At a glance
| Days | Tue–SunAll year |
|---|---|
| Schedule | 11:00 and 14:00, roughly 20 minutes each (opening drum, password check, handover of the gate, a short patrol and the closing, with the military band); the same two times are listed for all of 2026, with no separate summer or winter times. In August 2024 the city replaced the daytime runs with an evening 'Night Royal Guard' programme (runs at 18:30, 19:30 and 20:30, about 20 minutes each); no night programme was found for 2025 or 2026. Costume try-on at weekends and on public holidays, 10:30–15:30; photo sessions with the guards on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00.Until at least 2020 there were three runs a day (11:00, 14:00 and 15:30), and some travel sites still list the 15:30 run; KTO, the culture ministry and the city's July 2024 report give only 11:00 and 14:00. The organizer's own site could not be opened for this check. |
| Not held | Mondays (Deoksugung's closing day). Runs can be cancelled or shortened in heavy rain or snow and in extreme heat or cold (a travel guide gives below −5°C or 35°C and above). Whether it runs on Seollal and Chuseok holidays was not confirmed. |
| Admission | Free. The ceremony is held on the forecourt outside Daehanmun, so no ticket is needed; going into Deoksugung Palace afterwards costs ₩1,000 for adults.Entry (watching the ceremony): Free · Traditional costume try-on: Free · Deoksugung Palace admission, adult (optional): ₩1,000 |
| Venue | Daehanmun Gate, Deoksugung Palace서울특별시 중구 세종대로 99 (정동) |
| Nearest station | City Hall Station (시청역), Seoul Subway Lines 1 and 2, Exit 1 or 2A minute or two to Daehanmun; the city gives 96 m from Exit 1 |
| From Seoul | In Seoul · SubwayFull route |
| Organizer | Seoul Metropolitan Government서울특별시 |
| First held | 1996 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 18 sources · See sources |
What it is like
In the Joseon dynasty the gates of the royal palaces were held by a gate guard under a sumunjang, a junior sixth-rank officer who commanded the guard troops, checked who came in and out, and led the patrols. Since 1996 the Seoul Metropolitan Government has re-created the changing of that guard in front of Daehanmun, the main gate of Deoksugung, facing Seoul Plaza. The ceremony is based on historical records and set at Deoksugung in the late Joseon period. The cast plays seven roles: the sumunjang, his officers and guard troops, a royal secretary who brings the king's order and oversees the handover, the keeper of the palace keys, the military band, and the drummer whose beats mark each step.
It runs all year, Tuesday to Sunday, at 11:00 and 14:00; there is no ceremony on Mondays, Deoksugung's closing day. A run lasts roughly 20 minutes: the opening drum, the check of the day's password between the outgoing and incoming guards, the handover of the gate, a short patrol and the closing, with the band playing. Announcements and audio commentary are given in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese. Until at least 2020 there was a third run at 15:30, and some travel sites still list it; the 2026 listings by KTO and the culture ministry give only 11:00 and 14:00.
Visitors can take part. At weekends and on public holidays, 10:30–15:30, anyone can put on Joseon-era costume at the booth by the gate, free of charge. Two roles go to one person per run, by advance application on the organizer's website: striking the great drum that opens the ceremony (Gaesiktago) and joining the guard in uniform ('I Am a Royal Guard'). A photo session with the guards ('A Special Day in My Life') is held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00 for one group of up to five, who receive one instant print.
The honest caveats: runs can be cancelled or shortened for the guards' safety in heavy rain or snow and in extreme heat or cold (a 2026 travel guide gives below −5°C or 35°C and above), and there is no shelter for spectators. In August 2024 the city replaced the daytime runs with an evening programme for the hottest weeks; no such summer change was found for 2025 or 2026. In 2015 more than a million people watched, about half of them from abroad, so the forecourt fills quickly. And it is not the guard ceremony at Gyeongbokgung's Gwanghwamun gate, which is a separate national programme with its own times and rules.
