Gyeongbokgung At Night: A Foreigner’s Guide 09.2025 (경복궁 야간관람)

We were lucky enough to visit 경복궁 (Gyeongbokgung) at night and wow was it magical! I’ve been there half a dozen times during the day, but this nighttime experience was really unlike any other. Here’s how we were able to visit and some must-know tips for if you want to visit as well.

This special evening admission to the palace takes place twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. This is separate from the Starlight tours which is a guided experience through the palace.

Line for tickets at the ticket office at 6:45pm

Online tickets tend to sell out in minutes when they open, but every day 300 tickets are set aside for foreigners. In order to secure one of these limited tickets you will need to line up at the 경복궁매표소 Gyeongbokgung Ticket Office near 광화문 Ganghwamun. We visited in September and at 6pm we were the first in line, but by 6:10pm there were at least 30 people behind us. Each person can purchase up to 2 tickets so they do go fast! Ticket sales began at 6:40pm and entrance to the palace started at 7pm. By the time we purchased our ticket there were well over 100 people waiting in line. You will need a passport to prove that you are a foreigner and be sure to bring a credit card because admission is ₩3,000 per person.

To guarantee admission into the palace without waiting in line, you can also rent a hanbok from a nearby shop. You also will not need to pay the admission fee as anyone wearing hanbok can enter for free! This is a great way to guarantee entrance at night without having to wait in line for a ticket. There are dozens of hanbok rental shops around the palace - I recommend one that includes hair accessories in the price of the rental to maximize the value.

Once inside, there will be traditional music playing and it really transports you back to the 조선 Joseon dynasty. Be sure to explore all of the little alleyways and areas that are open to the public. We even sat in a corner for a while and admired the nighttime scenery and took it all in.

Lastly, there will be a procession of “royals” dressed in 한복 hanbok that really completes the feeling of being transported back to the 조선 Joseon dynasty. When we were there, the procession reached the main part of the palace at around 7:45 but I’m not sure if that’s an everyday occurrence or if it is specific to the fall time. Definitely recommend sticking around for it if you have time!

This was a really unique experience that I highly recommend for your next trip to Seoul!