Changing of the guards This is a much smaller palace as compared to the grand Gyeongbokgung palace and is in the heart of the city. We landed there just in time for the changing of the guards ceremony which is again not as elaborate as the one at Gyeongbokgung but is still nice. (You can watch the ceremony from the street. You need a ticket only to enter the palace grounds). The visit does not take much time as the palace grounds are small. The guide pointed out to us some of the structures dating back to 1600

Deoksugung is a unique palace I visited 2 palaces (Deoksugung & Gyeongbokgung) during my visit to Seoul last month. 'though Deoksugung is not as big as Gyeongbokgung, but Deoksugung is quite unique compare to Gyeongbokgung. You can find both Joseon Dynasty & Western influences in this palace, something that you can't see in another palaces in Seoul ..

Not closed! Open. I went today. Go at night. I saw all the other palaces in the day. From what I understand, this is the only one opened in the evening. Suggest if you can, to come then. June, 2022 open till 21:00, so we went at 19:00 as it started to get dark. Magical and mystical. Loved it. Not as big as the other ones. Easy to navigate yourself. Get an information leaflet plus there are boards with facts.

Great guide This was the last of four Palaces that we visited while in Seoul and the guide was the best we had experienced. It was a smaller Palace in comparison to some of the others, but the information regarding buildings, customs and structures carries across them all. Unfortunately the Change of Guard was postponed due to protests. Including the free guided tour - we spent around 1.5hours here.

Volunteer guide made it perfect A high school student called Esther who is my volunteer guide made the trip perfect. She was able to explain about the different buildings, meaning of motifs and emblems, and story of the Princess. Weather is very good in June with sun and nice temperature. Just in time to catch the change of guards after my tour. Best experience, thank you!

Closed on Mondays 1. Closed on Mondays

2. Get the Royal Palace Pass (entry to multiple museums - including The Secret Garden); less queuing, saving money and all sites are worth a visit

3. The actual review: We visited on a Sunday and saw the changing of the guards - narrated in Korean and English. Photo opportunities with the guards were free after the ceremony. Mix of old-school Korean buildings and western buildings, but all worth a visit. It's small, but you can't argue with the price! There's a free guide at the entrance, and not the one to visit if you only have time for one, but can easily be done in a day of other activities.

Changing of the Guard Good display of the Changing of the Guard on the outside of the palace gates between 10:00-14:00. You don’t need a ticket to watch it from the street. Lasts about 15 minutes with photo opportunities with the actors after the show is over. Worth the trip to see the traditional dress and the parade.

Just opened again A lot of palaces were just reopened this summer so we used the opportunity to visit Deoksugung, a beautiful temple in the heart of Seoul. There are many palaces within the Seoul area, all beautifully maintained, this one is worth a visit as well.

Wonderful visit I went there after being rather unhappy with a museum visit. This place saved the day as it was a wonderful way to learn about more recent Korean history and understand how things moved there. The mixture of old traditional style Korean architecture with what came to be more fashionable once Korea was influenced by the west is a interesting sight to observe. By all means that time to sit and watch, observe the landscape.
Though I did find it annoying that for the museum you needed to buy an extra ticket, so I didn't go.

The Smaller And Less Interesting Of The Three palaces Deoksugung Palace was used by the King when he was in exile during the Japanese invasion of 1592. This was used as a King's residence until King Gojong died in 1919.There is a mix of ancient and modern architecture. We visited to see the changing of the guard but it was cancelled because of very (very) light rain.

Changing of the guards We didn’t go inside the palace but watched the lavish and dramatic changing of the guards at 3:30 (I think the other times are 12 and 2pm but check that if going).
We get lucky enough to try on free Hanbok costumes to experience the change of the guards and pose with the guards after their ceremony. The whole thing lasted about 20 minutes and there were explanations in English. The outfits were colourful. There’s a huge drum that’s beaten too.

My favorite Palace This is probably one of my most favorite Palace in Seoul, definitely in the top three. It seems like it lies in the center of Seoul the way it is positioned surrounded by modern architecture of Seoul, hotels, restaurants, the City Hall and other important buildings. It’s so easy to get to by train, bus or taxi and it is within walking distance to other attractions. The Palace house also a gallery and a shop. It’s great to stroll around these old buildings and imagine how life might have been way back in the Joseph Dynasty. Right outside of the Palace in the small street on the right of it lies a famous Belgian waffle shop which I’d recommend trying. It’s not Korean but it is claimed to be one of the top 5 dessert shops in Seoul.