Highlights
- A re-enactment of the Joseon-era changing of the palace gate guard, based on historical records and staged by Seoul city in front of Daehanmun since 1996
- Two free runs a day, 11:00 and 14:00, Tuesday to Sunday all year, roughly 20 minutes each
- Seven roles in Joseon uniform, from the sumunjang (a junior sixth-rank officer) to the keeper of the keys, with drum signals and a military band
- Free Joseon costume try-on at the gate on weekends and public holidays, 10:30–15:30
- Hands-on roles by advance application: strike the opening drum (Gaesiktago) or join the guard for a run ('I Am a Royal Guard'), one person per run
- Announcements and audio commentary in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, a minute's walk from City Hall Station
Who it suits. Good for first-time visitors to Seoul, families and photographers who want a free, short burst of Joseon pageantry in the city centre, easily combined with Deoksugung Palace and the stone-wall road into Jeongdong; not worth a special trip on a Monday, in heavy rain or snow, or in midsummer and midwinter extremes, when runs may be cancelled, nor for anyone expecting a long show.
Getting there
From Seoul
Take Line 1 or Line 2 to City Hall Station. Exits 1 and 2 are both a minute or two on foot from Daehanmun, Deoksugung's main gate (the city gives 96 m from Exit 1). From Seoul Station, ride Line 1 north towards Cheongnyangni to City Hall. Gwanghwamun Square and Cheonggye Plaza are a short walk north along Sejong-daero.
From Busan
KTX from Busan Station to Seoul Station, about 2 h 30 min (standard fare ₩54,400 since 1 September 2026), then Line 1 to City Hall Station, Exit 1 or 2.
From Incheon Airport
AREX to Seoul Station, then Line 1 to City Hall Station, Exit 1 or 2.
Last leg from City Hall Station
Seoul Subway Lines 1 and 2, Exit 1 or 2. A minute or two to Daehanmun; the city gives 96 m from Exit 1
Getting home
Not an issue: the last run starts at 14:00, and Deoksugung itself stays open until 21:00.
How to switch Naver Map and Kakao Map to English
Google Maps shows train, subway and bus routes in Korea but not walking or driving directions yet, so for the walk from the station Naver Map or Kakao Map is more reliable.
Before you go
1330 · Travel hotline
The Korea Tourism Organization’s helpline answers in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock, and in several other languages from 08:00 to 19:00. Dial 1330 from a Korean phone, or +82-2-1330 from a phone registered abroad.
112 / 119 · Emergencies
112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free from any phone. Police on 112 can add an English or Chinese interpreter to the call.
T-money card
Buy one at a convenience store such as GS25, CU or 7-Eleven and top it up there with cash. It pays for subways and buses in most cities, and for most taxis.
Maps
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and bus directions; Google Maps does not yet give walking directions in Korea. Both apps can be switched to English. Naver Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → Language (Japanese and Chinese also available). Kakao Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → App settings → Language. If the option is missing, change your phone’s language and reopen the app. Small shop names and some reviews stay in Korean.
Trains and buses
Book trains on Korail’s English site and express buses on Kobus. Holiday weekends sell out first.
Checked 18 October 2026.
Tickets, prices and practical details
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry (watching the ceremony) | Free | Held outside the gate; no ticket needed |
| Traditional costume try-on | Free | Weekends and public holidays, 10:30–15:30, walk-in |
| Deoksugung Palace admission, adult (optional) | ₩1,000 | Ages 19–64; ₩500 for ages 7–18; free under 7, over 64, in hanbok and on Culture Day, the last Wednesday of the month (travel-guide figures) |
- Booking
- No booking to watch. The two hands-on roles need an advance application on royalguard.kr: 'I Am a Royal Guard' (one person per run, Tuesday to Sunday; arrive at the waiting room 1 hour before) and the Gaesiktago drum (one person per run; arrive 30 minutes before). The 'A Special Day in My Life' photo session (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00, one group of up to five, one application per person) is also booked ahead and provides no camera, costume or make-up. The costume try-on is walk-in. Enquiries 02-6242-7402, or the Dasan Call Center on 120.
- English on site
- Announcements and audio commentary in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, with the drum count and its meaning explained in Korean and English; a travel guide notes a printed leaflet at the information desk beside Daehanmun.
- Crowds
- Busy: the city counted 592,584 spectators from 2019 to January 2020, and a 2016 report put yearly attendance at more than a million, about half of them foreign visitors.
