Night Banquet at Changgyeong Palace
Changgyeonggung Yayeon—”Night Banquet at Changgyeong Palace”—is a family-friendly nighttime royal banquet program that reinterprets the feast Crown Prince Hyomyeong prepared for his father, King Sunjo. The original banquet reflected profound filial piety, and this modern adaptation lets participants enter that world as civil and military officials or as ladies of the outer court of the Joseon dynasty. Dressed in royal attire, guests enjoy royal confections with accompanying family members, watch traditional performances, and take part in traditional experience programs.
🗓️ 2026 schedule
The 2026 program runs for a total of 20 days across two periods:
- First half: May 7 (Thu) – May 17 (Sun)
- Second half: September 24 (Thu) – October 4 (Sun)
The event is not held on September 28 (Mon), when Changgyeonggung is closed. The dates include Parents’ Day and the Chuseok holiday, offering a fitting occasion for a family stroll through the palace at night.
📍 Location: 185 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Waryong-dong)
Participation options
1. Paid participants
Paid participants attend the royal nightly banquet as officials or ladies of the outer court. The program includes:
- Watching royal banquet performances
- Wearing royal attire and receiving makeup
- Royal confection experience
- Filial piety (孝) experience
- Individual and family photography
2. Accompanying family
Accompanying family members join the banquet and experience programs with paid participants. This includes:
- Watching royal banquet performances
- Royal confection experience
- Writing letters to parents
- Filial piety (孝) experience
- Family photo and video filming
3. On-site visitors (free)
On-site visitors can watch a modern reenactment of the Joseon dynasty royal banquet and join side events. This includes:
- Watching royal banquet performances (first-come, first-served; limited seating)
- Using select filial piety (孝) experiences and photo zones
💰 Fee: Paid / Free (some experiences and performance viewing)
🛏️ Accommodation near the event
Contact and information
📞 Inquiry: 1522-2295
⭐️ Instagram: Instagram
🖥️ Homepage: Homepage
Changgyeong Palace is one of the Five Grand Palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) in Seoul. It was constructed in 1483 by King Seongjong as a residence for royal women—queens, dowagers, concubines, and princesses—who lived within the complex. The palace shares a boundary wall with Changdeokgung, but it has a different function and feel. It is smaller, more garden-oriented, and designed around the daily life of the court rather than public ceremony.
The palace has been damaged and rebuilt several times. It was burned during the Japanese invasions of Korea in the 1590s and rebuilt in the early seventeenth century. During the Japanese colonial period (1910–1945), large parts of the grounds were converted into a zoo, botanical garden, and museum. These facilities were later removed, and restoration efforts have since returned the compound to its Joseon layout. Today it is a protected historic site and one of the less crowded royal palaces in Seoul.
Visitors enter through Honghwa Gate, the palace’s main gate, and cross Okcheongyo Bridge, a stone bridge over a narrow waterway. The main throne hall, Myeongjeongjeon, is among the oldest surviving palace buildings in Seoul, and its raised stone platform and double-eaved roof are good examples of early Joseon architecture. The grounds also include a greenhouse, a lotus pond, and shaded paths through the rear garden.
Evening visits are available during certain seasons. The palace is lit after dark, with fixtures positioned along the pavilion eaves and beside the water. The effect is clear and restrained: the buildings remain visible, the paths are walkable, and the site is quiet. It is also a practical place for families, since the grounds are open and the main paths are flat. For visitors who want a Joseon palace without the crowds of Gyeongbokgung, Changgyeong Palace offers a direct and manageable alternative.
