Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식)

1.3Km 2025-07-11

99, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-2-737-6444

Deoksugung Palace has held a guard changing ceremony since 1996 after thorough historical research by leading historians. The ceremony, which is held in front of Daehanmun Gate of Deoksugung Palace, is a tradition similar to the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace and offers a rare opportunity to experience royal culture. The royal gate is opened and closed at pre-determined times, and the gatekeepers in charge of guard duty and patrols hold a shift ceremony three times a day.

The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a highly recommended event for tourists. It is held three times a day, with each ceremony following the same procedure and lasts for forty minutes to an hour, and the ceremony is free of charge. There are no ceremonies on Mondays as well as on severely cold or hot days.

As the ceremony begins, the changing of the guards commences replete with traditional musical instruments, and exchanges a password for verification. An eight-minute guard ceremony ensues, followed by a seven-minute change ceremony, and finally a patrol that completes the ceremony. The procedure takes a dramatic turn when 18 guards in six official positions beat a drum and bellow some orders.

The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a great opportunity to experience a rare traditional scene. The guards’ splendid costumes, with their brilliant primary colors, are a pleasure to view. Once the ceremony is over, visitors can take pictures with the gatekeepers.

Samcheong-dong Street (삼청동길)

1.3Km 2025-01-22

107 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

It is said that Samcheong-dong was named from the story about the three "cheong" (Chinese character meaning clean) of the area, namely the mountain, water, and people. Another theory is that the origin of the region's name came from Samcheongjeon Hall where three tablets called "Taecheong," "Sangcheong," and "Okcheong," were set up based on Taoism. Samcheong-dong Street features a mixture of old scenes of hanok buildings with traditional beauty and modern scenes of galleries and cafés, creating a unique atmosphere. Visitors can feel the abundant cultural mood at every corner of the street through the art galleries, museums, antique shops, and quiet pathways.

Arumdaun Nara Dermatology Clinic - Myeongdong (아름다운나라피부과의원 명동점)

1.3Km 2025-11-21

4th Floor, 6 Myeongdong 8na-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Founded in 2000. Our clinic is led by a board-certified dermatologist. One of only 2% of doctors in Korea who are certified dermatology specialists who personally provides all consultations and treatments.

The Museum of Medicine (서울대학교병원의학박물관)

1.3Km 2024-03-18

101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Museum of Medicine is located in the building of the former Daehan Medical Center, the oldest modern hospital in Korea. It is a medical museum that provides a comprehensive view of the development of modern medicine in Korea, the history of medical devices, and the transformation of Seoul National University Hospital. Through permanent and special exhibitions, the museum showcases medical artifacts and documents related to the history of medicine.

Seoul Daehan Hospital (서울 대한의원)

1.4Km 2021-12-23

101, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Daehanuiwon (Daehan Medical Center) is an antique two-story brick building within the grounds of Seoul National University Hospital. It was established under the direct administration of the Uijeongbu (State Council), combining the Gwangjewon (under the Home Ministry), Gyeongseong Medical School and the Korean Red Cross Hospital (under the Royal Household). Built in the Madubong Hill area, this location where Hamchunwon, the outer garden of Changgyeonggung Palace, once stood in 1484 (15th year of King Seongjong), was also once the site of Gyeongmogung Palace, where King Jeongjo enshrined the mortuary tablet of his birth father Crown Prince Sado Seja in 1776 (the year King Jeongjo ascended to the throne).

These places that held importance for the royal family were destroyed as the Japanese built Gyeongseong Empire University in its place. In 1907, with the announcement of the plan to establish Daehan Medical Center, construction began on the main building, seven wards and affiliated buildings. Construction was completed in November 1908.

The Daehan Medical Center opened in Gwangjewon, but upon Japanese colonization in 1910, its name was changed to the Japanese Viceroyalty Hospital. In 1926, it was included as a part of Gyeongseongjeguk University to become a university hospital. Since the liberation of Korea in 1945, it has been a hospital affiliated with Seoul National University.

