Encountering the Time of Joseon at Royal Tombs in Autumn... World Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival to be Held in October

Royal tombs containing the stories of the Joseon royal family will transform into cultural spaces this autumn, blending performances, field trips, experiences, and exhibitions. This year, the festival stages have expanded from nine locations last year to 12, welcoming visitors with programs that highlight the history and sense of place of each royal tomb.

The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Heritage Agency announced on the 14th that the opening ceremony will be held at the Yungneung and Geonneung in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do, on October 16, and the '2026 World Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival' will be held from October 17 to 25.

Marking its 7th year, the Joseon Royal Tombs Festival is an event utilizing the royal tombs—a UNESCO World Heritage site—through performances, tours, experiences, and exhibitions. This year, it will be held at 12 locations: Yungneung and Geonneung, Seointeung, Jangneung in Gimpo, Samneung in Paju, Donggureung, Hongneung and Yulleung, Saryeung, Taereung and Gangneung, Seolleung and Jeongneung, Uireung, Yeongneung and Yeongneung, and Jangneung in Yeongwol.

Among the performances set against the backdrop of the royal tombs, the musical 'Peach Blossoms, Thinking of You Makes Me Sad @ Yunggeonneung' is drawing attention. Held at Yungneung and Geonneung on October 17–18 and 24–25, this work unfolds the royal family history from Yeongjo to Jangjo (Sado) and Jeongjo against the backdrop of Yungneung. Choi Jae-rim will play the role of Sado, Song Yong-tae will play Yeongjo, and Gu Jun-mo will play Jeongjo, with English subtitles provided for foreign visitors.

At Seolleung and Jeongneung, Yungneung and Geonneung, Hongneung and Yulleung, and Yeongneung and Yeongneung, the outdoor concert 'Royal Stage' will be held, where visitors can enjoy traditional Korean music, jazz, and classical music. At Seointeung, Seolleung and Jeongneung, Donggureung, Yungneung and Geonneung, and Yeongneung and Yeongneung, the 'Royal Tomb Humanities Academy' will be conducted, featuring discussions on the history and culture of the royal tombs with experts.

There will also be 'Royal Tomb Stories Told by the Neungchambong,' where visitors can hear the daily lives of the officials who managed the royal tombs, and 'Bogo-jigo Bogo-jigo,' a creative pansori piece that tells the story of Danjong and Queen Jeongsun.

There are also programs to walk through the royal tomb spaces and explore their historical significance. 'Donggureung Yabyeolhaeng - Dream of the Tomb Lord' will take place from October 13 to 25 ahead of the festival opening, operating in a way that allows visitors to experience the stories of the Joseon kings through light, sound, video, and performance while walking through the royal tombs at night.

The 'Tomb Site Special Opening: Meeting the Royal Tombs Deeply,' which allows visitors to tour the tomb mound areas that are usually not open to the public, will be held at Seolleung and Jeongneung, Donggureung, and Seointeung. The mission-based program 'Joseon Detective: Royal Tomb Scribe Record,' where visitors become scribes to tour the royal tombs and complete historical records, will operate at six royal tombs.

Programs to directly experience the ritual culture have also been prepared. At Taereung and Gangneung and Seointeung, 'Ritual Offering Setting Experience,' where ritual food is placed in ritual vessels and set on the ritual table, and 'Ritual Official Experience,' where visitors wear ritual official clothing and experience the ceremony, will be held. At Yungneung and Geonneung and Yeongneung and Yeongneung, a 'Royal Tomb Ritual Exhibition Hall' using food models will be prepared.

Cultural programs utilizing the forests of the royal tombs will continue. The 'Royal Tomb Culture Lounge' will operate at 10 royal tombs, offering experiences such as making bookmarks, gold leaf crafts, digging lotus roots, and making keyrings. At Seointeung, Donggureung, Seolleung and Jeongneung, and Yeongneung and Yeongneung, the reading program 'Royal Tomb Book Yard' will also be held.

Prior to the festival, the exhibition 'Royal Tomb Sound Gallery - Sounds of Nature, Echoes of Ritual' will begin on September 30 at the National Intangible Heritage Training Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. This exhibition realizes the sounds derived from the nature and ritual ceremonies of the Joseon Royal Tombs through immersive sound and media art.

Additionally, on October 23, the academic program 'Joseon Royal Tombs and Wonchal' will be held at Yongjusa Temple in Hwaseong, themed around the original temples of the Joseon Royal Tombs. From September 26, participants can also join the 'Joseon Royal Tombs Mobile Stamp Tour,' visiting 40 Joseon Royal Tombs to collect mobile stamps.

Reservations for some programs that require advance booking, such as the opening ceremony, the royal tomb musical, and Yabyeolhaeng, will begin sequentially from 2:00 PM on September 15. Koreans can book through Ticket Link, and foreigners can book through Creatrip.

October 19 is a day when the tombs are closed, but some festival programs will still operate. The schedules and reservation methods for each program can be found on the websites of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, the Korea Heritage Agency, and the Joseon Royal Tombs Festival.