Deoksugung offers night tour program

“Seokjojeon at Night,” an evening tour program at Deoksugung, will operate from May 3 to June 12, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Wednesday.

The 80-minute tours will start at 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The program starts with a stroll around the Joseon-period palace in downtown Seoul, led by a guide offering brief historical explanations.

At Seokjojeon, the first European-style building in the country that was used for diplomatic meetings during King Gojong’s reign, visitors will get to enjoy “Gojong’s tea time” with some snacks at the terrace cafe. 

The refreshments will be followed by a musical performance, “Sontag Hotel,” at the reception room where the king received special guests.

The program was a hit when it launched last year as visitors appreciated the opportunity to enter Seokjojeon in the evening. Normally, the building is open only to daytime viewings and needs to be booked in advance.

Tickets for “Seokjojeon at Night,” priced at 26,000 won per person, go on sale at 2 p.m. Friday online via Interpark. People with disabilities and those 65 and older can book tickets by calling 1544-1555.

Each person is allowed a maximum purchase of two tickets.

Up to 16 people are admitted per tour.

“Seokjojeon at Night” is organized by the CHA’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.

By Kim Hae-yeon (hykim@heraldcorp.com)