At a glance
| Dates | Expected Oct 2027Mid to late October 2027, about ten days from a Friday opening ceremony to the Sunday of the following week, if the pattern of 2024–2026 holds (11–20 Oct 2024, 17–26 Oct 2025, 16–25 Oct 2026, counting the opening days). Nothing announced as of 18 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Mid to late October 2027, about ten days from a Friday opening ceremony to the Sunday of the following week, if the pattern of 2024–2026 holds (11–20 Oct 2024, 17–26 Oct 2025, 16–25 Oct 2026, counting the opening days). Nothing announced as of 18 October 2026. |
| Admission | Each tomb charges its normal entry fee: ₩1,000 for adults aged 25–64 at Yungneung and Geolleung, free for ages 24 and under and 65+. Some performances and hands-on programmes cost extra.Entry to Yungneung and Geolleung, adults aged 25–64: ₩1,000 (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Yungneung and Geolleung (Yunggeolleung) royal tombs, plus 11 other royal tomb sites경기도 화성시 병점구 효행로481번길 21 (안녕동) |
| Nearest station | Byeongjeom Station (병점역), Seoul Subway Line 1 (Gyeongbu Line), Exit 2Not walkable; about 15 minutes by local bus to the tombs (Wikipedia lists routes 24, 34, 34-1, 35, 35-1, 44, 50 and 50-1) |
| From Seoul | Not published · Subway + BusLeave from Seoul Station · Back to Seoul the same nightFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Korea Heritage Service, Royal Palaces and Tombs Center (host); National Heritage Promotion Agency (organizer)국가유산청 궁능유적본부 (주최) · 국가유산진흥원 (주관) |
| Usual timing | About ten days in mid to late October, from a Friday to the Sunday of the following week, with the opening ceremony on the first Friday: 11–20 Oct 2024; opening 17 Oct, programmes 18–26 Oct 2025; opening 16 Oct, programmes 17–25 Oct 2026. Held every year since 2020. Browse October festivals. |
| First held | 2020 |
| Last checked | 18 October 2026Checked against 23 sources · See sources |
What it is like
The Joseon dynasty buried its kings and queens in landscaped hillside tombs around its capital, and 40 of these tombs, at 18 sites, are listed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2009. Since 2020 Korea's national heritage agency has staged a yearly festival at them: an autumn programme of performances, guided walks, night tours, exhibitions and hands-on activities that tell the stories of the people buried there. It ran at six sites in 2021 and five in 2024, grew to nine tombs in 2025, when about 70,000 people came, and reaches 12 sites in 2026.
The 7th edition runs 17–25 October 2026 and opens on Friday 16 October at Yungneung and Geolleung (Yunggeolleung) in Hwaseong, just south of Suwon. Yungneung is the tomb of Crown Prince Sado, who died in 1762 after his father, King Yeongjo, had him locked in a rice chest; Sado's son, King Jeongjo, moved the grave here in 1789 and was buried beside it at Geolleung after his own death in 1800. That story is the subject of this year's headline show, an evening outdoor musical of about an hour, 'Peach Blossoms, Sad to Think of Them', which follows three generations of the royal family from Sado's death to Jeongjo's accession. Other 2026 programmes include a special opening of the burial-mound terraces, a detective-style mission tour, a 'Royal Stage' and humanities talks, an original pansori work, ancestral-rite experiences, a book plaza, a memorial-rites exhibition, an academic seminar at Yongjusa temple, and a sound gallery and mobile stamp tour that began in late September.
The other venues are spread across the capital region: Seolleung and Jeongneung, Taereung and Gangneung, and Uireung in Seoul; Donggureung in Guri; Hongneung and Yureung, and Sareung, in Namyangju; Seooreung in Goyang; Jangneung in Gimpo; Samneung in Paju; Yeongneung and Nyeongneung, including King Sejong's tomb, in Yeoju; and Jangneung in Yeongwol, Gangwon. Each charges its usual small entry fee, and some shows and activities are paid.
The honest caveats: the programme is spread across 12 sites, so plan around one or two tombs rather than trying to see everything; in 2025 the theme show sold out on the day booking opened and most night-tour slots went too; organizer information is in Korean, though the Yunggeolleung musical is also sold in English through Creatrip; and royal tombs close on Mondays, so do not plan a visit for Monday 19 October.
