Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식)

17.0Km 2025-07-11

99, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-2-737-6444

Deoksugung Palace has held a guard changing ceremony since 1996 after thorough historical research by leading historians. The ceremony, which is held in front of Daehanmun Gate of Deoksugung Palace, is a tradition similar to the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace and offers a rare opportunity to experience royal culture. The royal gate is opened and closed at pre-determined times, and the gatekeepers in charge of guard duty and patrols hold a shift ceremony three times a day.

The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a highly recommended event for tourists. It is held three times a day, with each ceremony following the same procedure and lasts for forty minutes to an hour, and the ceremony is free of charge. There are no ceremonies on Mondays as well as on severely cold or hot days.

As the ceremony begins, the changing of the guards commences replete with traditional musical instruments, and exchanges a password for verification. An eight-minute guard ceremony ensues, followed by a seven-minute change ceremony, and finally a patrol that completes the ceremony. The procedure takes a dramatic turn when 18 guards in six official positions beat a drum and bellow some orders.

The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a great opportunity to experience a rare traditional scene. The guards’ splendid costumes, with their brilliant primary colors, are a pleasure to view. Once the ceremony is over, visitors can take pictures with the gatekeepers.

Namsan Arts Center (남산예술센터)

17.0Km 2021-08-26

138, Sopa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-758-2150

Namsan Arts Center, reopened as a creative space in Seoul in September 2009. It redefined the colors and characteristics of the theater, aiming for a modern theater production center centered on creative premieres, a contemporary performance venue where visitors can feel the pulse of the times, and a theater capable of various experiments.
Namsan Arts Center Drama Center is the first modern folk theater in Korea and the oldest performance hall in which the original architectural form has been preserved. Under the concept of "Contemporary & New Wave," the center continues to produce domestic original plays, and through active exchanges with excellent overseas theaters, build a repertoire of high-quality works that can read domestic and overseas trends, and present contemporary cultural diversity.

Jeongdong Guksi (정동국시)

17.0Km 2024-06-19

5 Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
02-732-0114

Jeongdong Guksi features a rich soup with a clean taste, created by carefully removing the oil dozens of times while boiling Korean beef bones for 15 hours. The restaurant uses this same beef bone broth in their mandutguk (dumpling soup), something not many restaurants do. The rich flavor of the broth combined with the soft dumplings, made in-house daily, is a must-try. The restaurant is also surrounded by many cultural and artistic spaces, making it a great addition to tours in the area.

Innisfree - Myeong-dong Chungmu Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (이니스프리 명동충무)

17.0Km 2024-04-16

28-1, Myeongdong 8na-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

-

Etude house myeongdong chungmuro / 에뛰드하우스(명동충무로점)

17.0Km 2025-08-11

24-1, Myeongdong 8na-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-777-1704

Etude House is a cosmetics brand that sells makeup, hair, and fragrance products. The Etude House Myeongdong Chungmuro Branch, located in the heart of a major shopping district, carries a wide selection of cosmetics that customers may test before purchasing. Moreover, the brightly lit store interior, designed with a princess bedroom decor, adds fun to the experience.

It is visited largely by foreign customers from Japan, Thailand, China and other East Asian countries. To facilitate an easy shopping experience, the shop always has foreign staff available to assist. The most popular items include creams made using snail extract, lipsticks and eye shadows. Etude House also has many sales on facial mask packs, and tax refunds are available.

CMC Confidence (씨엠씨 컨피던스)

17.0Km 2025-10-23

#207, Ra-dong, 14 Eonju-ro 148-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

CMC Confidence combines medicine and tours to offer optimized services. It provides special tour services beyond simple medical services. Instead of simply attracting patients, CMC Confidence provides topping tours where patients can experience treatments while traveling with family and friends. The patient's next medical visit becomes an opportunity for joyful travels, rather than treatments. CMC Confidence offers customers new experiences through specialized services in the Gangnam area of Seoul.

True Sangsa [Tax Refund Shop] (트루상사)

17.0Km 2024-04-18

825, Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

-

Seodaemun Culture & Sports Center Swimming Pool (서대문 문화체육회관 실내수영장)

17.0Km 2024-03-20

39 Baekryeonsa-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Seodaemun Culture & Sports Center Swimming Pool, covering 973 square meters, features a total of seven lanes with both adult and children's pools. The facility provides regular swimming lessons, survival swimming lessons, aqua aerobics, and more. The water quality is maintained using a natural salt electrolysis system. For free swimming, visitors can purchase tickets from the kiosk on the second floor, receive wristbands from the information desk, and enjoy the facility at an affordable cost.

Deoksugung Palace's Daehanmun Gate (덕수궁 대한문)

17.0Km 2025-01-13

99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-771-9951

Located near City Hall station, Daehanmun Gate is the main gate of Deoksugung Palace, one of the princiapl five palaces of Joseon dynasty. The name "Daehan" means wish for eternal prosperity of the Korean Empire. In front of the gate, the Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is held twice daily, along with the reproduction of costumes and style throughout the year.

Jeongdong Culture Night (정동야행)

17.0Km 2025-05-20

99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3396-4625

Jeongdong Culture Night is dedicated to promoting the history and culture of Jeongdong, a neighborhood in Jung-gu, Seoul. The festival programs allow participants to understand how the history is connected to today's culture and offers an opportunity to view Jeongdong's cultural facilities in a different perspective.

Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식) - Area information - Korea travel information