Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식)

7.1Km 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.

Gongpyeongdong Kkomjangeo (공평동꼼장어)

7.1Km 2021-03-26

29, Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-738-1769

It is a place where you can eat in the atmosphere of a cart bar that is often featured in Korean dramas. The best menu at this restaurant is grilled sea eel. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Jeongdong Observatory (정동전망대)

7.1Km 2022-08-11

15, Deoksugung-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-120

Jeongdong Observatory is located on the 13th floor of Seoul City Hall Seosomun building. The observatory has a cafe inside where visitors can enjoy a drink while gazing upon the magnificent view of Deoksugung Palace from above. In addition, the walls of the cafe are decorated with photos of old Jeongdong.

Moonguesthouse(문게스트하우스)

7.1Km 2024-06-20

31-18, Samil-daero 32-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-745-8008, +82-10-8704-9981

The Moon Guesthouse is situated near a number of interesting tourist destinations including Unhyeongung Palace (3min on foot), Bukchon Hanok Village (5min on foot), Changdeokgung Palace (5min on foot), and Changgyeonggung Palace (10min on foot). The guesthouse was named ‘moon’ (‘door’ in English) because it has many 176 doors and windows. Upon entering by the gate, visitors will see a ‘ㄷ’-shaped hanok building in the courtyard, in which a wooden bedstead and a table are placed. On the opposite of the hanok building there is a wall roofed with tiles engraved with Korean patterns such as deer, pine, turtle, etc. Flowers in the flowerbed lined up along the wall are in bloom and the bonsai are also well-kept in the house. Renovated and opened as a guesthouse in September 2011, Moon Guesthouse consists of a bonchae (main building) and a byeolchae (detached house). The rooms are decorated with red clay and hanji (traditional Korean paper handmade from mulberry trees), and have under-the-floor heating (ondol). Each room is equipped with an air-conditioner, and has a 40cm-thick layer of red clay over the ceiling for insulation, making the rooms cool in summer and warm in winter. The house has seven individual guestrooms and five modern bathrooms, but the entire building (bonchae or byeolchae) can be rented, too. In particular, the unhyeondang of the bonchae is very popular as it can be converted into one large space for special events, group workshops, etc. simply by opening all the sliding doors (Bunhapmun – Goryeo construction style). This room, which is decorated with a flower-patterned windscreen, a landscape painting, and calligraphy, has been used as a shooting location for various TV programs including KBS2’s TV reality program Man’s Qualification and its variety show The Human Condition. The guestrooms are also equipped with traditional furniture including a cabinet inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The guesthouse also provides a variety of experience programs from 11am to 3pm, including tea ceremony, wearing Hanbok (traditional Korean clothes), making kimchi and gochujang (red chili paste), playing a traditional musical instrument, making a rubbing of a stone inscription, calligraphy, drawing orchids on a fan, and so on. The house has about seventy hanbok and other clothing accessories, as well as a royal costume. Its calligraphy and drawing orchid programs are run directly by the owner, who used to work as a classical Chinese teacher at a high school.

Gyeongbarwon (경발원)

7.1Km 2021-03-26

34, Mangu-ro 21-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2244-2616

It is a Chinese-run store. This Chinese (cuisine) restaurant is located in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. The most famous menu is sweet and sour chicken.

Bourhill Esthetic (부르힐에스테틱)

7.2Km 2017-07-21

39-5, Daemyeong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-765-3374

Bourhill Esthetic (est. 2005) is a professional beauty shop located in Daehangno, Seoul. Nationally recognized, certified professional therapists offer hand care, foot care, skin care, and body care treatments. The shop uses only high-end international cosmetic brand products, 80% of which are from aroma therapy lines.

Sadongmyeonok (사동면옥)

7.2Km 2021-12-17

9, Insadong, 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-735-7393

A store with over 35 years’ experience that sells Hwanghaedo-style dumplings. The best menu at this restaurant is dumpling hot pot. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Sookmyung Women's University Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum (숙명여자대학교 정영양자수박물관 (서울))

7.2Km 2019-11-15

100, Cheongpa-ro 47-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
+82-2-710-9134

Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum was founded in May 2004 to enhance public awareness and appreciation of embroidery art with ample facilities including exhibition hall, library, conservation center, learning center, embroidery study room, education and research rooms. The museum emphasizes on the variety of textiles and embroidery and also features collections from various Northeast Asian countries. The Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum stresses the importance of embroidery as an evolving form of art through changes in technology, social and cultural environment. In addition, the learning center also aims to become a learning center for scholarship in embroidery and other textile arts that can be appreciated by a wide audience.

Samwon Ilsik (삼원일식)

7.2Km 2021-03-19

32, Mugyo-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-777-3680

This is a Japanese cuisine located in Cheonggyecheon Stream, Seoul. This restaurant is one of Mugyo-dong's best kept secrets. The best menu at this restaurant is codfish stew.

Olive Young - Kyung Hee Univ. Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (올리브영 경희대)

7.2Km 2024-04-18

2, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul

-

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