Highlights
- Performances, tours, exhibitions and hands-on activities at 12 UNESCO-listed Joseon royal tomb sites in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Yeongwol, 17–25 October 2026
- Opening ceremony on Friday 16 October 2026 at Yungneung and Geolleung in Hwaseong, the tombs of Crown Prince Sado and King Jeongjo
- Evening outdoor musical 'Peach Blossoms, Sad to Think of Them' at Yunggeolleung, about 60 minutes, on Sado's death and Jeongjo's accession
- Special opening of the burial-mound terraces (능침) and a 'Joseon Detective' mission tour
- Royal Tombs Sound Gallery (30 September–25 October) and a mobile stamp tour (26 September–25 October)
- Entry at Yunggeolleung ₩1,000 for adults aged 25–64; free for 24 and under and 65+
Who it suits. Best for history lovers, fans of Korean period dramas who know the Sado and Jeongjo story, and anyone who wants a quiet forest walk with a cultural programme within reach of Seoul; less suited to visitors who need English guiding, or who expect one busy festival ground with food stalls, since events are spread across 12 sites.
Getting there
From Seoul
For Yungneung and Geolleung, take Seoul Subway Line 1 south from Seoul Station to Byeongjeom Station, two stops past Suwon on local trains and the terminus of about half of Line 1's southbound trains (Seoul Station to Suwon alone takes 53–68 minutes). From Exit 2, a local bus takes about 15 minutes to the tombs. From Suwon Station, buses 24 and 46 take about 40 minutes. The four sites in Seoul (Seolleung and Jeongneung in Gangnam, Taereung and Gangneung in Nowon, and Uireung) are reachable by Seoul subway and bus.
From Incheon Airport
AREX to Seoul Station, then Line 1 south to Byeongjeom Station and a local bus of about 15 minutes to Yungneung and Geolleung.
Last leg from Byeongjeom Station
Seoul Subway Line 1 (Gyeongbu Line), Exit 2. Not walkable; about 15 minutes by local bus to the tombs (Wikipedia lists routes 24, 34, 34-1, 35, 35-1, 44, 50 and 50-1)
Festival shuttle
No festival shuttle between stations and tombs, or between tombs, was announced in the sources opened.
Getting home
In October Yungneung and Geolleung close at 18:00 (last entry 17:00), long before the last Line 1 trains to Seoul. The musical runs in the evening; the last bus from the tombs to Byeongjeom or Suwon Station was not published, so check a transit app or plan on a taxi.
Parking
Yunggeolleung public car parks 1 and 2 are free.
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 to Yungneung and Geolleung, adults aged 25–64 | ₩1,000 | Free for ages 24 and under and 65+; ₩800 per person for groups of 10 or more; Hwaseong residents ₩500. The other tombs charge their own entry fees. |
| Royal tomb musical 'Peach Blossoms, Sad to Think of Them' | — | Sold to foreign visitors on Creatrip at US$11.24 (18 Oct 2026); the Korean booking price was not found |
| Other festival programmes | — | Some performances and hands-on programmes are paid (KTO); prices not published in the sources opened |
- Booking
- Entry tickets are bought at each tomb's gate. Some programmes are booked in advance on the festival website (jrtf.or.kr; enquiries 1522-2295); in 2025 the theme show sold out on the day booking opened and most night-tour sessions sold out. The Yunggeolleung musical can also be booked in English on Creatrip.
- English on site
- No English programme information from the organizer was found. The Yunggeolleung musical is sold through Creatrip, which lists Korean and English support for the booking.
- Crowds
- Spread thin across many sites: about 70,000 visitors over nine tombs in 2025. Booked shows and night tours are the bottleneck, not the grounds.
- Best time to go
- Weekend days for the fullest programme, or a late afternoon at Yunggeolleung before the 17:00 last entry if you hold a ticket for the evening musical. Avoid Monday 19 October, when royal tombs normally close.
- What to bring
- Comfortable shoes for gravel and forest paths, a warm layer for evening programmes, and ID showing your age if you qualify for free entry (24 and under, or 65+).
- Toilets
- Toilets at Yungneung and Geolleung (KTO data).
