Changgyeonggung Night Banquet Opens Sept 24 — Free to Watch Even Without a Ticket

If you're looking for a special nighttime palace outing in Seoul around Chuseok, the Changgyeonggung Night Banquet starting September 24 is worth knowing about. Run by the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center under the Korea Heritage Service together with the Korea Heritage Foundation, the event reimagines a Joseon-era banquet that Crown Prince Hyomyeong once held in honor of his father, King Sunjo -- and lets participants dress in royal court costume for the evening.

At a glance: dates September 24-October 4 (closed Monday, September 28); hours 5:00-8:30 p.m. (main performance 7:10-8:00 p.m.); venue Munjeongjeon Hall, Changgyeonggung Palace, 185 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul; experience ticket 50,000 won each (max 2 per person; each ticket covers 1 participant plus up to 2 accompanying family members); booking via Ticketlink (credit card payment only); inquiries 1522-2295 (phone booking also available for visitors 65+, people with disabilities, or national merit recipients).

Ticket holders get to taste traditional royal-court sweets and join a performance and hands-on program, but missing out on a ticket isn't the end of the story: general visitors without a ticket can still watch the performance for free, first-come, first-served, up to 70 people per session -- though add-on programs like the costume experience are reserved for paying ticket holders. Tickets went on sale September 8 through Ticketlink on a first-come basis, and only credit cards are accepted to prevent scalping, so it's worth checking beforehand that your overseas-issued card will go through.

Changgyeonggung is reachable from Hyehwa Station (Line 4) or Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, and sits close to Changdeokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, making it easy to combine with a daytime palace tour. Demand is likely to be high since the run overlaps with the Chuseok holiday, so book quickly if you want the paid experience -- and if free viewing is your plan, arrive well before showtime to secure a spot in line.