Admission fees at Seoul's royal palaces have stayed the same since 2005, and a planned increase for January 2027 is now on hold. For fans planning a hanbok photo day at Gyeongbokgung, here is what has changed and what has not.
Is the Korean palace admission fee hike still happening in January 2027?
No date is set. At the October 8, 2026 parliamentary audit, the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) listed the timing of a new fee plan, its announcement and its start date as "undecided." The planned January 1, 2027 start is no longer fixed, and current fees remain in place . The plan has been postponed, not cancelled.
Quick Answer: The palace fee increase is not confirmed for January 2027. In October 2026, the Korea Heritage Service told lawmakers that the timing, announcement and start date are all undecided. Gyeongbokgung still costs 3,000 won for adults, and visitors wearing hanbok still get in free. In 2025, about 69% of 17.81 million visitors entered free.
The KHS position appears in a document submitted to Rep. Choi Min-hee for the annual audit, as reported by The Korea Times (Yonhap), 2026-10. KHS has not issued its own press release about the postponement. In the document, the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center said it would review two things this month: free admission for hanbok wearers and the cost to the public. It said it would improve visitor services in January instead of raising prices first .
The postponement is a change from the earlier schedule. In early August, KHS said it would hold a public forum, announce a new fee schedule in November 2026 and apply it from January 1, 2027, according to The Korea Herald . The forum went ahead on September 8, 2026 at the National Palace Museum, according to an official KHS notice . The November announcement and the January start date are now both open.
The size of the free-entry share helps explain the review. In 2025, the four palaces, Jongmyo Shrine and the royal tombs recorded about 17.81 million visits, and roughly 69% of those visitors were admitted free .
- Confirmed: Current fees still apply. Adults pay 3,000 won at Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, and 1,000 won at Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo .
- Not confirmed: A new price, a start date or an announcement date. A three-stage option with 5,000 won for palaces and 3,000 won for royal tombs is one option under review, not a final policy .
- Under review: Free admission for visitors wearing hanbok.
If you are visiting in early 2027, plan around today's prices unless KHS announces a change. Check the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center fee page before you go.
What did the Korea Heritage Service tell lawmakers on October 8?
The Korea Heritage Service told lawmakers that it will improve visitor services before it changes admission fees. In documents submitted for the October 8, 2026 parliamentary audit, the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center said it would review two things this month. The first is the free-admission program for visitors wearing hanbok. The second is the financial burden a fee increase would put on the public. Service upgrades would follow in January 2027 . The documents went to Rep. Choi Min-hee of the Democratic Party. They list the timing of the new fee plan, its announcement and its start date as "undecided" (Korea Times / Yonhap, 2026-10).
This changes the order of the plan. Under the August plan, fees would rise first and services would improve later. Asia Economy reports that the order is now: improve visitor services, then design a rational fee system, then put it into effect . According to Asia Economy, the improvements planned for January include:
- more signs and more shelters or rest areas around the palace grounds
- renovated restrooms
- mobile ticketing and simpler payment at the gate
- multilingual kiosks for visitors from abroad
- AI-based interpretation and mobile guide services
Asia Economy has not published a detailed schedule showing which palace gets which upgrade first. Treat the list as a plan, not something already in place.
KHS chief Huh Min said current facilities do not yet justify a higher price:
"At present, there are not enough rest areas, information desks and facilities for people with disabilities, and the reservation systems are not sufficiently equipped," — Huh Min, Administrator of the Korea Heritage Service (source: The Korea Times)
Korean reports also quote the head of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center. Newspim reports that center head Cho Kyu-hyung said the whole system needs reform and visitor facilities need to improve before a new fee is introduced. In other words, the rules and the visiting experience have to change first if the public is going to accept a higher price . The same report covers Rep. Choi's side of the exchange. Her office treated the 5,000-won palace and 3,000-won royal tomb figures as one phased option from a research study, not as a final policy . Newspim also reports her position that realistic fees have to be weighed against three things: the public's right to enjoy cultural heritage, preservation of the sites, and better services. The cost to visitors should stay as small as possible.
