Sep 9 to Oct 18 · 6pm to 8:55pmDeoksugung Palace opens its stone Western-style hall, Seokjojeon, after dark for a small evening programme that mixes history, coffee and a bit of theatre. It runs a couple of times each night through mid October, with each session lasting about 100 minutes, so it stays intimate rather than crowded.
A guide leads you through the Daehan Empire History Hall inside Seokjojeon, explaining the exhibits as you go. Upstairs on the terrace, you get a tasting of gabae, the coffee Emperor Gojong was known to enjoy, along with three kinds of dessert and a choice of one drink from four options. There is also a short original musical performed in the reception room, set in the era of the Korean Empire, and a self-photo booth where you can dress the part with old-fashioned props against the lit-up palace at night.
Tickets cost 35,000 won per person; check the link for booking and exact session times. The palace is in central Seoul at Jeongdong, Jung-gu, easy to reach on foot from City Hall station.