Palace museum opens outdoor wedding season under gingko trees

The National Palace Museum of Korea is opening its historic grounds for outdoor weddings in Gyeongbok Palace from Friday through Nov. 8. The Gogyeol program will host 28 free ceremonies on weekends and holidays, with two daily slots, and the first couple was welcomed on Friday afternoon. The museum selected the couples from 293 applicants and plans to expand the program to 80 ceremonies in spring and autumn 2027.

The program is called Gogyeol, a blend of Korean words meaning marrying at the palace museum.

It will offer 28 free outdoor weddings on weekends and holidays through Nov. 8.

Ceremonies are scheduled at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

The first season drew 293 applicant couples in April, and 28 were selected.

Cultural authorities plan to expand the initiative next year to 80 outdoor ceremonies across spring and autumn 2027.

Published Oct 3, 2026 7:00 am KST

Visitors take part in a special tour of Hyangwonjeong Pavilion inside Gyeongbok Palace in Jongno District, central Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Beneath the brilliant autumn canopy of a century-old ginkgo tree, the National Palace Museum of Korea is opening its historic grounds to a new generation of newlyweds.

Starting Friday, the royal courtyard adjacent to Gyeongbok Palace will transform into an outdoor venue where dozens of couples will tie the knot surrounded by centuries of Korean heritage.

The program, dubbed "Gogyeol" — a blend of Korean words meaning "marrying at the palace museum" — will host 28 free outdoor weddings every weekend and holiday through Nov. 8. With two daily slots at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., the initiative aims to ease financial burdens for young couples while celebrating the nation’s cultural legacy in everyday life.

To launch the season on Friday afternoon, the museum welcomed its inaugural wedding couple, including bride Mai, a high-profile Estonian content creator who gained national fame as the first foreign contestant crowned Miss Chunhyang . Now a prominent cultural ambassador sharing Korean traditions with millions online, Mai celebrated her wedding alongside distinguished guests, including Huh Min, head of the Korea Heritage Service, and Tanel Sepp, the Estonian ambassador to Korea.

Mai’s ceremony is the first of 28 selected from an overwhelming pool of 293 applicant couples in April. The final roster spans a diverse cross-section of society — including international pairs, multicultural families, military service members, firefighters, police officers and young adults overcoming personal hardships.

To support the couples, the museum is providing both the ginkgo courtyard and a newly restored annex, adorned with colorful dancheong architectural painting, as a reception space for guests.

Following enthusiastic public response to the debut season, cultural authorities plan to expand the initiative next year to 80 outdoor ceremonies across both spring and autumn 2027.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

韩国国立故宫博物馆将于本周五至11月8日期间，在景福宫开放其历史悠久的庭院，举办户外婚礼。这项名为“高洁婚礼”的项目将在周末和节假日举办28场免费婚礼，每天两场。首对新人已于本周五下午举行婚礼。博物馆从293位申请者中遴选出这些新人，并计划在2027年春秋两季将该项目扩展至80场婚礼。

该项目名为“高洁”，是韩语中“在宫殿博物馆举行婚礼”的意思。

截至 11 月 8 日，周末和节假日将提供 28 场免费户外婚礼。

仪式安排在每天上午 11 点和下午 3 点举行。

第一季在四月份吸引了 293 对申请者，最终选出了 28 对。

文化部门计划明年将这项活动扩大规模，在 2027 年春季和秋季举办 80 场户外仪式。

发布于2026年10月3日 上午7:00（韩国标准时间）

周五，游客们参加了首尔市中心钟路区景福宫香苑亭的特别导览游。（韩联社）

在百年银杏树绚丽的秋日树冠下，韩国国立故宫博物馆向新一代新婚夫妇开放了其历史悠久的庭院。

从周五开始，景福宫旁的皇家庭院将变身为一个户外婚礼场地，数十对新人将在充满韩国数百年历史底蕴的氛围中喜结连理。

这项名为“高洁”（Gogyeol，韩语意为“在宫殿博物馆结婚”）的活动，将从即日起至11月8日，每个周末和节假日举办28场免费户外婚礼。每天上午11点和下午3点各有两个时段，该活动旨在减轻年轻夫妇的经济负担，同时在日常生活中庆祝国家的文化遗产。

周五下午，博物馆为新一季的活动拉开帷幕，迎来了首对新人。新娘Mai是一位知名的爱沙尼亚内容创作者，她曾是首位荣膺“春香小姐”桂冠的外国选手，并因此名声大噪。如今，Mai是一位杰出的文化大使，通过网络与数百万观众分享韩国传统文化。婚礼当天，众多贵宾出席，其中包括韩国文化遗产服务处处长许敏（Huh Min）和爱沙尼亚驻韩国大使塔内尔·塞普（Tanel Sepp）。

麦的婚礼是四月份从293对申请者中选出的28对新人中的第一场。最终入选的28对新人来自社会各界，包括国际情侣、多元文化家庭、军人、消防员、警察以及克服个人困难的年轻人。

为了款待新人，博物馆提供了银杏庭院和新近修复的附属建筑（装饰着色彩缤纷的丹青建筑绘画）作为宾客接待场所。

鉴于公众对首届活动的热烈反响，文化部门计划明年将这项活动扩大规模，在 2027 年春季和秋季举办 80 场户外仪式。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。