Korean reporting also raises some questions the documents leave open. The biggest one for travelers is the hanbok rule, which has been in place for years. Questions include whether free entry for hanbok wearers is fair to other visitors, what counts as hanbok, and how staff check the dress code at the gate. The scale matters. Press reports citing audit materials say about 17.81 million people visited the four palaces, Jongmyo and the royal tombs in 2025, and roughly 69% of them got in free . A second open question is whether Korean and foreign visitors should pay different prices. Today they pay the same. KHS has not answered either question, and nothing in the October 8 documents changes the current rules.
For fans planning a trip, this means two things. The price at the gate has not changed, and the hanbok free-entry policy is under review but still in effect. The first visible changes, if the January plan holds, are more likely to be new kiosks and mobile tickets than a new price.
What do Korean palaces and royal tombs cost today, and who gets in free?
An adult ticket to a Seoul royal palace costs 1,000 to 3,000 won today. That is the price any traveler should budget for, because no new fee schedule has been set and no start date has been named. Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung charge 3,000 won (about $2.20). Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo Shrine charge 1,000 won each . These fees have not changed since 2005, according to the Korea Times (2026-10) .
The table below lists the current adult fees from the official fee page of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center .
| Site | Adult fee (won) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung | 3,000 | About $2.20 |
| Changdeokgung | 3,000 | The palace ticket does not include the Secret Garden |
| Changdeokgung Secret Garden (Huwon) tour | 5,000 | Separate ticket |
| Changgyeonggung | 1,000 | — |
| Deoksugung | 1,000 | — |
| Jongmyo Shrine | 1,000 | — |
| Joseon royal tombs | 500–2,000 | Most tombs charge 1,000. Yeongneung/Nyeongneung charge 500 and Jangneung in Yeongwol charges 2,000 |
| Integrated pass | 6,000 | Covers the four palaces and Jongmyo, one visit each, within six months. The Secret Garden is not included |
The free-admission rules matter as much as the prices, because most visitors already pay nothing. According to the official fee page, the following visitors enter free :
- Visitors wearing hanbok. This policy is under review but still in effect.
- Koreans aged 24 and under, and foreign visitors aged 18 and under. The adult band is 25–64 for Koreans and 19–64 for foreign visitors.
- Everyone aged 65 and over.
- Registered persons with disabilities.
- National merit recipients.
Adult foreign visitors pay the same fee as adult Koreans. The difference is the age cut-off: a 20-year-old fan from overseas pays, while a 20-year-old Korean does not.
The waivers cover a large share of visitors. In 2025, about 17.81 million people visited the four palaces, Jongmyo and the royal tombs, and about 69% of them got in free, according to audit materials reported by the Korea Times . Press reports give conflicting figures for revenue and for the money lost to waivers, so this section uses only the total visitor count and the free share.
For planning, assume these prices for any trip you book now, including trips in early 2027. A fee change would first need a new schedule, an announcement and a start date, and KHS has none of the three. Check the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center fee page shortly before you travel.
How much could palace fees rise, and what do Koreans say is fair?
No new fee level has been set. The figures in circulation come from a research study, and none has been adopted. The most-cited option is a three-stage plan. Its first stage would charge 5,000 won for all palaces and Jongmyo and 3,000 won for royal tombs, according to a document cited by Rep. Kim Jae-won of the Rebuilding Korea Party (source: The Korea Times, 2026-10) . The materials given to Rep. Choi Min-hee describe these numbers as one phased option from the study, not as final policy .
Korean reports describe a long-term path for Gyeongbokgung under this option. Adult admission would rise from today's 3,000 won to 5,000 won within one to five years, then to 10,000 won within 10–15 years (source: Newspim, 2026-10) . The Seoul Economic Daily reports the same stage-1 and stage-3 levels for Gyeongbokgung .
| Site | Adult fee today | Stage-1 option (under review) | Long-term option reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung | 3,000 won | 5,000 won | 10,000 won (10–15 years) |
| Changdeokgung | 3,000 won | 5,000 won | Not reported |
| Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, Jongmyo | 1,000 won | 5,000 won | Not reported |
| Joseon royal tombs | 500–2,000 won | 3,000 won | Not reported |
Sources for the table: current fees are from the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center . The options come from the audit documents reported on October 8, 2026 .
