On selected evenings from spring to autumn, Gyeongbokgung Palace opens after dark for a special night visit. The main buildings — the Geunjeongjeon throne hall and Gyeonghoeru pavilion — are lit against the night sky and reflected in the lotus ponds in a way that the daytime visit cannot replicate. The lines of coloured lanterns hung through the courtyards during the spring Lantern Festival are particularly spectacular.
Night tours are ticketed separately from the daytime admission and sell out quickly, especially during the spring cherry blossom period and the autumn foliage season. Tickets are released online in advance through the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation website. The route is shorter than the full daytime visit but focused on the most photogenic areas of the complex.