Capture Your Perfect Hanbok Photos at the

Four Major K-Royal Palaces and Jongmyo Shrine

- Photo Contest “Beautiful Hanbok Stories in K-Royal Palaces”

from August 5th to September 8th, 50 Winning Entries to Be Exhibited during the 2024 K-Royal Culture Festival -

The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) and the Korea Heritage Agency (KHA) announce that they will host a photo contest themed "Beautiful Hanbok Stories in K-Royal Palaces" from August 5th until September 8th.

This contest, part of the tenth K-Royal Culture Festival, scheduled to take place from October 9th to 13th, 2024, seeks to spark interest in Korea's royal palaces and showcase the beauty of Hanbok, the nation's traditional attire.

The contest is open to all Korean citizens and international residents in Korea. Participants are invited to submit photos of wearing Hanbok, taken within the past year, at one of the four major palaces - Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung - or Jongmyo Shrine. The submission period runs from August 5th to September 8th. Entries can be submitted via the contest’s website (www.한복이야기사진공모.com). Each participant may submit up to two entries. More information on the contest can be found at the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center’s website (www.royal.khs.go.kr) or the K-Royal Culture Festival’s website (www.kh.or.kr/fest).

A judging panel will select 50 winners through a two-stage evaluation process. Winners will receive certificates and prizes:

 The grand prize winner, awarded by the Administrator of KHS, will receive a custom-made premium Hanbok voucher worth KRW 2 million(approximately USD 1,446)

 Two first prize winners, awarded by the Director General of KHS’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and the President of KHA, will each receive a traditional craft gift set worth KRW 1 million(USD 723)

 Three second prize winners, selected by the KHA President, will each receive a traditional craft gift set worth KRW 500,000(USD 362)

 Five third prize winners, also selected by the KHA President, will each receive a traditional craft gift set worth KRW 300,000(USD 217)

The winning photos will be displayed at Gyeongbokgung Palace’s Gyejodang Hall from October 9 to 13 during the K-Royal Culture Festival. Visitors will have the opportunity to appreciate the beautiful harmony between Hanbok and the historic palace settings.

In addition to the photo contest, the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center will offer various programs during the K-Royal Culture Festival to celebrate Hanbok’s unique beauty. These include interactive experiences and lectures. During the Hanbok Culture Week* (October 14th-20th, 2024), in collaboration with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation, there will be free Hanbok rentals and a commemorative photo event at Changgyeonggung Palace. These initiatives aim to promote the beauty of Hanbok and solidify its status as a hallmark of Korean culture.

* The Hanbok Culture Week is a nationwide cultural event held annually during the third week of October to promote the everyday wearing of Hanbok. The event is organized by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation (KCDF)