Seoul, South Korea —
On the fourth day of our family trip, Danny and I brought them to Gyeongbokgung or Gyeongbok Palace (경복궁), the biggest among 5 of the palaces in Seoul. In English, Gyeongbokgung (Hanja: 景福宮) means The Palace of Shining Happiness. Another name they call it is The Northern Palace due to its locality. Moreover, it is one of the most visited tourist spots in the capital. A great place to strengthen those hamstrings, too.
It was built in 1395 during the Joseon dynasty and had been destroyed by fire, but King Gojong was able to restore it during his reign. I won’t elaborate more of its history because it’s quite long, repetitive and probably boring to some. To learn more about the palace, please visit their website. Link is at the bottom part of this post. 
Right after passing thru Gwanghwamun Gate, we purchased our entrance tickets. 
Cheongwadae (청와대) or the Blue House, where the current president is residing and taking office, is situated just outside the palace. In order to enter the vicinity, an online reservation of at least 3 weeks before the desired date of visit is needed.
Another interesting attraction located beside the palace is the National Folk Museum. It displays over 4,000 historical pieces from the typical Korean life in the old times. A glimpse of what’s inside:
Of all the places to see in the compound, an area called “The Street to the Past” caught my attention most. Here’s why:
It was my 3rd time to visit the grand palace. In my opinion, it’s getting more crowded each day. We couldn’t even have a decent family picture without photobombers. Oh well! Better luck next time. 
That’s it for now. Thank you for spending a little of your time reading my post. What are your thoughts about this palace?
Address: 161, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Entrance Fee:
- Adults (19-64)- ₩ 3,000
- Children (7-18) – ₩ 1,500
- Combination ticket for the 5 palaces- ₩ 10,000
Operating Hours: Wednesdays to Mondays (Last admission: 1 hour prior to closing)
- November to February – 9:00 to 17:00
- March to May, September to October – 9:00 to 18:00
- June to August – 9:00 to 18:30
Getting there by subway:
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 5 or
- Gwanghwamun Station (Seoul Subway Line 5), Exit 2
Website: http://www.royalpalace.go.kr/