What You Can't Do at Gyeongbokgung: Photo and Item Rules, Straight From the Regulation

Ordinary souvenir photos do not need permission. Article 26, Paragraph 1 of the Cultural Heritage Administration’s “Royal Palaces and Tombs Viewing Regulation” states that visitor souvenir photography is deemed already authorised.

Then Paragraph 2 lists the exceptions. Photography using costume-character outfits, mascot suits, air suits and other “non-everyday attire” with corresponding props requires separate approval from the palace management office. Hanbok is not in this category. Cosplay, wedding-concept shoots, and any setup with large props: different story.

This article is drawn from the text of the regulation itself — not from the palace website’s visitor guide.

Do I need permission to take photos at the palace?

Type of photography	Permission	Legal basis
Visitor souvenir photos (including hanbok)	Not required — deemed authorised	Article 26 ①
Costume-character outfits, mascot suits, air suits and other non-everyday attire with corresponding props	Required — apply to the palace management office	Article 26 ②
Academic research, news reporting (non-commercial)	Application required	Article 23 2, Article 24
Film, drama, advertising, entertainment (commercial)	Application + shooting fee	Article 23 1, Article 29
Drone and other aerial photography	Generally prohibited (public-interest use only)	Article 24 ③

The regulation explains why Paragraph 2 exists: “because such photography may cause inconvenience to other visitors or risk undermining the historical character of the heritage site in question.”

Hanbok is safe. In this neighbourhood, hanbok is everyday visitor attire and separately listed as qualifying for free palace entry. The rule targets mascot suits, inflatable costumes, and exaggerated concept outfits.

Are there places where photography is outright restricted?

Yes. Two cases (Article 26 ③).

1. To prevent crowding and congestion, the palace management office may restrict photography in specific areas of the grounds.
2. The Joseon Royal Tombs, Jongmyo, and Chilgung may have photography restricted in consideration of the special character of these sites.

Jongmyo is an ancestral shrine where rites are performed. Setting up a tripod there with the same mindset you would bring to Gyeongbokgung is likely to draw a response from staff. If you visit Jongmyo in hanbok, lean toward quiet observation rather than active photography.

Area-specific restrictions vary day to day — follow on-site signage and staff instructions.

What can’t I bring into the palace?

Article 6 lists the items and behaviours subject to entry restriction, storage, and suspension of viewing.

Prohibited items	Notes
Flammable materials, weapons (firearms, explosives, swords)	—
Alcohol	—
Camping equipment — tents, ground mats, sunshades	Especially relevant in summer
Cooking utensils	—
Pets	Marked assistance dogs exempted
Sports and play equipment, musical instruments, loudspeakers	Items that may disrupt viewing or conservation

Prohibited behaviour:

• Drinking, shamanic rituals, private ancestral rites, religious assemblies, shouting
• Eating food such as packed meals outside designated areas
• Smoking is prohibited throughout the entire palace grounds — violations may result in suspension of viewing and removal

Confiscated items are returned when you exit.

The two items that actually trip up hanbok visitors are ground mats and sunshades (brought to sit and rest in summer) and food (packed meals, takeaway cups). If you plan to eat inside the palace, confirm you are in a designated area first.

Can the palace close because of bad weather?

It can. Article 5, Paragraph 2 provides the authority.

“In the event of earthquakes, typhoons, heavy rain, heavy snow, or other natural disasters, or heatwaves, fine dust or other abnormal weather conditions, or any circumstances that may affect the health and safety of visitors … public access may be suspended in whole or in part for a set period.”

• In urgent cases, action may be taken without prior approval and then reported afterwards. This means a closure can be decided that very morning.
• When access is restricted or suspended, the reason and duration must be posted where visitors can see it.

Hanbok rental involves booking in advance and changing into the clothes — once that is done, there is no going back. If a heatwave warning or typhoon is forecast, check the palace management office’s announcements before you confirm your rental reservation.

What if I bought a ticket but can’t go?

Refund rules for tickets bought through the reservation system (Article 8 ⑤):

Cancellation timing	Refund
Up to 2 hours before entry time	Full refund
Between 2 hours before and entry time	10% deducted, plus separate refund processing fee
After entry time	No refund
No-show without cancellation	Deemed to have viewed the palace

However, if you could not visit due to a weather disaster at warning level or above, the penalty may be waived (Article 8 ⑦).

Hanbok wearers are free-entry visitors to begin with, so these clauses do not apply. They are relevant only to separately-booked paid programmes such as the Changdeokgung Secret Garden.

Where is this regulation published?

The Cultural Heritage Administration’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Agency website → Visitor Information → Viewing Rules publishes the full text of the regulation. It runs to seven chapters and forty articles, covering public access, admission fees, guided commentary, ticketing, photography and venue use, in that order.

(This article reflects the regulation as of August 2026. Regulations may be amended.)

---

I ran a hanbok rental shop at Gyeongbokgung from 2015 to 2025. Most visitors I spoke to had no idea a formal regulation existed — they assumed the rules were whatever the staff decided that day. The text is public. It takes about twenty minutes to read and it answers nearly every question that comes up at the counter.

Compare 28 hanbok shops near Gyeongbokgung →