- Step-free access
- The forest path between Yungneung and Geolleung is mostly flat. KTO data says there is no stroller rental, but a June 2026 news report says strollers can be borrowed; no wheelchair information was published.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Mid to late October 2027, about ten days from a Friday opening ceremony to the Sunday of the following week, if the pattern of 2024–2026 holds (11–20 Oct 2024, 17–26 Oct 2025, 16–25 Oct 2026, counting the opening days). Nothing announced as of 18 October 2026. | expected | Would be the 8th edition. The 2026 supporters' call ran 4–24 August, so festival details for 2027 are likely to appear from late summer 2027. |
| 2026 | 17–25 Oct 2026 | ended | 12 sites: Donggureung (Guri); Hongneung and Yureung, and Sareung (Namyangju); Seolleung and Jeongneung, Uireung, and Taereung and Gangneung (Seoul); Yungneung and Geolleung (Hwaseong); Seooreung (Goyang); Jangneung (Gimpo); Samneung (Paju); Yeongneung and Nyeongneung (Yeoju); Jangneung (Yeongwol, Gangwon). Which programme runs at which tomb on which day was not published in the sources opened. |
| 2025 | 18–26 Oct 2025 | ended | Nine tombs: Seolleung and Jeongneung, Taereung and Gangneung, Uireung, Donggureung, Hongneung and Yureung, Seooreung, Yungneung and Geolleung, Jangneung (Gimpo), and Yeongneung and Nyeongneung. Uireung, Hongneung and Yureung, Yungneung and Geolleung, and Yeongneung and Nyeongneung ran programmes at weekends only. |
| 2024 | 11–20 Oct 2024 | ended | Five royal tombs. |
Before or after the festival
Places you can fit in before or after the festival without missing the shuttle or the last train or bus back.
The Buddhist temple King Jeongjo rebuilt in 1790 as the memorial temple of his father, Crown Prince Sado, who lies at Yungneung; its Goryeo bronze bell is a National Treasure, and the Hyohaeng Museum shows relics tied to Jeongjo's filial devotion. The grounds are open every day and free (KTO data), so it fits before the tombs or after their 17:00 last entry; the museum's hours were not checked. It also hosts the festival's 2026 seminar on royal tombs and their memorial temples.
Getting there: On foot from Yungneung and Geolleung, about 25 minutes (about 1.5 km); free
The detached palace King Jeongjo built at the centre of his fortress town of Suwon, kept open on Friday to Sunday evenings with lit courtyards and hologram and laser media art. After the tombs' 17:00 last entry there is time to get there: it runs 18:00–21:30 (last entry 21:00, adult ₩2,000), and the season's last nights are 23–25 October and 30 October–1 November. On Saturday 24 October the free Bulchwimugwi night market also runs 17:00–22:00 by Paldalmun, about 600 m away.
Getting there: Bus 24 or 46 to Suwon Station (about 40 min), then bus 11 or 13 from Exit 4 (about 10 min) and a 5-minute walk; or a taxi
Questions travelers ask
When is the Joseon Royal Tombs Festival 2026?
17–25 October 2026 at 12 royal tomb sites, with the opening ceremony on Friday 16 October at Yungneung and Geolleung in Hwaseong. Programme times vary; royal tombs normally close on Mondays, so do not plan on Monday 19 October.
How much does it cost?
You pay each tomb's usual entry fee: ₩1,000 for adults aged 25–64 at Yungneung and Geolleung, free for 24 and under and 65+. Some performances and hands-on programmes cost extra; their 2026 prices were not published in the sources we opened.
Which royal tombs take part?
In 2026: Donggureung, Hongneung and Yureung, Sareung, Seolleung and Jeongneung, Uireung, Taereung and Gangneung, Yungneung and Geolleung, Seooreung, Gimpo Jangneung, Paju Samneung, Yeongneung and Nyeongneung, and Yeongwol Jangneung.
How do I get to Yungneung and Geolleung from Seoul?
Take Line 1 south from Seoul Station to Byeongjeom Station (Seoul Station to Suwon alone takes 53–68 minutes), leave by Exit 2 and take a local bus for about 15 minutes. From Suwon Station, buses 24 and 46 take about 40 minutes. Parking at the tombs is free.
Do I need to book?
Not for entry, which is paid at the gate. Some programmes are booked in advance on jrtf.or.kr, and popular ones sell out fast: in 2025 the theme show sold out on the day booking opened. The Yunggeolleung musical can also be booked in English on Creatrip.
What are the opening hours?
Yungneung and Geolleung open 09:00–18:00 in October, last entry 17:00, and close on Mondays. Festival programme times vary by event, and the musical runs in the evening.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
18 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report of the 2027 edition. Confidence in the current facts: medium.
