Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식)

5.7Km 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.

Seoul Hiking Tourism Center - Bugaksan Branch (서울도심등산관광센터(북악산))

5.7Km 2024-03-05

88 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Bugaksan branch of Seoul Hiking Tourism Center is located on Samcheong-dong Culture Street and provides various services to hikers. It provides hiking course guidance and information (available in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese) about the mountains of Seoul, including Bukhansan, Bugaksan, and Inwangsan Mountains, as well as promotional materials such as Seoul hiking tourism guidebooks and maps. Also, it operates hiking tour programs with various themes every week for foreigners and offers hiking gear rental services such as hiking boots, hiking attire, trekking poles, gloves, and crampons for foreigners. (Koreans accompanied by foreigners can also rent the gear.) In addition, there is a storage locker and lounge for visitors, so they can pack up and rest before hiking.

Dal Café (달 카페)

5.7Km 2024-03-18

94-1 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-735-7355

Dal Café is a café located in Bukchon Hanok Village, housed within a traditional Korean hanok. "Dal" means "moon" in Korean. The café is designed with lighting fixtures that give the impression of the moon hanging on the wall, making it a perfect spot for photography. The signature menu item here is the traditional Korean shaved ice with topping served in a traditional pot.

Olive Young - Yeomchang Station Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (올리브영 염창역)

5.7Km 2024-04-22

#102, and #103, 637, Gonghang-daero, Gangseo-gu, Seoul

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World Jewellery Museum (세계장신구박물관)

5.7Km 2023-09-21

2, Bukchon-ro 5na-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-730-1610

Situated in the gallery district in the back alley of Samcheong-dong (east of Gyeongbokgung Palace), the World Jewellery Museum houses 3,000 jewelry pieces from 60 countries, which have been collected over 30 years. Of which, 1,000 have been selected for display. The first floor contains an Amber Wall that goes back as far as 50 million years, the Golden Hall (El Dorado), the Necklace Hall, and the solemn Alter of the Cross. The second floor holds a mask wall, rings, beads and ivory as well as modern jewelry.

Olive Young - Gongdeok Station Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (올리브영 공덕역)

5.7Km 2024-04-16

1F, 199, Baekbeom-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul

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Songhyeon Green Plaza (열린송현 녹지광장)

5.7Km 2025-11-11

Songhyeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Songhyeon Green Plaza, located between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jongno, is a space for culture and rest. The site was formerly used as housing for Shiksan Bank during Japanese rule. After Korea’s liberation, it served as a residence for the US Embassy and military personnel. Later in 1997, it was returned to the Korean government but remained unused for years. In 2022, the ownership was transferred to the Korean House and Land Corporation and then to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which redeveloped it into a green plaza and opened it to the public. Upon entering the plaza, visitors are greeted by a spacious lawn adorned with flowers during the blooming season. The plaza is connected to the nearby tourist attractions through shortcuts cutting through it, including Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House), Gwanghwamun Plaza, Insa-dong, and Bukchon Hanok Village.

Frisbee - Gwanghwamun Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (FR광화문점(금강 프리스비))

5.7Km 2024-04-16

1F, 8, Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

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Jinju Hoegwan (진주회관)

5.7Km 2024-06-19

26 Sejong-daero 11-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-753-5388

Jinju Hoegwan is a renowned kongguksu (noodles in cold soybean soup) eatery near City Hall Station. Kongguksu is a traditional Korean summer dish made by boiling and grinding soybeans into a creamy broth, served with noodles, offering a refreshing and nutty flavor. Kongguksu is available from March to November. Their staff-recommended menu includes kimchi bokkeumbap (kimchi fried rice), freshly roasted by the staff, along with kimchi jjigae and samgyeopsal (pork belly).

Hanboknam (한복남)

5.7Km 2021-01-27

17, Bukchon-ro 5ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-10-6485-8507

Started in Jeonju in 2012, Hanboknam strived to promote the beauty of hanbok, earning recognition by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2015. Following this, Hanboknam opened a hanbok exhibition and rental shop in the Bukchon area of Seoul in 2016. The shop provides customers with numerous styles of hanbok, from royalty to beggars. The rental shop also offers various accessories to pair with the different hanbok for a complete look.

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