- Ancestral rites at Yeongnyeongjeon Hall (10:00 a.m.) and the Main Hall (2:00 p.m.)

- Advance reservations open from April 17; live broadcast available via screens at Gyeongbokgung Square and the Korea Heritage Service YouTube channel

The Korea Heritage Service (Administrator Huh Min), in cooperation with the Korea Heritage Agency (President Lee Gwi-young) and the Jongmyo Daeje Organizing Committee (Chairman Lee Gwi-nam; Jongmyo Jerye Preservation Society and Jongmyo Jeryeak Preservation Society), will hold the 2026 Jongmyo Daeje at 2:00 p.m. on May 3 at Jongmyo Shrine (Jongno-gu, Seoul).

‘Jongmyo Daeje’ is classified as a gillye, an auspicious rite under the Gukjo Oryeui, and is the highest state ritual in which the memorial tablets of the kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty, as well as the emperors and empresses of the Korean Empire, are enshrined and honored at Jongmyo Shrine. This comprehensive rite integrates royal ancestral ritual (Jongmyo Jerye), music (Jongmyo Jeryeak), and dance (Ilmu), and was inscribed in 2001 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the title “Jongmyo Jerye and Jongmyo Jeryeak.” Since 2006, it has been held as an international cultural event, welcoming distinguished guests from Korea and abroad.

* The Gukjo Oryeui is a state ritual code compiled in 1474 that defines the five categories of rites: gillye (auspicious rites), hyungnye (funerary rites), gunrye (military rites), binnye (reception rites), and garye (wedding rites).

The Jongmyo Daeje is held annually on the first Sunday of May in accordance with Confucian ritual procedures. This year’s program will begin with the ancestral rite at Yeongnyeongjeon Hall at 10:00 a.m., followed by a royal procession (Eogahaengnyeol) from Gwanghwamun Gate to Jongmyo Shrine, and the main ancestral rite at the Main Hall at 2:00 p.m. Following the ceremony, the Sinsil (spirit chamber) of the Main Hall will be open for public viewing.

This year, the number of seats will be expanded to allow more visitors to experience the historical and cultural significance of Jongmyo Shrine. For those unable to attend in person, large screens will be installed at key locations within the shrine, including in front of Yeongnyeongjeon Hall and the Main Hall, as well as at Heungnyemun Square in Gyeongbokgung Palace, to broadcast the rites live.

* Korea Heritage Service YouTube: www.youtube.com/@khs_pr

* Gungneung TV YouTube: www.youtube.com/@K-royalculture

Seating for the main ancestral rite will be divided into advance reservation seating and on-site seating. Advance reservations will be available on a first-come, first-served basis from 2:00 p.m. on April 17 via Ticketlink (www.ticketlink.co.kr), while on-site seating will be allocated on a first-come basis on the day of the event.

In addition, the Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Heritage Agency will host ‘Jongmyo Week’ (April 25–May 3), offering a range of programs that allow visitors to experience both the tangible and intangible heritage of Jongmyo. Pre-events include Jongmyo Myohyeollye (April 25–27), featuring a musical based on the royal rite, and the Royal Ancestral Ritual Music Nighttime Performance (April 28–30). In particular, the Royal Ancestral Ritual Music Nighttime Performance has drawn significant public attention, with all seats selling out within 30 seconds of the opening of advance reservations. It will present the essence of court arts through ritual music and dance at the Main Hall at 8:00 p.m. over three days, open to the general public, with invitations extended to descendants of independence activists.

* Myohyeollye is a Joseon-era rite in which a newly wedded queen or crown princess paid respects to the ancestral royal spirits at Jongmyo Shrine.

Further information is available on the Korea Heritage Service website (www.khs.go.kr) and the Korea Heritage Agency website (www.kh.or.kr), or via the Royal Palaces Program Help Desk (☎1522-2295).

The Korea Heritage Service will continue its efforts to promote the tangible and intangible values of Jongmyo Shrine as a “living heritage,” while strengthening systematic preservation and expanding opportunities for public engagement.