Discover Korean History with the Youth Cultural Corps

Gyeonghoeru Pavilion at Gyeongbokgung Palace

In the past, when a king governed the Korean peninsula, it was impossible for anybody to enter the royal palaces. A royal palace such as Gyeongbokgung was a private residence where the king lived with his family and his servants. In order to pass the gates, you had to get permission, which was very hard to get. Such rights were reserved only for people in high positions.

A volunteer tour guide with an international tourist at Deoksugung

A very different reality exists at the royal palaces today. For only a few thousand won, everybody can go to a royal palace and dive into Korean history. As long as you are courteous, you can take pictures, look around and enjoy a cup of coffee. Nowadays, you can see foreigners from all over the world dressed in hanbok at the royal palaces, which are now open for the public to see.

A mythical creature carved on a stairway at Deoksugung

Even though the palace structures are made of wood, they are very sturdy due to practice of dancheong, or traditional decorative wood painting. These ancient works of architecture remind us of a time when ideologies such as Confucianism and Buddhism were dominant in Korea. Many motifs of dragons, phoenixes and other mythical creatures can be found throughout the palaces.

Colorful dancheong painted on the palace structures of Gyeongbokgung

For students at Youth Cultural Corps, an organization which aims to promote Korean history and culture, a royal palace is an integral part of their education. Every weekend, you can find the YCC at places such as Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, Changdeokgung and Namsangol Hanok Village. As volunteer tour guides, the YCC gives free tours to international visitors in English or Chinese.

Students from the Youth Cultural Corps

To receive a tour with a volunteer tour guide from Youth Cultural Corps, go to the reservation page to get the full schedule. You can also find us directly on the weekends from 10am to 4pm at Deoksugung, Changdeokgung, Gyeongbokgung or Namsangol Hanok Village. Follow YCC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ycc.officials/ if to get updates on Korean history and more.