Public opinion in the study leaned toward an increase, with some limits. Here is what the Seoul Economic Daily reports:
- General survey: 6,635 people answered. 50% supported an increase and 19% opposed it. The average "fair" fee was 9,203 won for palaces and 7,196 won for royal tombs and Jongmyo .
- Citizen panel: a 45-member panel agreed that an increase could not be avoided .
- Experts: about 90% of the experts surveyed backed an increase. They suggested about 7,940 won for palaces and 5,950 won for tombs .
Treat these figures with caution. The Korea Herald's August report gave a different average willingness to pay: 9,730 won . The two outlets may be using different survey groups or methods, and the full study is not public.
KHS's case for higher fees rests on comparisons abroad. In early August, it argued that Korean palace fees are low next to major heritage sites. The Herald's examples were the Palace of Versailles at €35 and Himeji Castle at 1,000–2,500 yen . A Gyeongbokgung ticket costs 3,000 won, about $2.20 , so the gap is large. That is why fan-travel budgets would barely notice even the 10,000-won option.
Revenue was another argument, but the reported figures do not match. Asia Economy puts the drop in admission revenue at 2.3%, to about 12.1 billion won, and says about 24% of visitors were foreign . Other outlets give different percentages for revenue and for paying visitors. Until KHS publishes its own figures, read any single revenue number as one outlet's version.
How do you plan a palace day in Seoul at today's prices?
A palace day in Seoul still costs very little in admission at current fees. The core route is Gyeongbokgung (3,000 won) and then Changdeokgung (3,000 won), which comes to 6,000 won for an adult. Adding the Secret Garden tour (5,000 won) brings it to 11,000 won . No new fee schedule has been announced, so a trip planned for late 2026 or early 2027 should budget at these rates. Check the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center fee page again before you go.
The plan below has two full blocks, a meal break in the middle and a spare half-day. Opening hours and weekly closure days are different at each site, and this article does not list them. Look them up on the official site for your exact dates before you book anything that depends on the route.
- Morning: Gyeongbokgung, the largest stop. Go early, before the midday crowds.
- Midday: Lunch and a rest in the neighbourhood between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. Both palaces are in central Seoul's Jongno district, so this is a short subway ride or a walk.
- Afternoon: Changdeokgung, with the Secret Garden tour if you add it. The lighter option is to add Changgyeonggung (1,000 won) next door instead.
- Spare half-day: Deoksugung or Jongmyo (1,000 won each), or a Joseon royal tomb. Most tombs charge 1,000 won .
If you have a concert in Seoul, the same plan works well on show day. Do the palace in the morning, eat lunch nearby, then head to the venue in the afternoon for merch lines and entry. Many fans also know the palaces from historical K-dramas. If you want to visit for that reason, check filming locations against the production's own credits before you go, because fan lists are not always accurate.
Gyeongbokgung | Sightseeing
Gyeongbokgung is one of the two palaces that charge the top adult rate. It is the main stop on most first-time routes, and that is also why it gets crowded. The Lunar New Year file photo from February 17, 2026 shows how busy its courtyards get on holidays.
📋 Adult admission 3,000 won; free for hanbok wearers, under the adult age band and 65+
💡 Make it your first stop and arrive early. Check the weekly closure day before you lock in the date.
📍 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno District, Seoul
🕒 Monday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM / Tuesday Closed / Wednesday–Sunday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
⭐ 4.6 (46,915 reviews)
📞 02-3700-3900
🔗 View on Google Maps
Changdeokgung and the Secret Garden | Sightseeing
Changdeokgung charges the same 3,000-won adult rate as Gyeongbokgung. Its Secret Garden (Huwon) is a separate ticket at 5,000 won and is not covered by the integrated pass . The garden is the most expensive single item on a palace day, so decide in advance whether it is worth the extra time.
