Changdeokgung Palace's Daejojeon Hall to Open to the Public for the First Time This Year

In-depth guided tours of Huijeongdang and Daejojeon offered

Daejojeon Hall at Changdeokgung Palace will open to the public for the first time this year.

Huijeongdang at Changdeokgung Palace during its public opening last year. / Korea Heritage Service.

The Changdeokgung Palace Management Office, under the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service, will run a guided program, "The King's Living Quarters: Entering the Inner Quarters of Changdeokgung Palace," from October 20 to 31. The program will be held twice a day, Tuesday through Saturday.

Huijeongdang and Daejojeon served as living quarters and offices for kings and queens during the Joseon Dynasty. The buildings were destroyed in a fire in 1917 and rebuilt in 1920, transforming into spaces that blend traditional architectural styles with modern influences. Since 2019, the Changdeokgung Palace Management Office has pursued a restoration project to return the roofs, wooden floors, windows and doors, wallpaper, carpets, and lighting to their appearance at the time.

Among the highlights are the paintings decorating the interiors. Huijeongdang features reproductions of "Magnificent Scenery of Chongseokjeong" and "Magnificent Scenery of Manmulsang, Mount Kumgang," by Haegang Kim Gyu-jin, while Daejojeon houses facsimiles of "Phoenixes" by Oh Ilyong and Lee Yongu, and "White Cranes" by Kim Eunho.

Because these spaces were in use until the early 20th century, they also retain traces of Western styles, including glass windows, Western-style wallpaper, lampshades of various shapes, floor coverings such as carpets, and marks left by radiators.

An official from the Changdeokgung Palace Management Office said, "The tour also includes Huijeongdang's guest bathroom and a barbershop in Daejojeon, which is believed to have been built for King Sunjong's hair grooming."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.