This is the first palace as well as Beopgung of the Joseon Dynasty, located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Beopgung refers to the palace where the king lives. It's founded by King Taejo Lee Seong-gye in 1395, and the name ‘Gyeongbok’ carries the meaning that ‘the new dynasty will enjoy great fortune and prosper.’ The king's coronation was held here, and King Sejong the Great promulgated The palace was built with Seoul's Inwangsan Mountain and Bugaksan Mountain in the background, and Gwanghwamun Square in front of the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace was the administrative center of the Joseon Dynasty. Hangul (Hunminjeongeum: the proper sounds for the instruction of the people).

However, Gyeongbokgung Palace was destroyed by fire during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592. After that, it’s rebuilt in 1867. During the reconstruction, Geoncheong(Palace inside the Gyeongbokgung), Taewonjeon(A place where the royal family's body is kept till the funeral), and Jibokjae(A place used as library) were built. Especially, there is a sad story about Geoncheonggung Palace. This is because it's the tragic place where Empress Myeongseong, queen of Gojong, the 26th king of Joseon and the first emperor of the Korean Empire, was murdered. During the Japanese colonial period, many parts of Gyeongbokgung Palace were destroyed and demolished. In particular, the landscape of Gyeongbokgung Palace was damaged when the Japanese Government-General Building of Korea was built in 1926.

The Korean government has promoted the Gyeongbokgung Palace restoration project since the 1990s. From 1995 to 1997, the government demolished the Japanese Government-General Building of Korea. And Gyeongbokgung Palace was restored in earnest, brought back the magnificent history of the Joseon Dynasty. Currently, various cultural programs are being operated, such as the guard changing ceremony and traditional costume experience. If you wear a Hanbok(Korean traditional clothes), you can enter for free. It’s adjacent to the National Palace Museum and the National Folk Museum, so visiting together will be a great plan for you. Gyeongbokgung Palace is visited by numerous tourists every year and is a representative cultural property that preserves the traditional architecture and historical heritage.