"A Time Travel to the Joseon Dynasty," a special tour program for foreign nationals during the K-Royal Culture Festival, is held at the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in Gyeongbok Palace, central Seoul. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

As spring's K-Royal Culture Festival 2024 kicked off, I was lucky enough to participate in "A Time Travel to the Joseon Dynasty," the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion's special tour program at Gyeongbok Palace, Korea's last dynasty's main royal palace in central Seoul.

This particular tour was a special program for foreign visitors with an English-speaking guide, offering exclusive tickets for to foreign nationals.

Spring's K-Royal Culture Festival is being held in five palaces in Seoul, including Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace, Changgyeong Palace, Deoksu Palace and Gyeonghui Palace, which are cultural heritage sites representing Korea and contain the history of the Joseon and Korean Empires, as well as Jongmyo Shrine and Sajikdan Altar.

As I stepped through the gates of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Wednesday morning, I expected that I was about to embark on a journey back in time, imagining the bygone eras, immersed in the vibrant, fascinating and well-preserved cultural heritage of Korea, being part of this special Gyeonghoeru Pavilion tour, where history came alive in the most captivating manner imaginable. Besides spring's morning sun shining brightly with refreshing air coming down from the mountains, I felt a sense of renewal and vitality.

With the help of experts on traditional clothing, we were able to dress in Confucian scholar attire. I then joined fellow foreign visitors for a one-of-a-kind experience that promised to unravel the mysteries of this iconic and largest elevated pavilion in Korea. From the moment that we were warmly greeted by the event organizers, their hospitality extended to us with gifts of well-crafted souvenirs, evidence that we were in for an exciting tour.

Foreign nationals dressed in Confucian scholar attire listen to a guide's explanation on Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in Gyeongbok Palace during the K-Royal Culture Festival, Wednesday. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

As visitors gathered beneath the graceful columns of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, led by a knowledgeable guide, our exploration of the pavilion was nothing short of fascinating, setting the stage for an unforgettable journey through time. Every aspect of the tour was thoughtfully curated to provide a glimpse into the past, a passionate explanation by our tour guide, Kim Sung-young, in a well-planned narrative, brought to life the history and significance of this architectural marvel. Each detail, from the intricate design of the pavilion to its role as a symbol of royal power, was illuminated with clarity and passion.

The magnificent open two-story pavilion was built during the Gyeongbok Palace's construction, on the northwest side of the pond, in Geunjeongjeon Hall. It was small but expanded in 1412 during the 12th year of King Taejong's reign and was mainly used for royal banquets and for receiving foreign officials. During the Japanese Invasion in 1592, it was burnt down and reconstructed 270 years later in 1867 during the fourth year of King Gojong.

The pavilion has seven rooms in the front and five rooms on the side, its architecture manifests the oriental philosophy of the universe. It is said that its three stone bridges symbolize heaven, earth and man, and the 12 bays represent the months of the year. The outermost 24 columns symbolize the 24 solar terms that mark particular astronomical or natural events of each year.

American tourist Aaron Nehamkin poses in traditional Korean royal dress during "A Time Travel to the Joseon Dynasty," a program of the K-Royal Culture Festival, at Gyeongbok Palace, Wednesday. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

After a short historical explanation of the building, we sat on the floor to enjoy listening to Korean traditional instruments, the music we enjoyed was performed during the Joseon Dynasty in the palace. As the air resonated with the melodious strains of traditional music, meditative quietness took us to the past, in a grateful manner to those Koreans who preserved these legacies for centuries. I was glad for the opportunity to have been part of such a unique and enriching experience. Walking away, I carried with me not just memories, but a deeper appreciation for the beauty and significance of Korea's cultural heritage.

American tourist Aaron Nehamkin, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, embarked on his trip to Korea alongside his mother and her cousin, driven by a shared curiosity to explore the wonders of Korean history.

"We got here a few days ago, just to visit," Nehamkin told The Korea Times with intense excitement. "The palace is beautiful, a lot of history."

He expressed gratitude for his mother's cousin. "My mom's cousin is very well-versed in the history here. So, she's been giving me a lot of context about the meaning of the palaces and all the royalty that occurred here. I think, honestly, the music has been wonderful, I'm not a musician, but I play instruments. And seeing and hearing the instruments and the performances is fascinating. Seoul is very clean compared to a lot of American cities. And everyone's very polite here. And the food is amazing and fairly cheap. And I hope I continue to have these experiences in Busan and Jeju as well," he added.

The royal guard changing ceremony is held at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

For Cathy Pepper, an Australian tourist, this particular experience was a special event as she was celebrating her birthday with her family.

"My family lives all over the world and we met here in Seoul. Because no one had been to Korea before. And we love it, Korea has a beautiful culture, people and palaces. The children did research about which places to go to and which activities to do. We didn't expect this pavilion to be so expansive, so enormous, as well as the entire palace. The structure is wonderful because we're into buildings and architecture. It was a surprise for me because of my birthday," Pepper said.

This unique festival has been organized for 10 years by the Cultural Heritage Administration and supervised by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation and offers a variety of programs for both Koreans and foreign nationals to experience. In spring and autumn, cultural and artistic programs such as performances, exhibitions, experiences and ritual reenactments are part of fostering tourism, which reflects the history of the palace and the marvelous characteristics of each palace hall and place. This spring festival runs until Sunday.

Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He's also co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative, and freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency.