Seoul Royal Palace Guard Changing Ceremony

The “Seoul Royal Palace Guard Changing Ceremony” is a signature traditional culture reenactment event hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The program vividly recreates the changing of the Sumungun guards who protected palace gates during the Joseon dynasty. The Sumunjang was an official of junior rank 6 who guarded the palace gates, controlled entry and exit, and conducted patrols together with lower-ranking officials and guards belonging to the Sumunjangcheong office. The changing ceremony is based on actual historical materials and is staged primarily around Deoksugung Palace in the late Joseon period. The event is held in front of Daehanmun Gate at Deoksugung Palace at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., 6 days a week except Mondays. Various hands-on programs are also offered to add interest for the general public and international tourists. In the “Opening Drum Experience,” participants strike a drum themselves to announce the start of the ceremony; “I Am a Royal Guard” lets participants wear a guard costume and experience the role; and the “Traditional Costume Experience” is a popular activity in which participants can wear Joseon-era clothing and take photographs.