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| People visit Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul in this Feb. 13, 2022 photo. Four palaces in the capital including Gyeongbok will provide free admission during the Seollal holiday from Saturday to Tuesday. Korea Times file |
By Kim Rahn
Various cultural events are planned for the Lunar New Year holiday at Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces in Seoul and other locations across the country, to offer glimpses into the country's traditions.
During the long weekend from Saturday to Tuesday, admission will be free at four major Joseon palaces ― Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Changgyeong and Deoksu palaces ― as well as Jongmyo Shrine and royal tombs of the dynasty in Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi Province, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, Tuesday.
Jongmyo, which usually requires visitors to make a reservation, will be open to those without reservations during the period.
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| A picture of rabbits, which visitors to Gyeongbok Palace can receive during the Lunar New Year holiday / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration |
They will receive a picture of either a tiger wearing a royal guard's hat, symbolizing strength and courage, or a rabbit couple symbolizing conjugal love and the Year of the Rabbit. After each ceremony, 500 of each picture will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis.
At Cheong Wa Dae, lectures on various features of the former presidential office and residence, such as its history and flora, will be presented in "talk concerts" at Chunchugwan in the former presidential compound from 1:30 p.m. from Saturday to Monday. Reservations are required for the lectures, with 150 people for each session.
An art troupe from the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation under the CHA will present "gugak" (traditional Korean music), lion dance and "samulnori" (percussion music) performances at Cheong Wa Dae for 40 minutes at 3 p.m. every day during the holiday. The performances are free.
Those born in prior Years of the Rabbit can also receive a 2023 calendar there if they show their ID cards proving their birth year.
The National Intangible Heritage Center, located in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, has newly opened an immersive art section. The story of a rabbit and a turtle, featured in "Sugangga," one of the remaining "pansori" (a traditional genre of musical storytelling), is presented in media art on a 9-meter-tall screen. Admission is free, and visitors can get a postcard of rabbits.
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