Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Cultural Heritage Administration, Royal Culture Festival Organizing Committee / Dae Han Imperial House Korea's beautiful palaces and the royal culture they present have great value as precious tangible and intangible heritages. The Royal Culture festival is held at the Four Royal Palaces and Jongmyo Shrine, allowing visitors to get first-hand knowledge of their value. Each of the five venues will have unique performances, exhibitions, experiences and programs set within the individual traits of the palaces and Jongmyo Shrine. The palaces and Jongmyo Shrine, which have kept their place forhundreds of years, will be hosting the Royal Culture Festival for ten daysfrom April 28 to May 7. Marking its third anniversary, the Royal PalaceFestival is a cultural heritage festival that reinterprets the court cultureand historical background of each palace. Different performances,exhibitions, programs and ceremonies will be taking place inGyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, ChanggyeonggungPalace, Deoksugung Palace, Jongmyo Shrine. It will be an opportunityfor people to get more involved in the festival. Programs [Gyeongbokgung, Encounter with Kings] - Opening ceremony - Photo Exhibition on Hanbok - Nighttime Concerts at Gyeonghoeru Pavilion - Royal Music Performance - Royal Kitchen Experience ‘A Taste of Royal Cuisine’ - Promenade of the King - Royal Library of the King - Media Facade Show at Heungnyemun Gate - Dae Han Imperial Culture Exhibition  - Intangible Heritage Performances - Royal Culture Experience             [Changdeokgung, Encounter with Nature]   - Nighttime Promenade at Changdeokgung Palace - Exhibition of Royal Poets and Palace Photos - Experience of Royal Pharmacy     [Changgyeonggung, Encounter with Everyday Royal Life] - King Yeongjo and Changgyeonggung Palace - One-Day Time Travel to 1750 - Nighttime Royal Music Performance - Outdoor Royal Theatre Performance       [Deoksugung, Encounter with Modernity]   - Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance - The Daehan Empire and Coffee - The Korean Empire Concert - Diplomatic Reception for Envoys to the Korean Empire   [Jongmyo, Encounter with Ritual] - Royal Ancestral Ritual at Jongmyo Shrine - Myohyeollye Ritual at Jongmyo Shrine - Nighttime Royal Ancestral Ritual Music at Jongmyo Shrine - Experience Hall       Today we meet the palace of yesterday The opening ceremony of ‘The 3rd ROYAL CULTURE FESTIVAL 2017’ "TODAY, WE MEET THE PALACE" is the start of the festival. A Festival that will infuse new life to the palace which has contained the time of the past and the present and a historical and cultural presence.   The 3rd ROYAL CULTURE FESTIVAL 2017 Special Event We meet the Korean Empire! In 1897, King Gojong became an emperor and proclaimed the establishment of the Korean Empire in order to widely express the independence of Joseon. In celebration of the 120th anniversary of the declaration of the Korean Empire, in 2017 we made an opportunity to experience its time   ​   ​   Today we meet the palace of yesterday At the Gyeongbokgung Palace, starting with the opening ceremony, ‘Gyeonghoeru Pavilion Nighttime Concert’ will be held in the spring evening, ‘A Taste of Royal Cuisine’ will let you taste royal cuisine culture and ‘Hanbok Photo Exhibition’ will show the beauty of Hanbok. At the Changdeokgung Palace, ‘Botanical Tour with Donggwoldo’ will help explore nature and ‘The Royal Medicine’ will give you a glimpse of Korean traditional medicine. At the Changgyeonggung Palace, ‘Time Travel to 1750’ will take you back to 1750 and show the royal daily life and ‘Outdoor Historical Drama’ will perform a realistic depiction of the era. At the Jongmyo Shrine, ‘Royal Ancestral Ritual’ will be held with other related music performances. On the 120th anniversary of the declaration of the Korean Empire, at the Deoksugung Palace, ‘Declaration of the Korean Empire’ will contain the dream Emperor Gojong had in mind along with ‘Diplomatic Reception for Envoys’ and coffee Emperor Gojong enjoyed.     • Further information will be posted on the Cultural Heritage Administration, Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation and Royal Culture Festival. Visit our website for more information Royal Culture Festival website : www.royalculturefestival.org Royal Culture Festival Facebook : www.facebook.com/royalculturefestival Cultural Heritage Administration website : www.cha.go.kr Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation website : www.chf.or.kr •For more info : http://www.royalculturefestival.org/info/guide


Seoul(Yeongdeungpo-gu) , Yeouido・Yeongdeungpo・Mapo

Located on the first floor of Times Square near Yeongdeungpo Station, Namu Gneul (Rest with Book & Coffee) is a book café and art gallery where visitors can tour the gallery or just sit back and relax with a book and coffee or tea. Tea and bread can be refilled free of charge, so visitors can stay as long as they like. The café is directly connected with the Shinsegae Department Store and surrounded by a nice park perfect for taking walks. If you need a break from shopping while at the Times Square Mall, slip away to the solace of Namu Gneul.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Yetchatjip is a famous teahouse that has also been used as a movie filming set. It is a great place to stop by for a cup of natural traditional Korean tea, or the traditional summer treat patbingsu, made with the old way with shaved ice and homemade red bean topping.


Incheon(Jung-gu) , Incheon Center


Jeju-do(Seogwipo-si) , Seogwipo

Situated amongst the 99 traditional Korean buildings in the Jungmun Resort Complex, Jeju Mawon (제주 마원)specializes in horsemeat: perfect for those with a more daring palate.In addition to the main dining room in the central building, the restaurant has a garden and other outdoor facilities for banquets and other special occasions.


