🎧 Yul's Korea Audio Guide
Changdeokgung Palace & Secret Garden
Narrated in English with Korean phrases by YUL of KVIBE IDOLS.
🎵 Background music: Still in That Spring (그 봄에 머물러) — KVIBE IDOLS · Listen to the full song →
Full transcript
Annyeong, yeoreobun! It's Yul from KVIBE IDOLS. Which palace did the Joseon kings love most? Not the biggest one. This one! Welcome to Changdeokgung, home of the Secret Garden!
In 1405, King Taejong built Changdeokgung as a second palace. A backup. But here's the twist. In 1592, during the Japanese invasions, every palace in Seoul burned down. When the kings rebuilt, they finished this one first, in 1610, and Changdeokgung became the real main palace for about two and a half centuries. The backup became the star!
Why did the kings love it? Look around. Instead of forcing straight lines, the builders followed the shape of the hills, so the halls sit in nature like they grew there. That harmony is a big reason UNESCO listed it as World Heritage in 1997. And the main gate, Donhwamun, is the oldest surviving gate of any Joseon palace.
Behind the halls hides the Huwon, the Secret Garden, about sixty percent of the palace grounds. There's a square lotus pond, Buyongji, and Juhamnu pavilion, where King Jeongjo set up his royal library in 1776 to study reform ideas.
And the last twist? Members of the royal family lived in Nakseonjae, right here, until 1989. Daebak, that's practically yesterday!
Yul's tip! The Secret Garden is visited on a guided tour with a separate ticket, and spots sell out fast, so book ahead. The palace is closed on Mondays.
Next, let's visit a palace where an emperor sipped coffee and couples are scared to walk. Kaja!
