How Foreigners Get Gyeongbokgung Night Tickets in 2026
September 13, 2026
There is something about seeing a Joseon-era palace lit up after dark that no daytime visit can replicate. The stone paths glow amber, the curved rooflines disappear into an inky sky, and the whole place feels like it belongs to a different century. If you are a foreigner in Seoul this autumn, you can absolutely get inside Gyeongbokgung (경복궁) at night. You just need to know which of the two programs applies to you and exactly how the ticket system works.
The short answer: if you want the standard Night Viewing, which runs through October 2, skip the online booking (that allocation is for domestic visitors) and join the queue at the Gwanghwamun ticket booth before sales open at 6 p.m., passport in hand. Three hundred tickets are reserved for foreign visitors every open evening, sold on-site at 3,000 won (about 2.20 USD) per person. If you want the full royal-dinner experience, the separate Starlight Tour runs foreigner-specific sessions October 21-24 through Creatrip. The two programs are frequently confused.
Last updated: September 13, 2026 (KST).
Night Viewing Tickets for Foreigners
The 2026 autumn Gyeongbokgung Yagan Gwallam (경복궁 야간관람, Gyeongbokgung Night Viewing) runs September 2 through October 2, Wednesday through Sunday, from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with last entry at 8:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays are closed.
Each day, 3,000 tickets go on sale online through NOL Ticket for domestic visitors. Foreign visitors have their own allocation instead: 300 extra tickets, sold only on-site at the Gwanghwamun ticket booth on the day of the visit.
Remaining Open Dates
The event is already underway. Dates still to come from today:
- September 16-20 (Wed-Sun)
- September 23-27 (Wed-Sun, overlapping with Chuseok week)
- September 30 to October 2 (Wed-Fri)
For more on navigating Seoul during the holiday week, see our Chuseok 2026 survival guide.
How to Get Your Ticket
① Get to Gwanghwamun Square early. Ticket sales for the foreigner allocation open at 6 p.m., one hour before the palace opens. One first-hand account found around 50 people already in the queue at 5 p.m.; the line moved quickly once sales started, but 300 tickets on a popular autumn weekend evening will not last all night.
② Find the right booth. 📍 The ticket office is on your right as you walk toward the gate from Gwanghwamun Square. Join the queue for the on-site foreigner tickets and show your passport at the window.
③ Buy your tickets. The price is 3,000 won (about 2.20 USD) per adult, with a maximum of two tickets per person. Pay, collect your pass, and wait for the 7 p.m. opening.
💡 TIP: If you are coming from the subway, Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5) Exit 2 puts you onto Gwanghwamun Square with the gate directly ahead. Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) Exit 5 is the other convenient option.
What You Will See Inside
The night route covers Gwanghwamun, Heungnyemun, Geunjeongjeon (the throne hall), Gyeonghoeru (the pavilion set in its pond), Sajeongjeon, Gangnyeongjeon, Gyotaejeon, and the Amisan garden. The National Gugak Center performs 15 shows of traditional court music and dance at Sujeongjeon hall across the season.
Court music performances are scheduled on the following remaining dates: September 16-19 and September 30 to October 2. If live gugak (국악, traditional Korean music) is a priority for you, plan your visit around those evenings.
Free Entry: Who Qualifies
Tickets are waived for:
- Children 6 and under (a guardian ticket is still required)
- Adults 65 and older
- Anyone wearing traditional hanbok (한복), whether Korean or foreign
For hanbok to count, you need a jeogori (저고리) top paired with a chima (치마) skirt or baji (바지) trousers. Hanbok wearers need no reservation and walk straight in. If you have not rented yet, our hanbok rental guide covers the best options near the palace.
A Note for Registered Foreign Residents
The official announcement says foreign visitors should bring a "passport or other ID (여권 등 신분증)" to claim their on-site ticket. The Korea Heritage Service's English notice says passport. What the official notice does not clarify is whether holders of an ARC (Alien Registration Card, the ID card issued to registered foreign residents) are counted under the foreign visitor allocation or the domestic allocation.
If you live here on a registered visa, bring both your passport and your ARC on the day. ⏰ Before you go, it is worth a quick call to the palace office at +82-2-3700-3900 or 3901 to confirm which document to present and which queue to join. This is the one genuine grey area the official materials leave unresolved.
The Starlight Tour Is a Separate Dinner Program
The Gyeongbokgung Byeolbit Yahaeng (경복궁 별빛야행, Starlight Tour) is a completely different product from the Night Viewing and runs on a separate schedule through October 24. Think of it as a small-group guided evening with food, not a general admission stroll.
Each session is capped at 38 guests. The route starts at Gyejodang (the crown prince's quarters) and moves to the palace kitchen area for a traditional music performance and dosuk-surasang (도슭수라상), a modern take on a 12-course royal meal. The program also includes a traditional opera about King Gojong. Each session lasts around 110 minutes, with two sessions each open evening at 6:20 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The cost is 60,000 won (about 43 USD) per person.
General tickets went by Ticketlink lottery in August, with leftover seats released first come from August 28. For foreigners, a dedicated program runs October 21-24, with tickets sold through Creatrip. If you want a small-group, fully guided, dinner-included palace night, this is the one to book.
Note: the Starlight Tour has no sessions September 30 to October 4 due to a separate palace music festival.
If the 300 Tickets Run Out
On busy evenings, especially over Chuseok week (the online tickets for September 23-27 sold out within days), the foreigner tickets can run out too. If that happens, here are other ways to see a palace after dark.
Deoksugung (덕수궁): open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with last entry at 8 p.m.; a smaller palace in the middle of the city, atmospheric at dusk.
Changgyeonggung (창경궁): also stays open until 9 p.m.
Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour (창덕궁 달빛기행): a lantern-lit guided walk through Changdeokgung and the Secret Garden with court refreshments and a short performance, running September 10 to October 17, Thursday through Sunday, at 30,000 won (about 22 USD). English, Mandarin, and Japanese sessions are scheduled for September 20 and 27 and October 4 and 11. Book through Creatrip, or try Ticketlink for first-come general seats.
The Practical Summary
Night Viewing basics: 3,000 won (2.20 USD), on-site at the Gwanghwamun booth, bring your passport (residents: your ARC too), max 2 tickets, sales open at 6 p.m., palace open 7-9:30 p.m. (last entry 8:30 p.m.), Wed-Sun through October 2.
Starlight Tour basics: 60,000 won (43 USD), foreigner sessions October 21-24, book through Creatrip, 38 guests per session, includes dinner and performance.
Free entry: hanbok wearers, children 6 and under, adults 65 and older.
Getting there: 📍 Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5) Exit 2, or Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) Exit 5.
Official site: royal.khs.go.kr/gbg
Palace office phone: +82-2-3700-3900 or 3901
Joseon kings held court behind these walls, and now, on an autumn evening with the lanterns lit and court music drifting from Sujeongjeon on show nights, you get to stand where they stood. Just make sure you are in line before 6 p.m.
Moving to Seoul or staying longer than planned? Homes in Korea lists monthly rentals, furnished rooms and long-term housing for foreigners at homesinkor.com.