News reference date: September 25, 2026. Published September 26, 2026.
Korea’s Chuseok holiday offers international visitors an opportunity to explore royal heritage without the usual admission charge. The four major palaces in Seoul, Jongmyo Shrine, and the Joseon royal tombs are included in a holiday free-entry program running through September 27. However, visitors should distinguish between general admission, special tours, and museum opening schedules before planning a day out. Aju Press reported the holiday arrangements on September 25.
What visitors can experience
The Korea Tourism Organization’s 2026 holiday guide identifies Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, and Changgyeonggung as participating palaces. These sites offer different ways to encounter Korea’s royal architecture and cultural history.
The holiday itself falls on September 25 this year. The three-day Chuseok holiday runs from September 24 to 26, followed by Sunday, September 27. For travelers, that distinction helps explain why some announcements refer to three days while cultural programs advertise a four-day period.
Free entry does not mean every experience is included. Reporting on the Korea Heritage Service announcement specifies that Changdeokgung’s rear garden is excluded from the free-admission program. Jongmyo, meanwhile, is allowing entry without its usual advance reservations during the holiday. Travelers should consult the relevant venue before assuming that a special tour is available.
Why opening schedules matter
A palace itinerary and a museum itinerary are not interchangeable. The Korea Tourism Organization notes that major national museums and art museums generally close on Chuseok Day, even when they open during the surrounding holiday. Restaurants and shops also follow individual schedules. An attraction appearing on a holiday recommendation list is therefore not proof that it is open at the moment you arrive.
Weather deserves attention, too. In its September 22 holiday outlook, the Korea Meteorological Administration forecast unsettled conditions, including rain affecting parts of the country during the holiday weekend. That forecast is a planning reference, not a substitute for a fresh local forecast before departure.
A better way to plan your visit
Our suggestion is to choose one main heritage site and give it enough time. Look beyond the most photographed gate: notice how courtyards frame buildings, how rooflines guide the eye, and how spaces separate public ceremony from more private activity.
Before leaving, confirm the opening time, final admission time, and any separate reservation requirement. Keep an indoor alternative whose holiday hours you have also checked.
The value of this holiday program is more than saving an entrance fee. It offers a chance to treat Korean heritage as something to observe carefully, rather than a collection of landmarks to rush through.