- KTO TourAPI listing 세계유산 조선왕릉축전 (contentId 2756476)kto — 2026 dates 17–25 Oct, opening ceremony Fri 16 Oct, 7th edition, begun in 2020, 12 royal tombs listed, paid entry with some paid performances and hands-on programmes, hours vary by programme, organizer 국가유산청 궁능유적본부, phone 1522-2295, homepage, address and coordinates
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — festival listing: 세계유산 조선왕릉축전ministry — 2026 period 17–25 Oct with opening on 16 Oct, 7th edition since 2020, 12 tombs, paid entry and some paid programmes, contact 1522-2295 (국가유산진흥원), homepage
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 2026 세계유산 조선왕릉축전kto — 2026 programme list (musical at Yunggeolleung, Royal Stage, humanities academy, pansori, tours, special opening of burial mounds, culture lounge, book plaza, rite experience, exhibitions, Yongjusa seminar), Sound Gallery 30 Sep–25 Oct, stamp tour 26 Sep–25 Oct, 주최/주관; earlier KTO text describing the 5th edition, 11–20 Oct 2024
- Thinkyou — 2026 세계유산 조선왕릉축전 서포터스 '능이랑' 모집 (organizer's supporters call)other — Festival period 17 (Sat)–25 (Sun) Oct 2026, opening ceremony 16 (Fri) Oct at Yungneung and Geolleung, 12 tombs named, 주최 국가유산청 궁능유적본부 / 주관 국가유산진흥원, application period 4–24 Aug 2026
- mom-mom.net — World Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival (2026 listing)other — English festival name, 17–25 Oct 2026, opening ceremony at Yunggeolleung, English programme titles, English address, phone 1522-2295
- mom-mom.net — 화성 융릉과 건릉 (venue listing)other — Entry ₩1,000 for ages 25–64, free for 24 and under, Hwaseong residents ₩500, free parking at car parks 1 and 2, closed Mondays, entry until one hour before closing, phone 031-222-0142
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 화성 융릉·건릉kto — Hours 09:00–18:00 Feb–May and Sep–Oct (last entry 17:00), closed Mondays, entry ₩1,000 (groups of 10+ ₩800), free parking, toilets, no stroller rental; Sado died 1762, grave moved 1789, Jeongjo died 1800
- telltrip — 화성 융릉·건릉 숲길blog — Entry ₩1,000 for ages 25–64, free for 24 and under and 65+, Hwaseong residents ₩500, closed Mondays, free car park
- Creatrip — 2026 World Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival musical at Yungneungother — Outdoor evening musical about Sado and Jeongjo, about 60 minutes, three generations of the royal family, US$11.24 ticket, Korean and English booking support
- Herald Economy 2025-09-30 — 왕릉에서 즐기는 공연과 체험…'2025년 조선왕릉축전'news — 6th edition in 2025, opening 17 Oct at Seolleung and Jeongneung, programmes 18–26 Oct at nine tombs, theme show 18–19 Oct free, night tour ₩10,000 with booking, procession re-enactment dates, most programmes free without booking, stamp tour across 40 tombs
- Herald Economy 2025-10-30 — K-헤리티지 인기…'세계유산 조선왕릉축전'에 7만명 발길news — About 70,000 visitors in 2025, nine tombs up from five in 2024, theme show sold out on booking day, most night-tour sessions sold out, 4,981 stamp-tour participants, theme
- Visit Gangnam — 2025 World Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festivalmunicipal — English name, 2025 dates 18–26 Oct, opening 17 Oct at Seolleung and Jeongneung, closed Monday 20 Oct, four tombs open for the festival at weekends only, Yeongneung and Nyeongneung
- Korea Times 2021-10-11 — Joseon Royal Tombs Festival celebrated online, offlinenews — 2nd edition in 2021 at six sites, organizers Cultural Heritage Administration and Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, 40 tombs at 18 locations, King Sejong's tomb in Yeoju
- NS News (뉴스서울) 2024-09-06 — 국가유산청, 가을의 문턱에서 조선왕릉을 만나다news — Seonjeongneung (Seolleung and Jeongneung) in Gangnam-gu and Taegangneung (Taereung and Gangneung) in Nowon-gu, Seoul; royal tomb programmes run by the Korea Heritage Service's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center
- Wikipedia — Yunggeolleungother — Byeongjeom Station Exit 2, about 15 minutes by bus (routes 24, 34, 34-1, 35, 35-1, 44, 50, 50-1); Suwon Station about 40 minutes by bus 24 or 46; UNESCO inscription 2009
