Jongmyo Entry Days and English Tours
When the English sessions run, which days you must enter with a guide and which days you can walk in, what it costs, and the free independent-entry period from October 29 to November 15, 2026.
Jongmyo runs English sessions at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, and parties of fewer than 10 need no reservation. On Monday, Thursday and Friday a session is the only way in. On Wednesday and Sunday you can walk in at any time and join an English session if you want one. Foreign adults pay ₩1,000, and admission is free every Wednesday. Jongmyo is closed on Tuesdays. From October 29 to November 15, 2026, every open day is independent entry and free, with English sessions at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. only.
Which days need a guided session at Jongmyo?
Monday, Thursday and Friday are timed-entry days: you enter at a set hour with an interpreter, by language, and the visiting-hours page says independent visits are not possible on those days. The visit takes about 50 minutes. Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays are independent-entry days.
| Day | Entry | English sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, Thursday, Friday | Timed entry with an interpreter only | 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. |
| Wednesday, Sunday | Independent entry | 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., no reservation needed |
| Saturday, public holidays | Independent entry | None; five Korean-only sessions |
| Tuesday | Closed | — |
If a Tuesday is a public holiday, Jongmyo opens and the closure moves to the next day that is not a holiday. When a weather warning is in force, Jongmyo switches to independent entry and interpretation is shortened or cancelled.
What the official pages disagree on. The interpretation page still lists Wednesday among the timed-entry days. The visiting-hours page classifies every Wednesday as an independent-entry day, and the fee page and the May 28 notice make Wednesdays at Jongmyo free from October 7, 2026. Both pages give the same English times for Wednesday, so if you arrive for one of them you can go in either way.
How do you join an English tour at Jongmyo?
Turn up before a session time. The interpretation guidance says parties of fewer than 10 can join without a reservation, up to 100 people per session. Groups of 10 or more must reserve online, from 30 days before the visit until three days before it. Each session holds up to 200 people, half sold online and half on site.
Arrive about 20 minutes early to buy a ticket and find the group. Foreign-language sessions are for foreign visitors, and Korean nationals may join only when accompanying a foreign visitor. Ask the interpreter before filming or recording the explanation.
Go on Monday, Thursday or Friday if the English session is the point of your visit, since the whole visit is built around it. Sunday if you want the English session and also time to stay on your own afterwards.
How much is Jongmyo admission?
Foreign adults aged 19 to 64 pay ₩1,000 (fee table). Foreign visitors aged 18 and under or 65 and over, and anyone wearing hanbok, enter free. Every Wednesday is free. The ₩6,000 integrated palace pass covers one entry each to the four palaces and Jongmyo within six months, excluding the Changdeokgung Secret Garden. A pass does not change the entry system: on Monday, Thursday and Friday you still go in with a session.
What are Jongmyo’s opening hours?
On independent-entry days, visiting hours are below. Arrive before last entry; arriving before closing time is not enough.
| Months | Hours | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| February to May, September to October | 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. | 5 p.m. |
| June to August | 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. | 5:30 p.m. |
| November to January | 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. |
Is Jongmyo different from October 29 to November 15, 2026?
Yes. The September 30 notice switches Jongmyo to independent entry with free admission for the Korea Grand Festival, from Thursday, October 29 to Sunday, November 15. Regular closing days are excluded, so Jongmyo stays closed on Tuesdays November 3 and 10.
A separate Jongmyo notice sets the interpretation times for this period. English runs twice, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, with no reservation needed. Saturdays have Korean sessions only.
What is Jongmyo?
Jongmyo is a royal ancestral shrine where the tablets of Joseon kings and queens, and Korean Empire emperors and empresses, are enshrined, and where rites are performed. It was established in 1395. The long Main Hall and the separate Yeongnyeongjeon Hall served different roles in the system of honouring royal ancestors, which is why an explanation on site helps.
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