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The traditional Korean dance hwagwanmu is performed using high-tech lighting at Gyeonghoeru Pavilion of Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace. (Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation)

By Kang Gahui and Lee Jihae 

The nine-day Royal Culture Festival from April 27 to May 5 will be held at the royal palaces of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), displaying Korea’s proud culture and history through state-of–the-art technology.

The Cultural Heritage Administration on April 17 said the fifth edition of the annual event will feature the palaces of Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung as well as Jongmyo Shrine. Gyeonghuigung was added for the first time this year.

The opening ceremony will take place on April 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Gyeongbokgung’s Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. The highlight will be a performance chronicling the pavilion’s construction process using 3-D technology.

An augmented reality game will be available at Changdeokgung Palace during this year’s Royal Culture Festival. (Cultural Heritage Administration)

An augmented reality game will be available at Changdeokgung Palace during this year’s Royal Culture Festival. (Cultural Heritage Administration)

An augmented reality (AR) game will be available at Changdeokgung Palace throughout the festival period. By attaching an AR lens on a smartphone, a participant can watch a clip on the history of the palace, which forms a harmony with its natural surroundings.

Festival debutant Gyeonghuigung will host from May 4-5 performances using robots that can perform traditional dances and the Korean martial art Taekwondo.

Other events include one on the cosmetics culture of the Joseon Dynasty and interactive programs featuring a doctor of Oriental medicine gauging a person’s pulse, traditional calligraphy and Korean archery.

To learn more about the programs and make reservations, please visit the website below:

http://www.royalculturefestival.org

kgh89@korea.kr