A cultural festival offering performances, hands-on programs and exhibitions will bring visitors closer to the history of the Joseon royal tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation said on the 14th that the 2026 World Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival will be held Oct. 17-25 at 12 royal tomb sites, including Donggureung in Guri and Seooreung in Goyang in Gyeonggi Province, Yungneung and Geolleung in Hwaseong, and Jangneung in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province. Now in its seventh year, the festival introduces the tombs of kings, queens and other royals from the Joseon Dynasty and the Korean Empire and shares their historical significance. This year's edition adds three more venues than last year. The Korea Heritage Service manages 18 Joseon royal tombs in total.
A musical will be staged at Yungneung and Geolleung, the tombs of King Jeongjo, the 22nd monarch of Joseon (reigned 1776-1800), and his father, Crown Prince Sado (1735-1762). Titled "Peach Blossoms, Sorrowful to Recall," the production runs Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25, unfolding the tragic family history spanning three generations — King Yeongjo, Crown Prince Sado and King Jeongjo — against the backdrop of the royal tombs.
Concerts featuring artists across genres from traditional Korean music to jazz and classical will be held at four sites: Seolleung and Jeongneung in Seoul, and Hongneung and Yureung in Namyangju. At Sareung in Namyangju and Jangneung in Yeongwol, audiences can see "Longing, Longing," an original pansori work depicting the sorrowful story of King Danjong (reigned 1452-1455) and Queen Jeongsun.
Visitors will also get rare access to areas normally off limits. Seolleung and Jeongneung (Oct. 12) and Donggureung and Seooreung (Oct. 19) will open their burial mound areas to the public through a program called "Special Opening of the Burial Mounds: A Deeper Encounter With the Royal Tombs."
A nighttime program, "Donggureung Night Journey: Dream of the Tomb's Master," which tells the stories of Joseon kings through light, sound, video and staged performance, runs Oct. 13-25. An exhibition titled "Royal Tomb Sound Gallery: Sounds of Nature, Echoes of the Rites," which renders the sounds created by the tombs' natural surroundings and ancestral rites through immersive audio and media art, opens Sept. 30 at the National Intangible Heritage Training Center in Seoul.
The Korea Heritage Service said it hopes visitors will "experience the cultural heritage significance of the Joseon royal tombs in an accessible and engaging way."