📋 Palace 3,000 won; Secret Garden tour 5,000 won extra
💡 Look up the Secret Garden tour times and booking method on the official site first, then plan lunch around your tour slot.
📍 South Korea, Seoul, Jongno District, 율곡로 99번지
🕒 Monday Closed / Tuesday–Sunday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
⭐ 4.7 (2,053 reviews)
📞 02-3668-2300
🔗 View on Google Maps
Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo | Sightseeing
These three sites charge 1,000 won each for adults. If you visit four or more sites, the 6,000-won integrated pass is cheaper. It covers the four palaces and Jongmyo, one visit each, within six months . Paying for all five separately costs 9,000 won.
📋 1,000 won each; integrated pass 6,000 won (Secret Garden not included)
💡 The pass lasts six months, so you can spread the five sites across a longer trip or a return visit.
📍 View Deoksugung on Google Maps · View Jongmyo on Google Maps · View Changgyeonggung on Google Maps
| Item | Core route | Core + Secret Garden | Five-site route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admission (adult, official) | 6,000 won | 11,000 won | 6,000 won with pass (9,000 won separately) |
| Meals | Estimate: your own budget | Estimate: your own budget | Estimate: your own budget |
| Transit in central Seoul | Estimate: a few subway rides or walking | Same | Same |
| Hanbok rental (optional) | Rental price varies by shop. Wearing hanbok currently means free admission, which is under review. | ||
The admission figures come from the official fee page . Meals, transit and hanbok rental are estimates that depend on your choices, so no prices are given for them here.
Packing and timing: wear comfortable shoes. Palace grounds have stone paths, raised thresholds and stairs, and you will walk a lot between halls. Check the weather on the day and move the outdoor-heavy stops, such as the Secret Garden, to the drier part of the day. The KHS chief has said rest areas and facilities for people with disabilities are still limited , so bring water and plan your own breaks.
Should you still plan around free hanbok entry?
Yes, for now. Visitors wearing hanbok still get into Seoul's royal palaces, Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon royal tombs for free. The official fee page of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center lists hanbok wearers among the groups that pay no admission . Nothing about that rule has changed yet. The review covers the program itself. It is not an announcement that the program will end.
According to a document the Center gave to Rep. Choi Min-hee's office for the October 8 parliamentary audit, the Center planned to review three things in October: free admission for visitors in hanbok, the financial burden a fee increase would put on the public, and public access . The reports do not say which parts of the hanbok rule are being examined. They do not mention whether the review covers who qualifies, what kind of outfit counts, or how staff check it at the gate. Any claim that the benefit will be narrowed or scrapped goes beyond what has been confirmed. The scale of free entry gives some context for the review: about 69% of the roughly 17.81 million people who visited the palaces, Jongmyo and the royal tombs in 2025 got in free . The reports do not say how many of those were hanbok wearers.
For trip planning, compare the costs directly. The largest saving from hanbok entry is the 3,000 won adult ticket at Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung. Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo charge 1,000 won each, and the 6,000 won integrated pass covers all four palaces plus Jongmyo . Hanbok rental shops set their own prices, and those prices are not covered in this article's sources. Check rates and rental time limits with the shop you plan to use. In most cases a rental will cost more than the admission it saves. That makes free entry a side benefit if you already want the photos and the experience, not a good reason to rent.
- Budget as if you will pay. Set aside the standard fees, or the 6,000 won integrated pass if you plan to visit several sites, and count free entry as a bonus.
- Do not assume today's benefit will still apply in 2027. The fee schedule and the hanbok review are both unresolved. The Center has said only that it will improve visitor services in January .
- Check again before you go. For a visit in early 2027, look at the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center fee page in the week before your trip. Any change to the fees or to the hanbok rule should show up there first.
What should travelers watch for next on palace fees and visitor services?
For now, the 2005 palace fees still apply. Travelers should watch for two things: a new fee announcement with a firm start date, and the visitor-service upgrades due in January 2027. The new fee schedule was supposed to be announced in November 2026 and take effect on January 1, 2027. According to documents submitted to Rep. Choi Min-hee, the timing is now "undecided" . Until a new notice gives a date, plan your trip on today's prices.
