Its diverse arboreal landscape, rich in species, renders it a premier destination for leisurely strolls and photographic pursuits.
The palace structures, while more intimate than their counterparts, exude a refined elegance. Evenings bring a heightened allure, as the intricate dancheong and latticework are accentuated by illumination.
Recently, this reporter visited Changgyeonggung to experience an after-dark program that runs through Dec. 31. The initiative melds the palace's natural beauty with contemporary media art, deploying light and advanced video technology to create an immersive experience.
Originally featured during last year’s Royal Culture Festival, the program has become a regular fixture, operating nightly, save for Mondays, from 7 p.m.
Beginning April 7, three new media art installations, leveraging state-of-the-art video techniques, will depict Changgyeonggung’s nocturnal vistas and natural environs. A luminous display unfolds around Chundangji Pond, where illuminated trees line the approach and the pond's island pines cast striking reflections.
Near the Grand Greenhouse, Korea’s inaugural Western-style conservatory, “Harmony of Light” creates an ethereal ambiance.
Commissioned in 1483 by King Seongjong of the Joseon Dynasty for three royal dowagers, Changgyeonggung is unique among Seoul’s palaces for its eastward orientation.
Though ravaged during the 1592 Japanese invasions and subsequently rebuilt, it served as a pivotal royal residence until the restoration of Gyeongbokgung. However, the palace’s character was compromised in 1909 with the introduction of a zoo and botanical garden, and in 1911, its name was altered to Changgyeongwon by the Japanese colonial authorities.
Following Korea’s liberation, the site remained a tourist attraction until restoration efforts commenced in 1983, restoring its original name.
From 1984 to 1986, the zoo and botanical garden were dismantled, Japanese-style structures were removed, and native flora replaced the imported cherry trees, reinstating a traditional Korean garden.
The displaced fauna and flora were relocated to Seoul Grand Park, while the cherry trees were transplanted to Yeouido’s Yunjungro. In 2022, a passage connecting Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo, severed by the Japanese, was re-established and opened to the public.
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