Royal Culture Festival to kick off Saturday

The seventh Royal Culture Festival will begin Saturday in Seoul and bring a variety of cultural experiences both to online and offline spaces. The theme is relaxation.

The annual festival will run through May 9 at Seoul’s five royal palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Gyeonghuigung and Deoksugung -- as well as the shrine Jongmyo and the altar Sajikdan.

The 23 on-site events will include “Cinema in Palace” at Gyeongbokgung, “Self-Discovery Time” at Changgyeonggung and “Refresh Zone” at Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung. Visitors can relax by drinking tea, listening to nature, strolling around the palaces and taking naps.

A play titled “Time Travel: The Day -- Story of Jeongjo, Peach Blossom: It’s Sad to Think” will be staged at Changgyeonggung for three days and livestreamed May 3 through the festival’s YouTube channel (https://bit.ly/3dNPJ7e). The action centers on three figures from the Joseon Kingdom: King Yeongjo (1694-1776), Crown Prince Sado (1735-1762) and King Jeongjo (1752-1800).

For “Cinema in Palace,” three historical films will be screened at night from Friday to Sunday at Heungbokjeon within Gyeongbokgung: “Prince Yeonsan,” “The Fatal Encounter” and “Forbidden Dream.” Ahead of each screening, there will be a talk where experts explain the historical background of the movie.

The festival’s eight online programs will be unveiled throughout the year on its YouTube channel, starting Saturday. They include “Palaces Beloved by Artists,” which involves tours of the royal palaces with artists, entertainers and leading cultural figures.

Some of the on-site events require advance registration, starting Monday at 2 p.m. on the festival’s official website, www.royalculturefestival.org.

The festival, organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration, has attracted 3.8 million visitors since its inception in 2015.

By Park Yuna (yunapark@heraldcorp.com)