Where to Go in Hanbok — Around Gyeongbokgung & Beyond
Wearing hanbok gets you into most of Seoul’s royal palaces for free, and our shop sits right by Gyeongbokgung Station — so you can rent, step outside, and start exploring. Here’s where we point our guests, roughly in the order we’d walk them.
Right by our shop — and made for hanbok
All within an easy walk once you’ve changed. Most guests start here.
Gyeongbokgung Palace 경복궁 · Gyeongbokgung
The grand palace right across from us, and the first stop for almost everyone. Admission is free while you’re in hanbok — try to catch the changing-of-the-guard ceremony at the main gate.
Bukchon Hanok Village 북촌한옥마을 · Bukchon
A hillside warren of restored hanok houses, and the backdrop you’ve probably seen in every hanbok photo. It’s a short walk uphill from Gyeongbokgung — people actually live here, so keep it quiet.
Gwanghwamun Square 광화문광장 · Gwanghwamun
The broad plaza in front of the palace gate, watched over by the statues of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun-sin. An easy place for photos right after you pick up your hanbok.
Samcheong-dong 삼청동 · Samcheong-dong
The lane of cafés, galleries and small shops between Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon. A nice place to slow down and rest your feet once you’ve had your fill of palaces.
More royal palaces — free to enter
Most are free in hanbok, and they’re close enough to combine in a day.
Changdeokgung Palace 창덕궁 · Changdeokgung
A UNESCO World Heritage palace, and many people’s favourite of the five. Entry is free in hanbok; the Secret Garden is a separate guided ticket.
Changgyeonggung Palace 창경궁 · Changgyeonggung
Joined to Changdeokgung and far calmer than Gyeongbokgung. Free in hanbok, with gardens and a pond that look their best in autumn.
Jongmyo Shrine 종묘 · Jongmyo
The royal ancestral shrine of the Joseon kings — solemn, quiet and another UNESCO site. Free to enter in hanbok.
Deoksugung Palace 덕수궁 · Deoksugung
By City Hall, with an unusual mix of Korean and Western buildings and the much-loved stone-wall walk beside it. Free in hanbok.
Unhyeongung 운현궁 · Unhyeongung
A smaller, low-key residence near Insadong and Anguk. Admission is free for everyone and it’s rarely crowded — good for unhurried photos.
Gyeonghuigung Palace 경희궁 · Gyeonghuigung
An often-overlooked palace just west of Gwanghwamun. Always free to enter, which makes it an easy add-on to a day of palace-hopping.
More to see in Seoul
Namsangol Hanok Village 남산한옥마을 · Namsangol
Restored hanok and a traditional garden at the foot of Namsan. Free to enter and built for unhurried hanbok photos.
Sky Park (Haneul Park) 하늘공원 · Sky Park
A hilltop park above the Han River, famous for its silver-grass fields in autumn. Wide, open and very photogenic — just budget time for the climb.
Day trips from Seoul
With a 1-night / 2-day rental, you can take your hanbok further afield.
Nami Island 남이섬 · Namiseom
The tree-lined island that made a generation of K-dramas famous, about 90 minutes from Seoul. Lovely in any season.
Korean Folk Village 한국민속촌 · Korean Folk Village
An open-air recreation of a Joseon-era village near Suwon — one of the best places to really feel the part in hanbok. Check the official site for current hanbok offers.
Suwon Hwaseong Fortress 수원화성 · Hwaseong
A UNESCO fortress wall you can walk for hours, an easy train ride south of Seoul. Made for a slow, history-minded hanbok outing.
MBC Dramia MBC 드라미아 · MBC Dramia
The open-air set where many historical K-dramas are filmed. The period streets make hanbok photos look straight out of a show.
Petite France 쁘띠프랑스 · Petite France
A storybook French-style village near Gapyeong. The hanbok-meets-Europe contrast gives you photos you won’t get anywhere else.
Opening hours, closing days and fees can change — please check each site’s official page before you go.