A Solo Walk through Gyeongbokgung and Seochon

Visit in This Order

• Gwanghwamun Square — Check the direction of Gwanghwamun Gate and start with the palace visit.
• Gyeongbokgung — Choose the halls you want to see first. Check whether Yeongchumun Gate is open before continuing to Seochon.
• Seochon and Tongin Market — Check individual shops' closing days and meal queues before choosing your stops.

How Much Walking Is Involved in Each Section?

The times and distances below are map-route records checked in the source. Allow separate time for visits, queues and meals. Actual walking distance changes if your starting or finishing point changes.

• Gwanghwamun Square → Gwanghwamun Gate: 4 minutes · 228 m · Map-route record (checked 2026-10-17).
• Gyeongbokgung's Yeongchumun Gate → Tongin Market: 8 minutes · 467 m · Map-route record (checked 2026-10-17). Travel inside the palace is not included. Recheck the route if Yeongchumun Gate cannot be used.

Opening Hours and Bookings

Gyeongbokgung: January–February and November–December, 09:00–17:00 (last admission 16:00); March–May and September–October, 09:00–18:00 (last admission 17:00); June–August, 09:00–18:30 (last admission 17:30). The regular closing day is Tuesday.

General daytime admission is available on site. Check separate booking conditions for night visits and special admission.

This is a suggested allocation of 3–5 hours including the palace visit and a meal. Actual time varies with your visiting pace and queues.

You Can Adjust the Plan to Your Time and Interests

• Gwanghwamun Square → Gyeongbokgung → Seochon and Tongin Market
• Gyeongbokgung → National Palace Museum of Korea (royal culture instead of Seochon)
• Gyeongbokgung → National Folk Museum of Korea, Seoul Main Building (folk culture instead of Seochon)

National Palace Museum of Korea

This option shortens the Seochon walk and chooses royal-culture exhibitions. Distinguish Gyeongbokgung admission, general museum admission and education or activity bookings.

Monday–Friday and Sunday, 09:30–17:30. Saturdays and the last Wednesday of each month, 09:30–21:00. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.

General exhibitions are free, and no advance booking guidance is given for ordinary individual admission. Check separate bookings for student groups of 30 or more and education or hands-on programs.

Check the guidance below and official notices for holiday, monthly and temporary closures.

• Closed on the last Monday of each month, January 1, Seollal and Chuseok. If the last Monday is a public holiday, check the official substitute-closure rules. It is not closed every Monday.
• The FAQ still contains older information stating 10:00–18:00 and late opening every Wednesday and Saturday. Prioritize the 09:30–17:30 and last-Wednesday rules on which the current visitor guide and home page agree.
• Do not apply the hours or Monday-closure rules of other branches, such as the National Museum of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, to this museum in Seoul.
• Do not interpret notices about temporary museum-shop operations as closure of the entire exhibition building. Booking availability for particular permanent rooms or education programs is not guaranteed.

National Folk Museum of Korea, Seoul Main Building

This is an alternative for seeing Korean daily-life and customs exhibitions after Gyeongbokgung instead of Seochon. Choose one of the two museums rather than adding the National Palace Museum of Korea as well.

March–October, 09:00–18:00; November–February, 09:00–17:00. Wednesdays in March–October, until 20:00. Last admission is one hour before closing.

General admission to the main building is free. Check separate booking and inquiry conditions for the Children's Museum, education programs and guided visits for groups of 10 or more.

Check the guidance below and official notices for holiday, monthly and temporary closures.

• The Seoul main building closes on January 1, Seollal and Chuseok, and is not listed as having a regular Monday closure. Distinguish it from the Paju branch's hours and Monday-closure rules.
• Permanent Exhibition Hall 1 is closed from 2026-09-30 to December 21 (planned), with reopening planned for December 22. Do not describe this as closure of the entire museum or as current access to every permanent exhibition room.
• Interior visits to the outdoor exhibition are restricted on weekends and public holidays for safety. Do not extend this to mean all outdoor spaces are closed.
• Museum admission is free, but Gyeongbokgung requires separate paid admission. Do not substitute a Children's Museum booking for general admission to the main building.

Things to Know Before Setting Out

• If a palace closing day falls on a public or substitute holiday, the palace opens and closes on the first following non-holiday instead.
• We have not confirmed the operating hours or closing days of Seochon's shops and individual Tongin Market stalls.

Places in the Photos

The palace and folk museum photos show alternative stops to choose instead of Seochon. Do not make both museums essential additions. Check guidance for the day to see whether interior visits to the old-street outdoor exhibition shown in the folk museum photo are currently allowed on weekends or public holidays.