the partner programs "Moonlight Lotus Show at Changgyeonggung Palace" and "Palace Concert - Ballet × Sujecheon" will be available from Sep 11 (Fri).

For more information, visit the official K-Royal Culture Festival website (kh.or.kr/fest) or Instagram (@royalculturefestival_official). Inquiries can also be made through the Royal Palaces and Tombs Program Call Center (+82 1522-2295), the Ticketlink Call Center (+82 1588-7890), or by email to Creatrip (help@creatrip.com).

The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Heritage Agency will continue to offer diverse programs that capture the unique characteristics of each palace and the beauty of each season, providing visitors with distinctive experiences found only at the K- Royal Culture Festival.