Gyeongbok Palace, the primary royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in Seoul, is crowded with guests, Jan. 1. Yonhap
A document 17.8 million folks visited royal palaces, tombs and Jongmyo Shrine final yr, officers stated Monday, as public curiosity in conventional Korean tradition continued to rise.
The Royal Palaces and Tombs Heart of the Korea Heritage Service stated a complete of 17,805,664 folks visited these main heritage websites in 2025, up 12.8 % from 15.78 million the earlier yr.
The quantity marks the best annual tally on document and the primary time mixed guests to the 4 important palaces — Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Changgyeong and Deoksu — in addition to Jongmyo Shrine and the royal tombs have surpassed 17 million.
Jongmyo is the place the ancestral tablets of the royal household of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) are enshrined.
Customer numbers had plunged to simply 6.7 million in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic however have since rebounded, staying above 10 million for 4 consecutive years. Annual figures reached 14.37 million in 2023, 15.78 million in 2024 and 17.81 million in 2025, every setting a brand new document, the company stated.
Gyeongbok Palace, the most important of Seoul’s royal complexes, drew the largest crowds, with 6.89 million guests. The determine accounts for 38.7 % of admissions to all royal palaces and tombs. It was adopted by Changgyeong Palace with 3.56 million, Deoksu Palace with 2.22 million and Changdeok Palace with 1.60 million.
The variety of international guests additionally noticed a pointy rise, reaching 4.27 million final yr, up 34.4 % from 2024. Overseas vacationers made up practically 1 / 4 of complete guests.
At Gyeongbok Palace, foreigners accounted for 40.4 % of all guests, whereas at Jongmyo Shrine, the proportion was estimated at 16.8 %, the company stated.
