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As the Lunar New Year holiday approaches, Korea's major palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and royal tombs will be open to tourists.
The Cultural Heritage Administration's Palaces and Tombs Office has announced that from January 28 to January 30, four major palaces—Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, and Changgyeonggung—along with Jongmyo Shrine and the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, will be open to the public free of charge.
Jongmyo Shrine, which typically operates on a reservation-only basis, will allow visitors to enter freely during the holiday period. However, Changdeokgung Palace's Secret Garden, which has restricted access, is not included in the free admission offer.
Visitors to Gyeongbokgung Palace during the holiday can receive a special gift to celebrate the New Year and wish for good fortune.
From January 28 to January 30, the Palaces and Tombs Office, in collaboration with the Korea National Heritage Promotion Agency, will host a special event titled "Welcoming the Year of the Wood Snake 2025: Sharing New Year's Minhwa Paintings" at the Heungnyemun Gate Square of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Minhwa (folk paintings) called "Sehwa", traditionally believed to ward off misfortune such as illness or disaster and bring good fortune throughout the year, will be distributed. This tradition dates back to the Joseon Dynasty when kings gifted such paintings to their officials during the New Year, which later became a popular custom among the general public.
This year, the Sehwa paintings feature a royal gatekeeper and cats, illustrated by Song Yoo-young, a renowned artist known for folk paintings of cats. The theme of the painting is "A royal gatekeeper holding a flag depicting a blue snake, standing confidently alongside cats."
A total of 6,000 Sehwa prints (1,000 per session) will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis after the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony, which takes place daily at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Distribution times are at 10:20 AM and 2:20 PM, immediately following the ceremonies.
The Sehwa paintings can also be downloaded from the official website of the Korea National Heritage Promotion Agency (www.kh.or.kr) or via QR codes available at the event venue.
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