Has other attractions inside the compound! I visited this attraction after my DMZ Tour Bus dropped me off across from it. Note that seniors can enter this attraction for free, just show your proof of age.

There is a beautiful fountain at the center of the area. There are 3 buildings to visit here, my favorite one is the one that shows intricately embroidered panels. Took a lot of photos of the embroidered exhibits here.

The other 2 buildings have their own exhibits. Feeling tired of walking, I simply took their pictures from outside.

Wonderful palace and unrivaled gardens This smaller palace and the grounds around are very beautiful and easier to cover than the larger Gyeongbokgung Palace. It has been carefully restored and it is very well taken care of. I visited on a Sunday afternoon and while there were many people, it did not feel crowded. If pressed for time, I highly suggest visiting this palace to get a taste of the magnificent architectural styles of the Korean Peninsula.

Afternoon walk around I really enjoyed walking around. The exhibition was also good. Not too busy so it's easy to get some nice photos as well. The Hanbok display was really nice

Great palace to visit at night Deoksugung is the only palace open at night and the way it is all lit up is both beautiful and atmospheric. There was a children's concert going on when we visited which we stopped to listen to.

Beautiful place especially in spring What a beautiful place to visit! Especially in the spring with the cherry blossom, forsythia and azaleas in bloom. The buildings are beautiful and in the middle of the city there is a sense of space. It’s so easy to access as well - right at City Hall. Worth a visit.

Nice Deoksugung , also known as Gyeongun-gung, Deoksugung Palace, or Deoksu Palace, is a walled compound of palaces in Seoul that was inhabited by members of Korea's royal family during the Joseon monarchy until the annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910. It is one of the Five Grand Palaces built by the kings of the Joseon dynasty and designated as a Historic Site.I stayed in Lotte Hotel Meyodong and this place to far and I came to discover it.It was nice visit. The fee around 8$.It was cool tour. But my daughter Tammy
tired .not come with young kids.This place good .But,not from the Top attraction in Seoul.

Plan to Visit here and the other Historical Places... and do not rush the enjoyment Why pay for tour guides when you can hop on and off the subway and visit so many places in Seoul? This is yet another great place to mark on your tour and enjoy your photos for years to come.

Wacth the changing of the gurads Have to go at the right time to see the changing of the guards in front gates. They let you take pictures with them afterwards.Its free and it was really cheap to go into the gardens after if you wanted but we did not go in.

Small City Palace, Great for Visit if one is short in time A small palace compared to that of Gyeongbukgung and Changdeokgung. This palace is perfect for those who wanted to visit one but do not have much time. The palace allows visitors to understand the ancient Korean culture. There is a change of guard ceremony at fixed timings here.

More Peaceful palace of Seoul I guess this is one of the less visited palaces of Seoul near City Hall. But nevertheless, it is beautiful. The walls are where most KDramas were shot.

Basic shell of a former palace We only get to see what the exterior of buildings looked like, and a fraction of what the grounds and gardens looked like when the King/Emperor of Joseon ruled from here and proclaim this city as the capital of Joseon. Thus, we can’t envision the firmer magnificence of the palace and grounds.

Easy to access from City Hall Locating before City Hall, this place is easy to access comparing to other palaces of Seoul. With only 1,000 won, you can experience minor version of Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung. Good place to take a walk and have fun.
Stone fence around the palace is also popular to visitors. After watching palace, escape through the gate and circle around.
The best time to visit is from early to mid November with fall foliage.

Pretty nice But pretty small. With the audio guide no need to spend more then an hour. Part of the palace pass, which contains five palaces. Come early to see the changing of the guards, but dont enticipate something "european"

A rather typical palace with small territory Dropped by here because it was on our way, and walked the grounds. A few beautiful nature corners and buildings are picture-worthy, as usual. Otherwise, not much to see here, but if it's on your way it's worth stopping by.

Lovely Temple Grounds Adjacent City Hall is Deoksugung Temple Grounds which is down the road from the main palace. Outside this temple you can find the Royal Guards performing their Change over ceremonies and other cultural displays. Once you get inside you will find that this temple ground is larger than it first appears with a Cafe/Gift Shop, forested wild pathways, council buildings, an Art museum, temple grounds & buildings and many large art installations. If you arrive during the Korean holidays the temple is free entry, otherwise you will have to pay to enter. There is plenty of exploring to be done in this little area which almost appears hidden from the surrounding city streets like an oasis for people to come and relax or to learn about Art & History or even get a bit of exercise away from the traffic heavy streets of Seoul. I highly recommend a visit to this temple even if it is to waste a little time on your journey around the city.

