For decades, Seoul has been Korea's foundation and capital city. There are several royal palaces throughout the city and the one we're going to talk about today is Deoksugung Palace. Deoksugung Palace was mainly used during the Joseon monarchy until the annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910. It is relatively new compared to the Gyeongbokgung Palace and has more modern architecture. The palace has a sad story, which you can learn all about in this guided tour of the palace.

Deoksugung Palace Tour

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Information

Hours: Wed-Sun; Morning Tour: 09:30-11:30 (Meeting Time: 09:20); Night Tour: 18:30-20:30 (Meeting Time: 18:20)

Route: Gwanghwamun > Heungnyemun > Geunjeongmun > Geunjeongjeon > Sajeongjeon > Gangnyeongjeon > Gyotaejeon > Amisan > Gyeonghoeru > Sujeongjeon

Tour Duration: Approximately 2 hours

Tour Participants: 2-20 people (The tour is subject to cancellation if the minimum required number of participants is not met.)

Why We Recommend It

Deoksugung Palace is a completely different vibe during the day and at night. 

The palace has a sad but important history and is a significant part of Korean Modern History.

The palace is unique from Gyeongbukgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and more because of its western influence. 

Things to Keep In Mind

Included: Deoksugung Palace Admission Ticket, English Guide

Excluded: Meals, Personal Expenses, Travel Insurance

Morning Tour: 09:30-11:30 (Meeting Time: 09:20)

Night Tour: 18:30-20:30 (Meeting Time: 18:20)

Meeting Point: City Hall Station Exit 3

Cancellations 3 days prior to the departure: Full Refund; Cancellations 2 days prior to the departure: No Refund; No-show: No Refund

This tour requires a lot of walking. We recommend wearing comfortable clothes and shoes. 

This is not a private tour; you'll be joined by multiple participants.

Children under the age of 4 are free of charge. Please bring a passport for age verification.

Joining the tour midway through the schedule is not possible.

Pets are not permitted on the tour, and no waiting area is available for them.

During the tour, recording lectures or filming is not allowed due to intellectual property rights.

The tour will proceed as scheduled even in case of rain, and cancellations due to weather conditions are non-refundable.

Cancellations and refunds due to natural disasters are not possible, but it is possible to change the date of your reservation.

If the tour is cancelled due to the operator's circumstances, you will be notified by the Customer Service team 1-2 days in advance.

If you have any questions, please contact help@creatrip.com.

Price

How to Reserve

Preview

Deoksugung Palace has served as the royal palace for 13 years. The palace tells a sad story of the end of a 500-year-long history of the Joseon Monarchy and the start of the Korean Empire. The sad story of King Gojong and how his reign was taken away from him lives on in the Deoksugung Palace. 

Daehanmun

Daehanmun is the first gate that takes you into Deoksugung Palace. The name used to be Daeanmun, which had the meaning of 'A peaceful country and its peaceful people'. The tour will start here.

Junghwamun and Junghwajeon

Junghwamun is the entrance you pass by to get to Junghwajeon. Junghwa(中和) means 'a balanced spirit'. Out of all the gates in Deoksugung Palace, Junghwamun has the biggest pillars and is the largest so it is known as the most significant gate. 

Junghwajeon was used as the palace's main building and held royal meetings. Out of the 5 Joseon palaces, Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Gyeonghuigung, Deoksugung shows a different style of rule without the Joseon ways as it was the only palace built in the 20th century.

Seokjojeon

Deoksugung Palace's main characteristic is that it has a lot of western influence in its architecture. Seokjojeon is where the influence is visible mostly in the palace. The building is built with a modern architectural structure, which originated in the West. It was built as a space for the role and office of the palace, but it is used only as an office and an audience room, and the original shape has been damaged over time.

The original building was damaged in 1930 and was restored in 2009, and opened in 2014 as the Seokjojeon Daehan Empire Historical Museum. There are exhibitions available for viewings about the politics of the Korean Empire, artifact exhibitions, and many more.

Junmyeongdang and Jeukjodang

The Junmyeong in Junmyeongdang stands for 'clear and bright governance'. Junmyeongdang is where King Gojong met his foreign envoys and was used as the bedroom of King Gojong before Hamnyeongjeon was built.

Jeukjodang is where King Gwanghaegun and King Injo succeeded the throne. After King Gojong returned to Deoksugung Palace, Jeukjodang was used as the main hall. 

Seokuhdang 

Seokuhdang is a pavilion located inside the palace. It was also temporarily used as a residential building for King Seonjo, and the name Seokuhdang actually means 'former King's home'. Seokuhdang does not have the colorful decorative painting that other historical buildings have and is 2 stories high.

Hamnyeongjeon

Hamhyeongjeon was the living and sleeping quarters of King Gojong. This is also where King Gojong died. King Gojong's death motivated the March 1st Independence Movement of the people of Korea who were under the rule of Imperial Japanese Army. 

Jeonggwanheon

Jeonggwanheon has a mixture of a traditional Korean roof and western pillars. According to the records, King Gojong and King Sunjong's portraits were created and stored here. The guide will tell you all about King Gojong's sad, last moments.

Deoksugung Palace is unique from the other palaces in Seoul, so we highly recommend visiting and comparing the differences! The palace also has a sad story which you can learn more about in this guided tour. Book your tour now to hear the last moments of the Korean Empire!

Deoksugung Palace Tour

Reserve Here

We hope that you can enjoy a guided tour of Deoksugung Palace! If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below or send us an email at help@creatrip.com! You can follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook to stay updated on all things Korea!