- Wikipedia — Byeongjeom stationother — Line 1 (Gyeongbu Line) station between Suwon and Seryu on local trains; southern terminus for about half of the line's trains; tombs west of the station
- Korail — 1호선 전동열차 휴일 시각표 (2026.9.1.부터), xlsxofficial — Holiday Line 1 times confirm the weekday figures (Seoul Station–Suwon 53–68 min, Seoul Station–Bupyeong 46 min)
- Dailian 2026-06-22 — 유네스코 세계문화유산 '융건릉'에서 즐기는 '초록색 쉼'news — Mostly flat forest path between Yungneung and Geolleung, stroller rental, UNESCO listing in 2009
- KTO tourist data — 용주사(화성) (ktriptips mirror)kto — Yongjusa, 용주로 136, Hwaseong: open at all times, no closing day, free, parking; National Treasure bronze bell; Hyohaeng Museum; Yunggeolleung within about 1,464 m; homepage yongjoosa.org
- Herald Economy 2025-03-26 — 정조의 효심 간직한 효찰 화산 용주사news — Yongjusa rebuilt in 1790 on the site of Galyangsa as the memorial temple for Crown Prince Sado; Goryeo bronze bell its only National Treasure; Hyohaeng Museum; the royal tombs a 25-minute walk from the temple
- Suwon City — 화성행궁 관람안내 (Visit Suwon)municipal — Night opening 1 May–1 Nov 2026, Fri–Sun and holidays, 18:00–21:30, entry until 21:00, may change during the festival 4–11 Oct; fares ₩2,000/₩1,500/₩1,000, group ₩1,500; day 09:00–18:00 daily; free: hanbok, 65+ with ID, 6 and under, disabled plus a caregiver, Suwon multi-child families; last-Wednesday free day excludes nights; car park 행궁로 18, 24 h, card only, ₩900/30 min, ₩400/10 min, ₩14,000/day
- Suwon Cultural Foundation (수원문화재단) — 주요 지점 가는 방법official — Exit 4 Novotel stop, buses 11 and 13 to 화성행궁·수원성지 stop, '도보 약 5분'; exit 7 buses 60 and 7-2
- KTO tourist data — 왕의 야시장 「불취무귀」 (ktriptips mirror)kto — Title 왕의 야시장 「불취무귀」; 10–31 Oct 2026 every Saturday (4 times), 17:00–22:00, free; host 수원특례시, run by 수원도시재단; themes 10 Oct 왕이 오신다, 17 Oct DJ party, 24 Oct Sundae Day, 31 Oct Joseon Ghost Day; flea market, busking and DJing; Jidong Market 80 m, Yeongdong Market 106 m; a chicken restaurant 220 m
What we could not confirm
- Times, places and prices of individual 2026 programmes (musical dates and Korean price, the burial-mound openings, Royal Stage and others): the official site jrtf.or.kr could not be opened, and the details come from KTO data and third-party listings.
- Which tombs run programmes on which days in 2026, and whether some run at weekends only, as four did in 2025.
- Whether the ₩1,000 adult fee and the free-entry age groups apply in the same way to foreign visitors; entry fees at the other 11 sites were not checked.
- Bus routes from Byeongjeom Station come from Wikipedia and were not checked against the Gyeonggi bus information service; the last bus from the tombs after evening shows was not found.
- Japanese and Chinese names were not found on a KTO or official page.
- Whether the host cities (Hwaseong, Guri and others) co-organize: the sources opened name only the Korea Heritage Service and the National Heritage Promotion Agency.
- Stroller rental at Yunggeolleung: KTO data says none, a June 2026 news report says yes.
- Yongjusa: Hyohaeng Museum hours and fee not checked; the temple's own site (yongjoosa.org, from KTO data) was not opened; the 25-minute walk from the tombs is from a 2025 news feature, not checked on a map.
- Whether bus 24 or 46 from the tombs connects in time on festival evenings (no timetable checked); the Haenggung route via Suwon Station is assembled from two records, not a single published route.
Changes: 2026-10-18 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-18 — Added a photograph from the Korea Tourism Organization (Korea Tourism Content Lab), KOGL Type 1. · 2026-10-23 — Nearby rewritten as 'Before or after the festival' (shuttle and last-train fit); transport: unchanged (no train, bus or shuttle clock times in the text; tomb opening hours kept); prices: removed the 2025 night-tour price (₩10,000) from the cost FAQ; 2026 programme prices stated as not published.
_Fall_at_Pocheon%2C_Gyeonggi-do%2C_South_Korea%2C_image_1.jpg?width=960)