Beautiful palace and grounds This is a great place to downs some time in downtown Seoul.

There are a number of impressive traditional buildings and lots of open space and blossom trees.

There is also a small lake next to an art shop and cafe which offers great gifts, drinks and light bites and seating by the lake.

The 1,000 won ticket price is more than reasonable.

Beautiful! A well maintained palace in the modern city. It is smaller than Gyeongbokgong and Changdeokgung. Beautiful scenery!

Small palace This palace is a lot smaller compared to the others. Easily walked through the entire grounds within 30minutes. The changing of guards is not to be missed. The audio guide can be rented at the entrance.

Small palace compound This palace opening hours are 9am to 9pm. I visited this palace just before 6pm, initially hoping to stay until dark to capture the compound with its lightings. However, the palace is rather small, with only 6 buildings in total. As such, I spent only an hour here and left, not willing to wait till sunset around 8pm.

The buildings architecture and design are generally the same as other palaces. One unique building is Jeonggwanheon Pavilion, built by a Russian architect, incorporating Korean and Western designs. This pavilion was used for banquets for foreign visitors when they visited the palace.

Palace right in the city We stayed in Myeondong and it was just a 15 minute walk away.
Nice place to visit in the evening. Closes at 9pm. Entrance fee is only 1000 Won.
Have some traditional architecture to look at. Some you peep inside.
Not enough English description of what the different. buildings were.
Overall, nice, quiet experience

Lovely autumn colours Deoksugung is right at City Hall Station. I went there to see the City Wall, the external wall of Deoksugung. This time I went inside the palace, as there were lovely maple trees showing beautiful autumn colours. Happened to see also the show performed by the palace guards.

Korea, with European influence Interesting collection of traditional Korean architecture (e.g., Daehanmun Gate, Junghwajeon Hall, etc), a fusion of Korean and European architecture in Jeonggwanheon Hall, then more classical European in Seokjojeon Hall and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (both fronted by a European garden). All overlooked by the high rise buildings of modern Seoul! I relatively small complex, easy to traverse in 60 or 90 minutes, but the architectural contrasts are a highlight. Along with the changing of the guard! 11am, 2pm, and 3:30pm. Noisy, colorful and informative - really well presented, and plenty of photo opportunities at the end.

Beautiful in the evening What a beautiful palace to visit at night. We stayed 5 minutes walk from the palace and was reading about the palace being open during the evenings.

Definitely highly recommend an evening visit. It had a romantic atmosphere and was lovely to visit as a couple.

Entrance is 1000 Korean won per person. The grounds houses a art museum and some modern art installations are visible on the site. Made even more special once lit up. As the palace is situated near the city hall and I the heart of the built up city the tall skyscrapers are even more visible at night when they are lit up with their neon lights. Spectacular blend of old with the new modern backdrop.

Will definitely return during the day. It might be the smallest palace of them all but I would definitely recommend a evening visit as you will experience it in a way you cant see the others.

Holiday We went to Deoksugung. We were very lucky to be escorted by a volunteer guide. He was 16 years old and spoke good English. He took us through the various buildings of the palace and gave us a detailed explanation of the uses of the buildings and the history. This place was not to big and it was an excellent experience. Definitely worth a visit

Perfect visit, especially for seniors! The palace, directly across the street from the Seoul City Hall and easily accessible using Exit 2 from the metro City Hall stop, is worth a 2 to 3 hour visit -- especially if one is a senior (65+) for which it is free of charge. The well preserved buildings interesting, as is the art museum which focuses on Korean painters -- a genre which is unfamiliar to many westerners (also free for seniors). Planning your visit around the changing of the guard ceremonies is prudent, as well.

Royal Palace Deoksugung is one of the 5 royal palaces in Seoul. It is covered by the Royal Palace Pass, but entry is only 1000KW. It is a small palace compared to the other main palaces, but I think one of the nicer and more interesting. The architecture reflects a blend of Korean with western influences.

Great Han Empire Palace Famous for its stone wall road and located at Seoul's busiest downtown intersection. You can watch the changing of guards ceremony here and don't forget to try walking on th4 stonewall walkway path.

One of beautiful palace in Seoul C ( 20.12.16 )
There was one of Choseon's palace in Seoul and located near City Hall Station. There had some Choseon's style palace and modern architecture. There was good to walk with old atmosphere, and sometimes there had exhibition. Though there had cheap entrance fee, but it was worth to visit and walk. One of beautiful palace in Seoul.

Changing of the guard I've been here a few times over the years and it never disappoints.

