The 2024 K-Royal Culture Festival―commemorating its 10th anniversary this year―is an annual cultural heritage festival held every spring and fall at the five palaces in Seoul (Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Deoksugung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace and Gyeonghuigung Palace) and Jongmyo. The 10th K-Royal Culture Festival is held biannually, with the spring festival set to run from Apr. 27 to May 5. Throughout the festival, visitors can partake in cultural and artistic programs―such as performances, exhibitions, experiences and ritual reenactments―tailored to each palace's unique characteristics.

The K-Royal Palaces PASS, a special admission pass for the K-Royal Culture Festival, is available for purchase through worldwide tourism platforms such as TicketLink, Klook, Trippose, Travel Note, KKday, JollyBuy, Imoto no WIFI and HanYouWang until Apr. 26. With this pass―priced at KRW 10,000 (approximately USD 8)―holders can enjoy unlimited access to Seoul's five major palaces during the spring festival. Pre-purchased tickets can be collected on-site at Incheon International Airport or at festival information booths located at each palace.

While the firsthand experience of traditional Korean culture through events like this is undoubtedly enriching, it's also worthwhile to explore Korean tradition online from the comfort of anywhere. With the Korean government releasing the free availability of 4,543 pieces of 3D immersive digital data on traditional culture, it became possible to incorporate more Korean traditional culture data into various content―including games for virtual and mixed-reality experiences.

The newly released data includes a variety of elements, ranging from 3D models of traditional patterns to buildings, weapons and clothing from Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, which is a distinguished World Cultural Heritage site located in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do Province. Additionally, it encompasses agricultural props from the folk game Gimpo Tongjin Durenori―offering insights into Korea's traditional agricultural culture. Moreover, the collection features 24 movements from the Muyedobotongji (Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts), a training manual from the late Joseon Dynasty and digitally rendered virtual figures depicting individuals from the Joseon Dynasty.

For detailed information about the K-Royal Palaces PASS, please visit the K-Royal Culture Festival website at www.chf.or.kr/fest, while traditional cultural data can be accessed through the Metaverse Data Lab at www.culture.go.kr/datametaverse.