Doosan Art Center (두산아트센터)

1.4Km 2021-11-01

15, Jong-ro 33-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Doosan Art Center, which opened on October 1, 2007, is structured around three different spaces: The Yonkang Hall, exclusively designed for musical performances, Space 111, a “space for art incubation,” and the Doosan Gallery, built for installations.
The Yongang Hall, a theater with 620-person seating capacity, has specially designed lightings and a world-class audio-visual system to provide a second-to-none sensory experience.
Space 111 can accommodate a broad range of performing arts, from theater and dance to film and music concerts. The Doosan Gallery is open to the public, and art exhibitions and performances here can be enjoyed free of charge.
All three theaters include spacious lobbies with handicapped access, designated seating for parents with infants, and meeting areas. Rest rooms are also available nearby, in order to avoid long queues and long walks during intermission.

Bank of Korea Money Museum (화폐박물관)

1.4Km 2024-03-18

39 Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

This Renaissance-style three-story stone building is the museum of the Bank of Korea. The older Bank of Korea was established as the central bank of the Korean Empire in 1909 and has been designated as a National Historical Site. During the Japanese colonial period, the bank was renamed the Bank of Joseon, and the building was used as the main and head office of the Bank of Korea until 2001. The building has been used as the nation’s Money Museum since June 2001 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Bank of Korea. The museum has 13 exhibition rooms on two floors, with one basement floor and two above-ground floors. It holds special exhibitions of various currency and art collections to provide domestic and foreign visitors with the opportunity to enjoy the history and culture of currency. Visitors can learn about the Bank of Korea and the central banking system, as well as how to identify counterfeit notes and how money is produced and circulated. It is also a good place for children to learn about currencies from around the world. Advance reservations are required, and parking is not available. The museum can easily be reached via subway by getting off at Hoehyeon Station (Seoul Subway Line 4) and exiting through Exit 7.

Harmony Mart Myeong-dong Station Branch (하모니마트 명동역점)

1.4Km 2024-12-23

58 , Myeongdong 10-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Harmony Mart Myeongdong Station Branch is a discount supermarket specializing in Korean products popular with foreign tourists. It’s on the 1st basement floor of the Shinil Building annex, just a minute's walk from Exit 8 of Myeongdong Subway Station, Jungu, Seoul. Shop here for kimchi, seaweed, ginseng products, tea, ramen, handicrafts, daily necessities and souvenirs. English, Chinese, and Japanese are spoken, and payments can be made in yen and yuan. With purchases of KRW 50,000 or more, there’s free delivery to accomodations within a 5km radius.

Reberry Clinic Myeongdong (리베리의원 명동점)

1.4Km 2025-11-28

#201, 2nd Floor & #301, 3rd Floor, 58 Myeongdong 10-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

1. A dedicated medical director is personally assigned to each client, ensuring responsible and individualized care.
2. We go beyond consultation — every session is a professional medical treatment.
3. With our LifeBiz AI-powered 3D analysis camera, we provide an objective and precise facial assessment.
4. Our treatments are guided by a scientific skin-type classification system for accurate and tailored results.
5. Through 3D facial analysis, pigmentation diagnosis, and skin-type classification, we design a fully customized treatment pathway.
6. At Libery Clinic Aesthetic, we offer not only advanced medical procedures, but also warm décolleté and therapeutic massage care for a holistic experience.

STAY dayoff (스테이 데이 오프)

1.4Km 2024-12-23

6 , Jahamun-ro 1da-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Stay Day Off is a hanok stay just off Jahamun-no - known locally as ‘Food Street’ - in Seochon Village to the west of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. It’s a 5-minute walk from Gyeongbokgung Station on Subway Line 3, so transport access is good. The main building comprises two bedrooms with queen-size bed, a living room and kitchen, and two bathrooms. The annex building is rather special: it has a bath and sauna behind a window wall with a fine view of the hanok garden. There’s a 10% discount for guests staying more than two nights during the week.

Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식) - Area information - Korea travel information