The King Sejong Story, underground
Beneath the King Sejong statue at the center of Gwanghwamun Square is a free underground exhibition hall, the King Sejong Story, covering the king's role in creating Hangul (the Korean alphabet) and other Joseon-era inventions, alongside a separate hall on Admiral Yi Sun-sin further down the plaza. Entry is free, exhibits include English captioning, and a full visit takes roughly 30-45 minutes.
What's on the plaza itself
- Statues of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun-sin anchor the plaza's north and south ends, both popular photo points.
- A shallow water feature runs along part of the plaza, popular with children in warmer months.
- Gwanghwamun Gate, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, sits at the plaza's north end -- this is the transition point if you're continuing on to the palace itself.
Why an evening visit is worth timing for
Gwanghwamun Square is lit in the evening, and the plaza is noticeably less crowded after sunset than during the day, when it also functions as a major tour-bus stop. A short evening walk here pairs well with dinner in the surrounding Jongno or Gwanghwamun office district, and the underground exhibition stays open into the evening on most days, making it a workable rainy-day or after-dinner stop.
- Confirm current King Sejong Story hours before an evening visit, since exhibition hall hours can run shorter than the outdoor plaza's.
- Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung stations (Line 5 / Line 3) both put you within a short walk of the plaza.
- This is a distinct stop from the Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds themselves, which close earlier and require a separate ticket for the palace interior.
Official sources
Time-sensitive details were checked against the original sources below on 2026-08-28.