Admission to the four main royal palaces of Seoul, Jongmyo Shrine, Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty and the royal tomb of King Sejong the Great will be free during the Seollal (Feb. 9-12) holidays. Seen are the chief gatekeeper and his fellow guards in front of Gwanghwamun Gate at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. (Korea.net DB)
By Margareth Theresia
This year’s Seollal (Lunar New Year) holiday period will see free admission offered to the four main palaces of Seoul, Jongmyo Shrine, Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty and the royal tomb of King Sejong the Great.
The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) on Feb. 1 said the seven landmarks from Feb. 9-12 will have free admission and events featuring national heritage. One of them is a lottery for a sehwa (traditional painting) of a royal guard at Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Unlike at the palaces Gyeongbokgung, Changgyeonggung, Changdeokgung and Deoksugung over the four-day period, Changdeokgung Garden will charge admission.
Visiting Jongmyo typically requires a reservation but not during this holiday.
The changing of the guard ceremony over the four days will be held twice daily at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Gwanghwamun area of Gyeongbokgung, showing the shifts of the gatekeeper and guards of the palace gates.
From Feb. 9-10, the lottery for the painting will take place twice a day at 10:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. at the gatekeeper’s office of Heungnyemun Square at Gyeongbokgung. Available on a first-come, first-served basis, a sehwa was traditionally used to ward off bad luck such as illness and attract good luck.
This year’s painting is dubbed “Gatekeeper Standing Against Backdrop of Blue Dragon” and was drawn by caricaturist and actor Jung Eun-hye, who appeared in the TV drama “Our Blues.” 2024 is the Year of the Blue Dragon under the Asian zodiac.
CHA said in a news release, “On the occasion of Seollal, the first holiday of the new year, we hope that all the people can freely enjoy and appreciate our national heritage and have a warm and hopeful holiday.”
margareth@korea.kr
