During the second Korea Grand Festival, from Thursday, Oct 29 to Sunday, Nov 15, foreign visitors can enter four Joseon palaces, Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon royal tombs for free. The festival opens in Andong on Saturday, Oct 31, and a free National Orchestra of Korea concert follows at the National Theater of Korea on Saturday, Nov 14.
The dates
| Date | Weekday | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 29 | Thursday | Festival begins |
| Oct 30 | Friday | Welcome week begins at major airports and seaports |
| Oct 31 | Saturday | Unified opening in Andong, North Gyeongsang |
| Nov 14 | Saturday | Free National Orchestra of Korea concert in Seoul |
| Nov 15 | Sunday | Festival and welcome week end |
Free palace and heritage entry
According to the Asia Business Daily, foreign visitors can enter Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung, as well as Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon royal tombs, without paying during the festival. Regular closing days are excluded, and so is Changdeokgung’s rear garden. The Korea Herald’s English report describes the same free entry for foreign tourists.
K-Heritage stores take 10 percent off some cultural goods, according to the same report. That is a practical reason to leave a little room in the day for the shop at the end of a palace visit.
Each palace has its own regular closing day, and the reports exclude those days from the free entry. Check the palace’s own page for its closing day before you pick a date.
The Andong opening
The festival’s unified opening is on Saturday, Oct 31 at the former Andong Station in Andong, North Gyeongsang, according to the Korea Herald and the Busan Ilbo. The program includes a K-pop concert, live commerce and a temporary tourist train. Andong is outside Seoul, so it suits a day trip or a weekend rather than a quick stop.
A free orchestral concert
The National Orchestra of Korea performs a free concert at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul on Saturday, Nov 14, the day before the festival ends, per the Asia Business Daily. The National Orchestra of Korea plays Korean traditional music, so it is one of the few festival items that is purely about culture rather than shopping.
Getting around and staying connected
The welcome week at major airports and seaports, from Oct 30 to Nov 15, offers multilingual tourist information. The reported discounts for visitors include up to 25 percent off portable Wi-Fi and eSIMs, 2,000 won off the Airport Railroad express train and up to 35 percent off tours and activities.
Lodging outside Seoul
A lodging sale festival runs from Sept 22 to Nov 8, 48 days in all, with 84,000 coupons for lodging outside the Seoul metropolitan area, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily’s festival report. That overlaps the first ten days of the festival, so an Andong trip or a stay in another region may be cheaper if you book while coupons remain. The report also says 159 local commercial districts take part, which includes traditional markets and shopping streets that many visitors never find on their own.
What the Korean side of the festival looks like
Most of the festival’s discounts are aimed at Korean households, and knowing that helps when you see the signs. The reports list Korean beef at up to 50 percent off from Oct 28 to Nov 8, seafood such as laver, salted shrimp and sea salt at up to 50 percent off from Oct 28 to Nov 29, and kimchi-making ingredients at up to 40 percent off from Oct 29 to Dec 2 at more than 300 retailers. Car and appliance discounts are due to be announced on Nov 1. If you pass a supermarket with a festival banner, those are the offers it refers to.
A three-day culture plan
- Day one, a weekday: visit one palace, choosing a day that is not its regular closing day, and stop at the K-Heritage store.
- Day two, Saturday, Oct 31: travel to Andong for the opening, or stay in Seoul if you prefer to keep the schedule light.
- Day three: pair Jongmyo Shrine or the royal tombs with a walk, since entry is free during the festival.
- If you are in Seoul on Saturday, Nov 14, check the National Theater of Korea for the free concert.
- Palace closing day checked
- Andong trip decided
- Nov 14 concert noted
- Airport Wi-Fi, eSIM and train offers looked up
Frequently asked questions
Which palaces are free during the festival?
Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung, plus Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon royal tombs, according to the Asia Business Daily.
Is the whole palace free?
Regular closing days and Changdeokgung’s rear garden are excluded, per the same report.
Where is the festival opening?
At the former Andong Station in Andong, North Gyeongsang, on Saturday, Oct 31.
When is the free orchestra concert?
Saturday, Nov 14 at the National Theater of Korea, performed by the National Orchestra of Korea.
Does the welcome week help foreign visitors?
It offers multilingual tourist information at major airports and seaports from Oct 30 to Nov 15.
Sources
- Korea Herald: Foreign tourists get free palace entry and up to 25% off duty-free goods (Oct 27, 2026)
- Korea JoongAng Daily: Korea Grand Festival offers discounts on cars, appliances and more (Oct 27, 2026)
- Asia Business Daily: Korea Grand Festival opens on the 29th (Oct 27, 2026, in Korean)
- Busan Ilbo: Korea Grand Festival opens on the 29th (Oct 27, 2026, in Korean)
Dates and details checked against these pages on Oct 27, 2026. Weekdays were confirmed with a calendar calculation.