Visiting the royal palace in South Korea was such an unforgettable experience. One of the coolest parts of the day was watching the royal guard changing ceremony — it felt like stepping into a scene from the past. The guards wore these vibrant, traditional outfits, and the whole ceremony was so well-orchestrated, with drums, music, and serious expressions that made it feel incredibly real and meaningful. After that, we wandered through the palace grounds, learning about how the king lived, not just with his queen but also with his concubines. It was so interesting to see how the different areas of the palace reflected their roles and status.
Something I found really surprising was how the number of statues on the rooftops actually showed how important each building was. For example, the king’s library only had five statues on top — which apparently meant it wasn’t super important! We also visited the Blue House, which is like Korea’s version of the White House. The blue-tiled roofs were stunning in person, and even though the line was really long, it was worth it just to see it up close. Our tour guide, Miss Jinny, made the whole day even better. She was so sweet and explained everything with so much passion, especially when talking about the meaning behind the palace’s colors. I’m already excited to explore more of this beautiful country and keep learning along the way.