Royal night revived through open-air concert at Changdeok palace

SEOUL, May 03 (AJP) -The glow of lanterns and the sound of centuries-old melodies filled Changdeokgung as a 100-member traditional Korean music ensemble transformed the royal palace into an open-air nighttime stage during a rare spring performance in central Seoul.  

Held from May 1 to 3 at Injeongjeon Hall, the palace’s main throne hall, the “2026 Royal Palace Concert: Music of Great Peace” invited visitors to step into a royal setting once reserved for kings, court ceremonies and state rituals of the Joseon Dynasty. 

The concert marked the first time the annual spring gugak performance was staged at the palace’s central ceremonial court, adding fresh life to the UNESCO World Heritage site after sunset.

 

 One hundred musicians — including professors, students and alumni from Ewha Womans University’s Korean music department — performed beneath the palace rooflines in an ensemble led by artistic director Kwak Eun-a.

The program opened with the stately court piece “Sujecheon,” followed by “Cheonnyeonmanse,” “Suryong-eum” and “Taepyeongga,” alongside a geomungo solo in the style of Han Gap-deuk. A contemporary gayageum composition,  “Sound of the Night,” added a modern layer to the historic atmosphere.

As cool spring air swept through the stone courtyard, the palace’s wooden halls amplified the deep resonance of strings, drums and wind instruments, blurring the distance between past and present.      The night concluded with all 100 musicians joining in a finale performance of “Arirang,” as audience members quietly sang along beneath the illuminated palace eaves — reviving, if only briefly, the soundscape of a royal Korean night centuries ago.

Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.