Royal Culture Festival

The Royal Culture Festival is Korea's largest national heritage festival, held every spring and autumn across Seoul's Five Grand Palaces — Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, and Gyeonghuigung — and at Jongmyo Shrine. With the palaces as its stage, it presents Korean traditional culture through a colorful program of performances, exhibitions, hands-on experiences, and reenacted royal ceremonies. Hosted by the National Heritage Service and organized by the Korea Heritage Agency, the festival marks its 12th edition this year under the theme 'Palace, Awakening the Arts', expanding the palaces beyond venues for viewing national heritage into stages of culture and art where visitors can experience the wellspring of K-culture. The 2026 spring festival welcomed some 725,000 visitors, the largest audience in its history. This autumn edition embraces the seasonal character of the palaces: by day, exhibitions, tours, and experience programs focus on the spaces and history of the palaces themselves; by night, performances and hands-on programs expand against the backdrop of the palace halls and natural scenery, offering an experience distinct from the spring festival. On the eve of the opening, Tuesday, October 6 at 5 p.m., a special stage celebrating the start of the autumn festival — KBS2's 'Immortal Songs: 2026 Royal Culture Festival Special' — unfolds at Heungnyemun Plaza in Gyeongbokgung. Under the theme 'Palace, Awakening the Arts', it presents a stage for all generations to enjoy together, from traditional Korean music to K-pop. Admission is free, and audience seating can be requested through the official KBS 'Immortal Songs' website.