These dates matter for anyone planning a palace visit in the coming months:
- September 8, 2026: The public forum on palace and tomb admission fees took place at the National Palace Museum annex auditorium .
- November 2026: This was when the new fee schedule was supposed to be announced. That plan is no longer confirmed .
- October 2026: The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center said it would review free admission for hanbok wearers and the cost to the public this month .
- January 2027: Visitor-service improvements are scheduled to start. Asia Economy lists the planned items as better signage, shelters, restrooms, mobile ticketing, multilingual kiosks and AI interpretation .
The delay may also affect other public venues. Seoul Economic Daily reported that it is likely to affect planned fee changes at other public facilities, including national museums . If your Seoul plans pair a palace morning with a museum afternoon, assume both will charge their current prices until each one announces a change.
Practical steps for your trip:
- Budget at today's rates: 3,000 won for Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung, 1,000 won for Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung or Jongmyo, and 6,000 won for the integrated pass .
- Check the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center fee page and the Korea Heritage Service notice board for any new fee schedule.
- If the January upgrades go ahead, advance booking should get easier. KHS chief Huh Min said the current reservation systems "are not sufficiently equipped" .
The bottom line: the increase has not been cancelled, but it has no date and no final price. The 5,000 won palace fee and 3,000 won tomb fee are one option under review. Fees can only rise after a new official announcement that gives a start date, and that notice should appear on the Center's fee page first.
Last updated: 2026-10-10. Reviewed against the October 8, 2026 parliamentary audit reports and the official Royal Palaces and Tombs Center fee page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Korean palace admission fees going up in 2027?
No increase has been confirmed for 2027. The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) had planned to announce new fees in November 2026 and apply them from January 1, 2027. In documents submitted to Rep. Choi Min-hee for the October 8, 2026 parliamentary audit, its Royal Palaces and Tombs Center listed the timing as "undecided" . The start date, the new fee level and the announcement date are all still open. According to Asia Economy, KHS now plans to improve visitor services first, then design a new fee system, then put it in place . If you are visiting in early 2027, expect today's fees unless KHS announces something new on the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center fee page.
How much does Gyeongbokgung cost right now?
Adult admission to Gyeongbokgung is 3,000 won (about $2.20), the same as Changdeokgung . The official fee page lists Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo at 1,000 won each. The Changdeokgung Secret Garden (Huwon) tour costs an extra 5,000 won. A 6,000 won integrated pass covers one visit each to the four palaces and Jongmyo within six months, but it does not include the Secret Garden . These prices have not changed since 2005.
Is hanbok still free for palace entry?
Yes, for now. Visitors wearing hanbok still get in free at the palaces, Jongmyo and the royal tombs, according to the official fee page . The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center told lawmakers it would review the free hanbok program in October 2026, along with how much a fee hike would cost the public . No change to the program has been announced.
Are the 5,000 won and 3,000 won fees official?
No. These figures come from a separate document cited by Rep. Kim Jae-won of the Rebuilding Korea Party. It describes a three-stage increase that includes 5,000 won for all palaces and Jongmyo and 3,000 won for royal tombs . The materials given to Rep. Choi Min-hee present the same numbers as one phased option from a research study, not as adopted prices, according to Newspim . No final fee level has been set.
Will foreigners be charged more than Koreans?
Not at the moment, and no separate fee for foreigners has been announced. Under the current schedule, Koreans and foreign visitors pay the same price. The adult band is ages 25–64 for Koreans and 19–64 for foreign visitors . Foreign visitors made up about 24% of 2025 visitors to the palaces, Jongmyo and the royal tombs, according to Asia Economy . The whole fee structure is still being reviewed, so any change would come only after a new official notice.
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This article was written using information collected and analyzed by NAMANE's in-house K-pop research AI engine. We use AI technology to bring you faster, broader coverage, and in the process some details may occasionally differ from the latest facts. For important information such as dates, venues, and prices, please double-check with official sources.
