| Dates | 2 Sep – 24 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Wednesday to Sunday, two sessions: 18:20–20:10 and 19:30–21:20 (about 110 minutes each). No sessions 30 September–4 October. |
| Weather | September average 26/18 °C (79/64 °F), 142 mm of rain October average 20/11 °C (68/51 °F), 52 mm of rainMonthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Seoul station. |
| Venue | Gyeongbokgung Palace (northern area)서울특별시 종로구 사직로 161 (세종로) 경복궁 |
| Admission | Admission (guided night tour, royal meal and performances), per person: ₩60,000 |
| Previous edition | 2025: 15 Oct – 2 Nov 2025 |
| Next edition | 2027: Not announced as of 19 October 2026. Recent seasons were autumn 2024 (11 Sep–6 Oct), spring 2025 (2 Apr–17 May), autumn 2025 (15 Oct–2 Nov) and autumn 2026 (2 Sep–24 Oct), so the next season is likely in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October) 2027. |
Program
- RouteGyejodang → Oesojubang (outer royal kitchen) → Jagyeongjeon → Jibokjae and Parujeong → Geoncheonggung → Hyangwonjeong; may change with conditions
- Oesojubangdosuk surasang, a modern take on the king's 12-dish table served in a lunchbox-style set, with live gugak; vegetarian menu available
- Jibokjae, King Gojong's library: special changgeuk about the king (new in 2026)
- Hyangwonjeongthe pavilion at night and the starlight on Hyangwonji pond
- Professional guides throughout
- 21–24 Octforeign-visitor sessions, sold through Creatrip
Prices
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Admission (guided night tour, royal meal and performances), per person | ₩60,000 | Ages 7 and over only (born 2019 or earlier). General sessions by lottery on Ticketlink, then first come, first served; the foreign-visitor sessions are sold through Creatrip, whose price was not checked. |
Notes on the 2026 edition
38 people per session, 76 a day. Lottery applications on Ticketlink ran from 14 August, 14:00, to 20 August, 14:00; winners were announced on 24 August and booked a date and session from 25 to 27 August; remaining seats went on sale, first come, first served, from 28 August, 14:00. The break from 30 September to 4 October was for a separate palace music festival; a ballet and court-music concert ran in the Jibokjae courtyard on 2–5 October.
About the festival
The Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour (경복궁 별빛야행) is a ticketed, guided night tour of the northern part of Gyeongbokgung Palace in central Seoul, with a modern 12-dish royal meal in the palace kitchen, live traditional music and, in 2026, a short changgeuk opera about King Gojong at Jibokjae. The 2026 season runs 2 September–24 October, Wednesday to Sunday, in two sessions (18:20–20:10 and 19:30–21:20), and foreign visitors have their own sessions on 21–24 October, sold through Creatrip. Tickets cost ₩60,000 per person and are allotted by lottery on Ticketlink; no 2027 dates have been announced. Take Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5.
Transport, booking, crowd and accessibility details are on the main Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour page, which covers every edition.
Source
Facts checked
19 October 2026, against the sources listed below.