The Cultural Heritage Administration’s Changdeokgung Palace Management Office announced that from the 30th of this month to the 17th of next month, every Wednesday to Sunday, the Changdeokgung Yakbang will be open as an indoor summer shelter. The operating hours are from 10 am to 4 pm.
Changdeokgung Yakbang was a space known as the Naeuiwon, the royal medical institution within the palace during the Joseon Dynasty. Located in the Gwollaegaksa area, it has been used as an exhibition and traditional experience space since its restoration in 2005.
This opening aims to provide an indoor shelter considering the health and safety of visitors amid the heat and to expand the opportunity for experiencing palace culture through tasting the refreshing drinks that were consumed in the palace.
Visitors to the Yakbang can taste omija tea, which was enjoyed by the Joseon royal family, free of charge. The tasting is held twice a day, at 10 am and 2 pm, with 100 cups provided each time, totaling 200 cups per day. It may end early if the ingredients run out. Omija is known for its efficacy in adjusting body temperature and recovering energy. According to the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, King Seongjong was prescribed omija decoction for a heat-related illness and King Yeongjo often drank omija tea.
Entrance to the Yakbang is free for any visitor holding a Changdeokgung Palace admission ticket, which must be purchased separately.
The Changdeokgung Palace Management Office plans to continue preparing various cultural events to widely introduce Joseon palace culture to domestic and international visitors in the future.