Seoul’s palaces have gorgeous architecture and can make for great locations for a family photoshoot while you’re here. One of the most common questions I get from anyone enquiring is “Which palace should I choose?” In this article, we’ll make that decision a lot easier for you. There are several things to consider, including the time of day, the variety of images, and the size of the crowds. Let’s take a look.
Hanbok Rental
Should We Rent Hanboks for our Family Photoshoot?
Before we jump into the palaces themselves, let’s consider renting Hanboks. Many people ask me if it’s a good idea. Honestly, I can’t give you that answer. They look great in Seoul’s palaces, that’s for sure! However, it really depends on how you want your pictures to look. Typically, I recommend that we use Hanboks for half of the session and then do the other half in regular clothing. This way, we get some great variety from our session.
The other consideration when it comes to hanboks is that most of the rental shops in the palace areas offer very non-traditional hanboks for rent and you may need to search through their stock to find ones that are in good condition. Traditional-styed hanboks can be a little more expensive, but they bring a much more authentic Korean feeling to the images and are better for a deeper feeling set of images.
When Should We Put them On?
I usually recommend picking up your Hanboks and wearing them to the session. Firstly, this gets you free entry to the palaces. Secondly, you can wear your regular clothes underneath them, which makes the change extremely quick. This will also give you another layer of warmth during the cooler months!
Can you Recommend a Rental Store?
Absolutely! These recommendations change all the time based on the experiences my various clients have and what style of hanbok you’re looking for. For the tourist-oriented stores, they’re mostly very similar. However, if you’re looking for traditional-styled hanboks, I’m happy to share some recommendations.
Gyeongbokgung – The Main Palace (Closed on Tuesdays)
Gyeongbokgung is the palace we see on all the ads, the one that is listed first in all the guidebooks, and the most visited of them all. It is located at either Gyeongbokgung Station (Metro Line 3) or Gwanghwamun Station (Metro Line 5). Both stations are a short walk from the palace. Here is Google Maps link for the main gate (Gwanghwamun).
The Positives
It has the most variety of colours and the largest amount of hidden nooks and crannies. This makes it a great spot for getting a lot of variety in a photoshoot. The palace grounds are very well taken care of. There is a small pine forest, two ponds, and some open grass areas. There are also some great views of the city with the palace walls in the foreground. There are many ornate gates and some beautiful brickwork that can make stunning backgrounds. Gyeongbokgung lends itself well to wide photographs that incorporate the grandeur of the palace.
Once your session is over, you can also head to the two museums in the complex for a look around. These are both well-maintained and interesting for all. The museum near the east gate is specifically targeted at children.
The Negatives
Because of its popularity, Gyeongbokgung gets extremely busy. A quick look at Google’s traffic will show you that 9am-10am is really the only time of day that the palace is relatively quiet. Gyeongbokgung is also quite large, making getting to all that variety a little tough on children. With younger children, it’s often better to choose one of the more compact palaces. We also often find that parts of the palaces are under maintenance as the Ministry of Culture improves the facilities and reconstructs buildings.
Recommendation
For a family shoot, I recommend starting at 9am and only booking a one-hour session for this palace. We can quickly move through the prettiest parts of the palace before the tour groups come in. Both sunny and cloudy days work really well at Gyeongbokgung. On a cloudy day, we can use all areas of the palace to great effect. If it’s sunny, we can make use of the richness in colour that comes from the morning light.
Afternoons in Gyeongbokgung are usually too busy for a family session. So, I recommend looking below if you’d prefer an afternoon session.
Changdeokgung – The Secret Garden Palace (Closed on Mondays)
This palace is known for its “Secret Garden.” While we cannot use the garden for a photo shoot as it is only accessible on a guided tour, we can make use of the rest of the palace. Changdeokgung is closest to Anguk Station (Metro Line 3) and Jongno-3-ga Station (Metro Line 5). Here is a Google Maps link to the main gate.
The Positives
Changdeokgung contains three distinct architectural styles from our perspective. At the entrance, it looks much like the other palaces. As we go deeper, we find unique brickwork and colours. At the back of the palace, we find unpainted brown wood that gives a unique feel to the space. All of this is in a much tighter proximity than the different parts of Gyeongbokgung. That makes it ideal for younger children.
The Negatives
Again, Changdeokgung gets quite busy during the day. There are also very few places in the palace where we can find nice light to work in during the day. There are very few natural spaces that work well here, so our images are limited to using the palace as a background.
Recommendation
This palace is great for families with younger children. It is compact enough that we can get a lot of variety in a very short time. The crowds are smaller than Gyeongbokgung, so we can use it in the afternoons as well. The hour after the palace opens and the hour before it closes are usually very quiet, so I recommend those. It is best used in the period between October-March for the nicest light.
Changgyeonggung – The Little Brother (Closed on Mondays)
While not the most well-known palace, it is slowly getting more popular. Changgyeonggung can be accessed easily from Hyehwa Station (Metro Line 4). However, the gate is quite a long walk for families from any metro station, so it can be best to take a taxi. Here is a Google Maps link to the main gate.
The Positives
Changgyeonggung is the most compact of the main palaces. It offers a lot of variety in a very small space. It is also surrounded by trees and grass, so we can combine both palace and nature in one session. It also has the lowest number of visitors of any of the palaces. Some of the buildings are frequently re-painted, while others are not. This means that we can get some more rustic-feeling images here as well.
Recently, Changgyeonggung has lengthened its opening hours well into the evening. So, we’re able to get sunset light here, which is also excellent for family photography if your children are okay with the time. This is especially true in the summer months when our days are long.
The Negatives
Again, there are few places to hide from the harsh sun once it gets high in the sky. Crowds, while not as large as the other palaces, do tend to fill the small palace quite quickly. It is best to avoid this palace as well from 10am to 4pm.
Recommendation
This is a great spot for a family session. It offers something a little different from the other two palaces in terms of colour palette. It also has the natural surroundings that give us a chance to get something other than palace photos. It is good for both morning and afternoon sessions.
Deoksugung (Closed on Mondays)
Deoksugung is another compact palace with a good mix of architecture and natural spaces. They also open until 9pm every day, which allows us to work when the evening light is nice in the summer months. This would be my recommendation during summer if you’d like to get the nicest light possible for your shoot. Much of the palace looks just like the others in the city, but there are a couple of unique features, like the gate below, that give it its own flavour, as well.
Unhyeongung (Closed on Mondays)
Unhyeongung is a smaller palace with a few nice areas that makes for a great spot if you know your little ones can’t move around too much. In its entirety, it’s about the size of one of the courtyards of the other palaces. Its perfect for quick sessions but doesn’t have the variety of backgrounds that some of the others have. Light here works best in spring and autumn when the palace opening hours (up to 7pm) allow us to work with the early evening light. You won’t find any of the colourfully painted awnings here. This one is all brown and orange, which gives it its own unique feel.
I hope this guide has been helpful to you. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions you might have.