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Andong-si)

Hahoe Mask Museum is located in Andong Hahoe Village, which is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Important Folklore Material No. 122. Hahoe Village is a representative traditional Korean folk town and is the home of the Hahoe Mask (National Treasure No. 121) and the Byeolsin Gut Mask Dance (Important Intangible Cultural Properties No. 69). The museum not only displays Hahoe masks, but also other traditional masks from all over the world. The museum consists of a 1-story main building, a two-story annex building, an outdoor event garden, and a research room. The research room houses a wide range of books, documents, and video-audio materials related to masks. At the museum, you’ll encounter time-honored Korean masks that have long since been used in a variety of traditional mask dances. Masks include Bongsan, Gangnyeong, and Eunnyul masks from Hwanghae-do province; Sandaenori masks (Yeongju Byeolsandae and Songpa Sandaenori) from Seoul; Yaryu (Dongrae Yaryu, and Suyeong Yaryu masks) and Ogwangdae (Goseong Ogwangdae, Gasan Ogwangdae, Tongyeong Ogwangdae masks) from the Yeongnam region; Hahoe masks from Andong; Yeonghae Byeolsin Gut masks; Yeonggwang Nongakjapsaek masks; Yecheon Cheongdan Noreum masks; the Gangneung Gwanno Mask of the Gangneung Dano Festival; the Deotboegi mask of Namsadang nori; and Cheoyong, Bangsangssi ceremonial masks.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Daehangno・Seongbukdong

The main feature of Dongsoong Arts Center is that it accepts various cultural genres. Movies, plays, dances and traditional Korean music (Gukak) that are artistic and experimental are mainly held here. The main facilities are the Dongsoong Hall, the Studio Theater, Hypertheque NADA, etc. Dongsoong Hall is a performance theater where you can watch performances such as plays, dances, and concerts. Located on the B1 floor of the art center, it has a capacity of 450 people on the 1st and 2nd floor balcony. The Studio Theater is on the 5th floor. It boasts a stage set that can be easily changed to fit the performance features. There are 150 seats in the small theater. The most eye-catching facility at Dongsoong Art Center is the Hypertheque NADA, which is on the 1st floor. Its name means 'the theater of the audience.' Here you can spend the night watching various movies that are bizarre. In this theater you can find 147 names of celebrities on the seats. You'll be able to sit in a chair with a celebrity's name written on it. At the Hypertheque Character Shop you will find the 'NADA' character and various movie character products. After browsing around the shop, you can go to the cafe for tea and snacks. There you can relax in the tranquil space and cultural atmosphere of the art center.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Located in the heart of Seoul, Changgyeonggung Palace was first built by the 4th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, King Sejong (r.1418-1450), for his retiring father, King Taejong. It often served as residential quarters for queens and concubines. During the reign of King Seongjong (r.1469-1494), the palace was renovated and renamed to Changgyeonggung Palace. It later became a park with a zoo and a botanical garden during Japanese colonial rule. The palace was then relocated in 1983 and regained its old grace after years of restoration. Past the entrance of Changgyeonggung Palace, the Honghwa Gate, you will find Okcheongyo Bridge. All palaces of the Joseon Dynasty have ponds with an arch bridge over them, just like Okcheongyo Bridge. Cross Okcheongyo Bridge, pass the Myeongjeongmun Gate, and you will find Myeonjeongjeon. This is the office of the king, and Myeongjeongjeon is the oldest of the Joseon Dynasty palaces. The houses face southwards, but Myeongjeongjeon faces east. Because the ancestral shrine of the royal family is located to the south, the gate couldn't face the south, as is required by Confucian custom. There are stones with the status of the officials carved on the yard. Behind Myeongjeongjeon on the upper left side is Sungmundang. This building utilizes the slope of the mountain. If you look at Myeongjeongjeon and Munjeongjeon, the combination of the high and low roofs offers a beautiful view. Tongmyeongjeon was built for the queen. It is the biggest building in Changgyeonggung Palace, and you can recognize the delicate details of its structure in various parts of the building. Walk up the stones past Tongmyeongjeon and there you will find Jagyeongjeon. On the southeast direction of the Jagyeongjeon is the Punggidae. This Punggidae is a measuring instrument. It is a long pole with a cloth hung at the end used to check the speed and direction of the wind. If you head north there is a large pond called Chundangji. Half of the pond was originally a rice field that the king took care of. But during the Japanese occupation, the rice field was changed to a pond with little ships floating on it. And the botanic garden built above the pond still remains today.  


Busan(Dong-gu)

Since its grand opening in 1995, the Hyundai Department Store of Busan which exemplifies a high-class image, has stood as a leader in the retail industry with its outstanding customer service. The Hyundai Departnent Store provides an elegant shopping experience, offering international luxury goods while blending both modern and classic fashions, and providing high-class service.


Seoul(Gwangjin-gu)

Sheraton Walker Hill Riverpark is a swimming pool using water comprised of alkali ingredients such as sodium and potassium from underground granite. Since it opened in 1994, the Riverpark is one Seoul's most popular summer getaways to enjoy swimming. Surrounded by Hangang River and Achasan Mountain, it provides fresh air as well as natural scenery. People can use any of the various facilities, including the main pool, lazy river, swimming pool for children, pool-side restaurant offering special summer lunch, and one of the 250 sun tanning beds.