- Best time to go
- Spring or autumn, when the heat and cold rules are least likely to cancel a run. Arrive a little early and stand on the slope to the left of the gate (the City Hall side), which a travel guide recommends for watching the guards march in and out.
- What to bring
- Sun protection in summer and warm layers in winter, since you stand outside; a camera. The guards do not talk while on duty, and photos are not allowed while they are on the move during the photo session.
- Rain
- Runs can be cancelled or shortened in heavy rain or snow; there is no cover for spectators.
- Step-free access
- Watched standing, outdoors, on the open forecourt in front of the gate; there is no seating. Step-free routes from City Hall Station and wheelchair viewing spots were not checked.
Nearby
- Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁) — Through Daehanmun. The palace behind the gate, with the Western-style Seokjojeon hall (interior by reservation); open 09:00–21:00 except Mondays, last entry an hour before closing, ₩1,000 for adults.
- Deoksugung Stone Wall Road (덕수궁 돌담길). The lane that follows the palace wall from Daehanmun into Jeongdong; the guards' night patrol followed it in August 2024.
- Seoul Lantern Festival (서울빛초롱축제). Winter lantern displays along Cheonggyecheon from Cheonggye Plaza, a short walk north along Sejong-daero, from mid-December into January.
- Gwanghwamun Market (광화문 마켓). Evening Christmas market in Gwanghwamun Square from mid-December into the New Year, at the north end of Sejong-daero.
- Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour (경복궁 별빛야행). Ticketed guided night tour of Gyeongbokgung with a royal-style dinner, held in autumn and some springs; places are allotted by lottery.
- Gyeongbokgung Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (경복궁 수문장 교대의식). The separate national ceremony at Gyeongbokgung's Gwanghwamun and Heungnyemun gates, run by the Korea Heritage Service, with changing ceremonies at 10:00 and 14:00.
Questions travelers ask
What time is the changing of the guard at Deoksugung?
At 11:00 and 14:00, Tuesday to Sunday, all year, in front of Daehanmun Gate. There is no ceremony on Mondays. Some travel sites still list a 15:30 run, but the 2026 listings by KTO and the culture ministry give only 11:00 and 14:00.
How long does the ceremony last?
Roughly 20 minutes per run, going by the city's breakdown of the steps: the opening drum, the password check, the handover of the gate, a short patrol and the closing. Arrive a little early to find a spot.
Is it free?
Yes. It takes place outside the gate, so anyone can watch without a ticket, and the costume try-on is free too. Going into Deoksugung Palace afterwards costs ₩1,000 for adults (free in hanbok).
Where is the best place to stand?
On the forecourt in front of Daehanmun, a short walk from City Hall Station Exits 1 and 2. A travel guide recommends the slope on the left, towards Seoul City Hall, rather than straight in front of the gate, for a view of the guards marching in and out. Staff in yellow sashes answer questions; the guards themselves do not talk while on duty.
What happens if it rains, or in extreme heat or cold?
Runs can be cancelled or shortened for the guards' safety in heavy rain or snow and in extreme temperatures; a 2026 travel guide gives below −5°C or 35°C and above. There is no shelter for spectators. In August 2024 the city moved the ceremony to the evening (18:30, 19:30 and 20:30) for the summer; no such change was found for 2025 or 2026.
Is it held on Mondays and public holidays?
Not on Mondays, Deoksugung's closing day. Whether it runs on Seollal and Chuseok holidays that fall between Tuesday and Sunday was not confirmed; check royalguard.kr or call the Dasan Call Center on 120 before you go.
Can visitors take part or try on the costume?
Yes. Joseon costume try-on is free and walk-in at weekends and on public holidays, 10:30–15:30. One person per run can strike the opening drum or join the guard in uniform, by advance application on royalguard.kr. A photo session with the guards runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00 for one group of up to five.
Is this the same as the guard ceremony at Gyeongbokgung?
No. The Deoksugung ceremony is run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Gyeongbokgung has its own ceremony at Gwanghwamun and Heungnyemun gates, run by the Korea Heritage Service's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, with changing ceremonies at 10:00 and 14:00 and gate-guard performances at 11:00 and 13:00. Each follows its own rules: in August 2026 the Gyeongbokgung programmes were halted under the extreme-heat warning.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
19 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report. Confidence in the current facts: medium.
