Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

Palaces Offer Traditional Fun for Lunar New Year
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200901/200901230003.html

Marking the lunar New Year, ancient palaces in Seoul are once again hosting a variety of events and traditional games.
▶ Gyeongbok Palace

During lunar New Year's holidays from Jan. 25 to 27, visitors to Gyeongbok Palace, the main palace of the Chosun Dynasty, can enjoy a diversity of traditional games, mainly seasonal folk games such as seesaw jumping (neol-ttwigi), Korean hacky sac (jegi-chagi), top-spinning (paengi-chigi), a board game played by tossing four sticks (yut-nori), and throwing arrows into a narrow barrel (tuho). Some limited quarters are open to the public during the holidays, and those in traditional Korean costume (hanbok) get in free.

Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (last admission 5 p.m.)
Admission fees: Adult - 3,000 / Child - W1,500 (US$1=W1,373)
Web: www.royalpalace.go.kr


▶ Deoksu Palace

This also offers a chance for people to enjoy traditional folk games as well as an exhibition of modern art. Visitors can watch performances of intangible culture heritage, including the traditional mask-dance (talchum-nori). Also, the National Museum of Contemporary Art in the palace holds an exhibition of 232 works by 105 modern Korean painters.

Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. (last admission 8:00 p.m.)
Admission fees: Adult - W1,000 / Child - W500
Web: www.deoksugung.go.kr

Changgyeong Palace

Visitors can experience the "sebae" or New Year's bow to elders. With the same admission ticket, people can go to the Jongmyo royal ancestral shrine via an overpass. This palace also offers opportunities to play traditional games.

Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Admission fees: Adult - W1,000 / Child - W500
Web: http://cgg.cha.go.kr

([email protected] )