Gyeongbokgung Palace hosts Royal Culture Academy from 7 November
Published on 10/18/2026 at 01:18 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Royal Culture Academy will bring four Saturday lectures to Heungbokjeon in Seoul from 7 to 28 November 2026. The palace management office announced the programme on 12 October, with sessions devoted to vanished palace spaces, East Asian incense burners and Joseon royal rituals.
Royal Culture Academy brings four lectures to Heungbokjeon
The academy will meet on 7, 14, 21 and 28 November 2026 in Heungbokjeon, a hall within the palace grounds. The move of the royal culture lectures to Saturdays was announced by the Gyeongbokgung Palace Management Office, part of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, with the stated aim of encouraging wider public participation. The four Saturday sessions form one programme rather than four unrelated talks.
Writer Lee Manhee opens the series on 7 November 2026. Drawing on historical material including the Bukgwoldohyeong, an architectural plan of the northern palace, the session will examine spaces within the complex that no longer exist. On 14 November, Lee Yongjin will introduce East Asian incense burners and their place in Korean traditions.
Jang Kyunghee leads the 21 November 2026 session, comparing incense burners in the main halls of Gyeongbokgung Palace and Deoksugung Palace. Dr Ha Sumin closes the programme on 28 November with a discussion of the types of incense used in Joseon royal ceremonies and how those materials were obtained.
Heungbokjeon links a restored hall with royal ritual
The programme places current heritage interpretation inside Heungbokjeon, whose recent dancheong decoration is part of the setting for the lectures. Its themes also connect the hall to Geunjeongjeon, the palace's principal throne hall, where the later sessions will examine the history and reconstruction of royal incense burners. The programme therefore links a newly prepared lecture venue with objects and practices associated with the wider palace.
Gyeongbokgung Palace was established in 1395 as the primary palace of the Joseon dynasty. It was destroyed during the Japanese invasion in 1592 and restored in 1867, while a broader restoration programme began in the 1990s. The official palace history records the restoration of Heungbokjeon among work carried out between 2001 and 2021.
The lectures give that long reconstruction story a specific November focus. Rather than presenting the palace only through surviving gates and halls, the opening talk addresses lost spaces, while the remaining sessions use incense burners to explore ceremonial life and the material history of the royal court.
Visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Royal Culture Academy takes place on 7, 14, 21 and 28 November 2026 at Heungbokjeon inside Gyeongbokgung Palace.
- The programme concerns the palace itself, but the four lectures are held in the named Heungbokjeon hall rather than across the whole complex.
- Gyeongbokgung Palace is in central Seoul, at 161 Sajik-ro in Jongno-gu. Gwanghwamun Station on Subway Line 5 and Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 serve the palace area.
- The grounds include historic gates, halls and pavilions, so visitors should expect walking across a large heritage complex and uneven outdoor surfaces.
- The official language is Korean and the national currency is the South Korean won.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Gyeongbokgung Palace
When does the Royal Culture Academy take place at Gyeongbokgung Palace?
The academy runs on 7, 14, 21 and 28 November 2026 at Heungbokjeon.
What is Gyeongbokgung Palace?
It is the primary palace of the Joseon dynasty, established in 1395 and restored in 1867 after its destruction in 1592.
Where is Gyeongbokgung Palace and how do you get there?
The palace is at 161 Sajik-ro in Jongno-gu, Seoul, near Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5 and Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3.