- KTO TourAPI listing 서울 왕궁수문장 교대의식 (contentId 292961)kto — Listed 1 Jan–31 Dec 2026; 11:00 and 14:00, six days a week, closed Mondays; free; in front of Daehanmun, 세종대로 99 and coordinates; host Seoul Metropolitan Government; phone 02-6242-7402; homepage royalguard.kr; based on historical records, set at late-Joseon Deoksugung; sumunjang a junior sixth-rank post; drum, guard-role and costume experiences
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — festival listing (pSeq 13472) for 서울 왕궁수문장 교대의식ministry — 2026 period 1 Jan–31 Dec; 11:00 and 14:00, six days a week except Mondays; in front of Daehanmun; free; host Seoul Metropolitan Government; enquiries 02-6242-7402; traditional-history event; drum, 'Na-do Sumunjang' and costume experiences (the page header carries another festival's name)
- KTO tourist data — 왕궁 수문장 교대의식 (ktriptips mirror)kto — 11:00 and 14:00, closed Mondays, free; guard role and Gaesiktago drum Tue–Sun, one person per run, advance application, arrive 1 hour / 30 minutes before; costume try-on weekends and public holidays 10:30–15:30, free; photo session Tue, Wed, Fri 10:00, 13:00, 15:00, one group of up to 5, one instant print, one application per person, no camera, costume or make-up, no photos while guards move
- Seoul Mediahub — 둥둥~ 북소리와 함께 조선 시대로 순간이동! 왕궁수문장 교대의식 (citizen reporter, 25 Jul 2024)municipal — Twice a day at 11:00 and 14:00, Tuesday to Sunday, closed Mondays, otherwise year-round; City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) Exit 1, 96 m; audio commentary in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, drum count explained in Korean and English; seven roles (sumunjang a junior sixth-rank officer, royal secretary, key keeper, band, drummer); began 1996; details on royalguard.kr
- Seoul Mediahub — 2024 밤의 수문장 (26 Aug 2024)municipal — Night Royal Guard 6–31 Aug 2024, daily except Mondays: changing ceremony at 18:30, 19:30 and 20:30, 20 minutes each; guard-post ceremony at 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00; patrol along the Deoksugung stone-wall road via Jeongdong; free costume try-on; enquiries 120
- Seoul Mediahub — 2024 밤의 수문장 visit (citizen reporter, 19 Aug 2024)municipal — Daytime ceremony not held during the August 2024 night programme; City Hall Station Exits 1 and 2; participation programmes booked on royalguard.kr; Dasan Call Center 120
- Seoul Metropolitan Government — 서울 왕궁수문장 교대의식 재개 notice (20 Oct 2020)official — In 2020: Tuesday to Sunday, Mondays closed, three runs at 11:00, 14:00 and 15:30; patrol once a day after the 11:00 run, to a different place each weekday; staged by Seoul city since 1996; 592,584 spectators from 2019 to January 2020; 30 personnel in the patrol
- Seoul Mediahub — 어제 덕수궁에서 무슨 일이? (30 Mar 2010)municipal — Ceremony about 20 minutes in all: opening drum 2 min, password 2 min, patrol to Seoul Plaza 6 min, guard exchange 7 min, closing 3 min; suspended in extreme heat, cold and bad weather; costume try-on popular with foreign visitors
- Seoul Metropolitan Government (Traditional Chinese site) — 王宮守門將交接儀式official — Traditional Chinese name 王宮守門將交接儀式; Tuesday to Sunday except Mondays, 11:00 and 14:00; steps include drum 2 min, password 2 min, patrol to the plaza 6 min; drum, guard-for-a-day and Joseon costume experiences; address 世宗大道99
- Insight — Sungnyemun guard ceremony to return (27 Mar 2016)news — Deoksugung ceremony began in 1996; more than a million spectators a year; about 542,000 Korean and 555,000 foreign spectators the previous year
- NOL World — Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremonyother — 11:00 and 2:00 PM, closed Mondays, free; City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) Exit 2; staged since 1996