I love the fact that it has a changing of the guard ceremony (3 times a day I think) and other stuff going on too.

Once inside though it feels like a different world with a park like ambience plus a mixture of Korean and Western architecture which makes it unique for a Korean palace. I like to just sit and watch the world go by here.

I walked here, but it's close to City Hall metro station if you're using the underground.

Architecture A combination of Korean & Western-Styled Palace which makes me opened up my eyes
Wonderful place to relax

See changing of the guard ceremony The changing of the guard ceremony takes place outside of the palace grounds in a small courtyard next to the sidewalk. You are very close to all of the participants who are in very colorful costumes. Great for photos! The park like setting inside the gate is very peaceful. Hard to believe it just off a busy street.

Love of Beauty is Taste. The Creation of Beauty is Art. There is a common believe that most South Korean Temples look pretty much alike and that is an undeniable truth. Nonetheless there is a hidden differential beauty on each one of them. Here at this temple we could appreciate the differences.

This palace also has a lot of dynamic history as has been occupied not only by the Korean Royal family. In 1897, after the incident when Emperor Gojong took refuge in the Russian legation, he returned to this place and named it Gyeongungung again. During the Japanese occupation of Korea in 1592, the residential buildings became a temporary royal residence after all the other palaces were destroyed by fires.

Many of the structures here have since been removed or sold. In 1933, all buildings except for a few central and western style buildings were removed. It was then made a park and opened to the public.

At the end of the trail you may walk you'll find a turquoise Blue Fountain. European looking. On the left of this you will find a smaller part of the palace (detached unit) and on the right of the fountain you'll be right in front of the Deoksugung National Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art.

Its important at the door to purchase the full package ticket so that you can appreciate both. Palace and Museum.

Since 2007, restoration work to restore Deoksugung Palace to its original specifications.

This work has been ongoing. We do recommend extensively this palace although we couldn't appreciate the full beauty as it has been a bitter winter this January, but in Spring must be definitely wonderful.

Don't miss it.

Good for two Visits I really liked this palace. Not as well known as the others but deserves two visits. First, the afternoon changing of the guards is fun to watch and you can stand right next to the guards. Second, this palace stays open at night and makes for some great pictures with the lights on the grounds and the surrounding buildings.

A smaller palace if you don't have much time A smaller palace in the middle of town. Well worth a visit especially if you take the (free) guided tour (about 50 minutes). Time your visit to see the changing of the guard which is quite entertaining.

Day trip to Seoul Visited during a day trip. it was very cold but the day went well as the Palace is easy to navigate, and you can listed to the tour in English as well as have an English tour book.

Deoksugung, FREE Hanbok rental for 20 mins. We ventured here for the free rental of Hanbok, and the changing of guards performance:

Changing of Guards ceremony 11:00(1st Time) / 14:00(2nd Time) / 15:30(3rd Time)
Closed on Mondays.

We queued for the Hanbok at 1300, as the sign stated that the counter will be opened at 1330.
The counter eventually opened at 1345, with crowds over-powering the queue. We voiced out to the crowd and the attending lady in charge. Yet, the lady in charge replied that she only attends to the people who approached her first, regardless of the queue.
Hence, we voiced out to the crowd that there was queue and be sensible to those who have waited for 45mins. We were lucky as the crowd were English speakers and they take heed to our comments.
Beware of the lady attending to you, she was rude and abrupt.
Well . we were here for the Hanboks, just swallow what her comments were.

Deoksugung Palace Tour A worthy visit that cost only 1000 won. There are free guided English tours at 1045am (not sure about other timings). The tour ended around 1115 and we went to the Seokjojeon Hall for a tour at 1150 (max 20 pax so sign up early).

The tour guide name is Jung (Oct 7th) and he was very engaging and patient in explaining everything! Good job!

Afternoon walk around I really enjoyed walking around. The exhibition was also good. Not too busy so it's easy to get some nice photos as well. The Hanbok display was really nice

Terrific night time visit Deoksugung is one of five Joseon palaces in Seoul. It's located in the very city center, right across the City Hall. Likewise other 4 it is included in the "Royal Palace Pass" which I strongly suggest buying for as low as 10.000 Won (less than 8$) giving access to all of them.
Deoksugung palace complex consists of several palaces and is younger than others, being built in early 17 century and lasted until Japanese occupation in 1910 when it was pretty much damaged. Apart from that, complex has a very nice garden and fountain area.
Deoksugung is the only palace complex in Seoul open until 9 PM, so I suggest coming an hour earlier to experience the night mode of this beauty.