Chandeliers and royal bathrooms: Inside a palace rebuilt 100 years ago

The interiors of Huijeongdang and Daejojeon at Changdeokgung Palace — royal living quarters where Joseon-era tradition meets early modern amenities — will be opened to the public in a special guided program. The event marks the first time Daejojeon, which has undergone restoration work, will be accessible to visitors this year.

The Changdeokgung Management Office under the Cultural Heritage Administration's Palace and Royal Tomb Management Division will run a special in-depth commentary program, "The living spaces of the king and queen: entering the inner quarters of Changdeokgung," from Oct. 20 to Oct. 31, Tuesday through Saturday, with two sessions daily. Sessions run at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and last approximately 70 minutes.

Part of a broader in-depth commentary series covering different areas of Changdeokgung, the program will open Daejojeon — the queen's residential quarters — to the public for the first time this year.

Huijeongdang and Daejojeon served as both the living quarters and offices of the Joseon king and queen. Destroyed by fire in 1917 and rebuilt in 1920, the halls blend traditional Korean architecture with early modern elements.

The management office has been restoring the halls since 2019, working on roofing, flooring, windows, wallpaper, carpets and lighting. Huijeongdang has been open to visitors since 2022, and Daejojeon joins it this year, with both interiors now presented alongside commentary from heritage interpreters.

Inside Huijeongdang hang reproductions of "Chongseokjeong Scenic View" and "Scenic View of Geumgangsan's Manmulcho" by Haeggang Kim Gyu-jin. Daejojeon displays facsimile prints of "Bonghwangdo" (phoenix paintings) by Oh Il-yong and Lee Yong-woo, and "Baekjakdo" (white crane painting) by Kim Eun-ho.

Visitors can also take in early 20th-century Western-style features, including glass windows, Western-style wallpaper, electric lighting, carpets and traces of radiators, as well as a VIP bathroom in Huijeongdang and the remnants of a barbershop used by Emperor Sunjong in Daejojeon.

The program is open to adults aged 19 and older, with up to 24 participants per showing at no charge; regular Changdeokgung admission applies separately. Online lottery applications — up to two tickets per person — will be accepted on the Changdeokgung Management Office website from 10 a.m. Tuesday through 10 a.m. Friday, with results announced after 10 a.m. Friday.

The management office said it plans to use the program to raise awareness of the historical and cultural value of the restored spaces, and will continue offering heritage experience programs going forward.