- Hani Seoul — 徳寿宮守門将交代儀式 tips (2026, Japanese edition)blog — Cancelled or simplified in heavy rain or snow, below −5°C or at 35°C and above; best spot on the slope left of the gate towards City Hall; guards do not talk, staff in yellow sashes answer questions; announcements in English, Chinese and Japanese, leaflet at the desk beside Daehanmun; City Hall Station Exit 2; palace open until 21:00; Seokjojeon interior by reservation
- Korea Todo — Deoksugung Palaceblog — Admission ₩1,000 (19–64), ₩500 (7–18), free under 7, over 64, in hanbok and on Culture Day (last Wednesday); open 09:00–21:00, last entry 1 hour before, closed Mondays; City Hall Station Exits 1, 2 or 12, about 2 minutes
- 덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식 — 2022 listingother — 2022 listing with three runs (11:00, 14:00, 15:30); photos with the guards between segments since April 2012; not performed on extremely cold or hot days
- Korea JoongAng Daily — Gyeongbok Palace royal guard programs fully halted for first time due to extreme heat (6 Aug 2026)news — Gyeongbokgung guard programmes run by the Korea Heritage Service's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center: changing ceremony 10:00 and 14:00 near Heungnyemun, gate performance 11:00 and 13:00; all halted in August 2026 under the extreme-heat warning, the first full halt since 2002
- Insight — 경복궁 수문장 교대의식 폭염 중단 (5 Aug 2026)news — Gyeongbokgung guard ceremonies, Gwanghwamun guard ceremony and photo time halted from 5 Aug 2026 until the extreme-heat warning is lifted (announced by the national heritage agency); warning criteria of 35°C perceived temperature for two days and 38°C or 39°C forecasts
- Busan → Seoul Station train timetable, 16–22 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Same last trains on Fri 16, Sat 17 and Sun 18 Oct: 22:00 KTX 82 (arr 00:27) and 22:10 KTX 84 (arr 00:42), i.e. about 2 h 30 min Busan–Seoul; matches korail.com for 16 Oct
- Hankyung: 9월 1일부터 서울~부산 KTX 5만4400원…운임 평균 10% 인하 (31 Aug 2026)news — KTX and SRT run as KTX from 1 Sep; former SRT trainsets renamed KTX-Sancheon; Seoul–Busan ₩59,800→₩54,400, Yongsan–Gwangju Songjeong ₩46,800→₩42,000; Suseo seats +30%; booking unified in Korail+
What we could not confirm
- The organizer's site (royalguard.kr) could not be opened (the fetch was not approved), so its current notices, application pages and holiday schedule were not checked; times come from the 2026 KTO and ministry listings and the city's July 2024 report.
- Current running time of each run: about 20 minutes per the city's 2010 breakdown (the city's Chinese page lists the same steps); a 2022 listing gave 40-minute slots. Not confirmed for 2026.
- Whether a summer night programme or an August pause was held in 2025 or 2026 (in 2024 the 'Night Royal Guard' replaced the daytime runs from 6 to 31 August).
- The weather thresholds (heavy rain or snow, below −5°C, 35°C and above) come from a 2026 travel guide; the organizer's own rule was not seen.
- Whether the patrol still marches out after the 11:00 run, and its current routes (in 2020 it went to a different place each weekday; a 2026 travel guide mentions Gwanghwamun).
- Whether the ceremony runs on Seollal and Chuseok holidays that fall between Tuesday and Sunday.
- Japanese and Simplified Chinese names were not found on a KTO or official page (Seoul city's Traditional Chinese site uses 王宮守門將交接儀式).
- Deoksugung admission figures come from a travel guide, not the palace's own page.
- Whether the photo session and the hands-on roles are free, and how the online application works for foreign visitors.
- The ministry's listing page shows another festival's name (서대문독립민주축제) in its header although the body describes this ceremony.
- Restrooms and step-free access around Daehanmun were not checked.
Changes: 2026-10-19 — Added to the site: year-round programme (days and times, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-19 — Added a Wikimedia Commons photograph of the changing of the guard at Daehanmun Gate in 2017 (Kimhs5400(블루시티), CC BY-SA 4.0). · 2026-10-20 — Nearby name aligned: Gwanghwamun Market.
