Gyeongbokgung is the first stop on most Seoul itineraries, and it is one of the few tourist sites where knowing a little Korean genuinely changes the day — mostly because of hanbok rental and the photo requests that follow.
Tickets
- 어른 두 장 주세요. — Two adult tickets, please.
- 학생 할인 돼요? — Is there a student discount?
- 몇 시까지예요? — What time does it close?
장 is the counter for tickets and flat things.
The free-entry trick: wearing 한복 gets you in free at all four main palaces. Rental shops cluster around the entrances and charge far less than a day of tickets for a group.
- 한복 입으면 무료예요? — Is it free if I wear hanbok?
Renting hanbok
- 한복 빌리고 싶어요. — I'd like to rent a hanbok.
- 몇 시간이에요? — How many hours?
- 두 시간이요. — Two hours.
- 이거 입어 봐도 돼요? — Can I try this on?
Most shops rent by two-hour or four-hour blocks and include hair styling for a small extra fee. Lockers for your own clothes are usually included.
Photos
This is where most of the Korean happens.
- 사진 찍어 주실 수 있어요? — Could you take a photo for me?
- 우리 같이 사진 찍어요! — Let's take a photo together!
- 여기서 찍어 주세요. — Please take it from here.
- 한 장만 더요. — Just one more.
- 사진이 잘 나왔어요? — Did the photo come out well?
If someone asks you to take theirs, the reply is simply 네, 찍어 드릴게요.
Koreans count into a photo with 하나, 둘, 셋 — and often 김치 instead of "cheese."
Around the grounds
- 여기서 유명한 게 뭐예요? — What's famous here?
- 저건 뭐예요? — What's that?
- 화장실 어디예요? — Where's the bathroom?
- 입구가 어디예요? — Where's the entrance?
- 안내도 있어요? — Is there a map?
| Korean | What it is |
|---|---|
| 궁 / 궁궐 | palace |
| 문 | gate |
| 정전 | main throne hall |
| 연못 | pond |
| 매표소 | ticket office |
| 해설 | guided commentary |
Free guided tours in English run several times a day at Gyeongbokgung, and the changing of the guard happens on a fixed schedule at the main gate.
The gift shop
- 이거 얼마예요? — How much is this?
- 이거 예쁘다. — This is pretty.
- 선물 살 거예요. — I'm buying a gift.
- 포장해 주세요. — Please wrap it.
- 그럼 이걸로 살게요. — Then I'll take this one.
포장해 주세요 works for gift wrapping as well as for takeaway food. Palace shops usually wrap for free.
The four palaces
경복궁 — the largest, with the guard ceremony. Closed Tuesdays.
창덕궁 — a UNESCO site, and the Secret Garden requires a separate timed ticket.
덕수궁 — small and central, next to City Hall.
창경궁 — quieter, connected to Changdeokgung.
A combined ticket covers all four plus Jongmyo Shrine and costs less than buying them separately.
See it happen
Episode 19 of K-PATTO takes place at Gyeongbokgung, where most of the dialogue is about taking photos and buying a souvenir — which is honestly what most palace visits consist of.
Read it at K-PATTO.