Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식)

4.2Km 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.

Janggeumi Jeonjip (장금이전집)

4.2Km 2021-03-20

147-9, Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-771-5279

As a place well-known among not only Koreans but also foreigners, it sells a variety of Korean dishes. The best menu at this restaurant is stir-fried seafood. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Homilbat (호밀밭)

4.2Km 2021-03-30

43, Sinchonnyeok-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
+82-2-392-5345

You can enjoy Korea’s signature summer staple Patbingsu (shaved ice with sweet red beans). This cafe is located in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. The most famous menu is shaved ice with red bean topping.

Olive Young - Myeongdong Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (올리브영 명동점)

4.2Km 2024-06-26

14, Myeongdong 8-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

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Harmonymart Myeong-dong

4.2Km 2021-04-08

B1, Gyeongdo Bldg, 21-7, Myeongdong 8-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-10-6365-2203

Harmony Mart is a discount mart that sells various food products and everyday items. The Myeong-dong Branch in Seoul stands out among the branches of the mart throughout the country in terms of sales and service items due to its geographical characteristics. Mainly Asian tourists from China, Japan, etc. do their shopping in the store for tax exemption later. Famous items are REAL BROWNIE, CHAM BUNGEOBBANG, BUTTER WAFFLE, and other snacks. A lot of tourists visit the “Global Tax Free” around Myeongdong Station since it provides a tax refund service for foreigners. For the convenience of tourists, the store staffs, who are native speakers, communicate with foreign tourists and the store also provides EMS (Express Mail Service).

Myeongdongjeong Royal Cuisine Restaurant (명동정)

4.2Km 2024-03-12

1F, 299, Samil-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3789-5132

Located on Myeongdong Street, Myeongdongjeong Royal Cuisine Restaurant serves Korean traditional dishes. They offer Korean traditional dishes that were once prepared for Korean royalty and nobility, using premium ingredients such as blue crab, abalone, beef, shrimp, and pumpkin. Their Korean table d'hote menus feature youngran sang (weekday lunch special), myeongdong jeongsik (bulgogi and other traditional dishes), gwibin sang (abalone & beef rib stew with traditional various dishes), and haesin sang (high-quality seafood dishes). With various rooms and halls, the venue also has space for organizing simple parties.

Chowonui jip (초원의집)

4.2Km 2021-03-24

299, Samil-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3789-5666

It is a Korean food specialty store that has been around for over 15 years now. This restaurant's signature menu is soy sauce marinated crab. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Nature Collection - Sinchon Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (네이처컬렉션 신촌)

4.2Km 2024-04-18

14, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

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Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골한옥마을)

4.2Km 2025-07-14

28 Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Namsangol Hanok Village opened in 1998 on the northern side of Namsan Mountain in the center of the capital. This village has five restored hanok (traditional Korean house) premises, a pavilion, a traditional garden, a performance art stage, and a time capsule plaza, making it a perfect spot for locals and tourists to take a leisure walk. Upon entering from the front gate, visitors will get a taste of Korea's traditional life while escaping from bustling city life. The traditional garden with its pavilion and old houses creates a peaceful ambiance before the forested Namsan Mountain. A time capsule commemorating Seoul’s 600th anniversary was buried in 1994 at the highest point of the village and is scheduled to be reopened 400 years later in 2394.

The five hanok premises at Namsangol Hanok Village once belonged to aristocrats and government officials of the Joseon dynasty. Each house was originally located in a different neighborhood, but they were all moved to this area and restored to their original form. The houses were rebuilt using their original materials, except for one house, where the materials were too old and deteriorated to be reused. The premises were carefully restored and replicated according to their original form to depict the owners’ social class and personality. These buildings are now used as an exhibit to portray the living environment during the Joseon dynasty and as a venue for educational and cultural programs for children and tourists.

Some of the unique programs and activities to participate in include wearing hanbok, folding hanji (traditional Korean paper), writing in Korean, traditional tea ceremony, traditional etiquette school, and herbal medicine experience. There are also taekwondo demonstrations and other various performances held around the village. Visitors can also try traditional games such as yunnori (traditional board game), or understand more about the area through a guided tour.

Choegojip Sutbul Dakgalbi Jeonmunjeom(최고집숯불닭갈비전문점)

4.2Km 2021-04-14

21-7, Myeongdong 8-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3789-3334

It is a place where you can enjoy a variety of toppings for Dakgalbi (Spicy Stir-fried Chicken) that is popular in Korea. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jung-gu, Seoul. The most famous menu is spicy stir-fried chicken.

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