A scene from last year’s performance of “Myohyeon: The Queen’s Record”
SEOUL, April 15 (Korea Bizwire) — A new musical performance at Seoul’s Jongmyo Shrine will offer audiences a rare glimpse into a royal Confucian ritual once attended by queens during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty.
The Cultural Heritage Administration and the National Heritage Center announced Monday that “Myohyeon: The Queen’s Record”, an original musical, will run from April 26 through May 2 at Jongmyo, a UNESCO World Heritage site dedicated to honoring Korea’s former monarchs.
A reenactment of the Myohyeonrye ritual held at Jongmyo Shrine last year
The production focuses on the Myohyeonrye ritual, a formal greeting performed at Jongmyo by newly married queens or crown princesses, notably by Queen Inwon, the third consort of King Sukjong (reigned 1674–1720), in the year 1703. It remains the only state rite held at Jongmyo in which a royal woman participated.
The musical dramatizes both the ceremonial protocol—starting with gukgung sabe, a four-part bow performed before ancestral tablets—and the emotional bond between Queen Inwon and her father, Kim Jusin (1661–1721).
A reenactment of the Myohyeonrye ritual held at Jongmyo Shrine
Held twice daily at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the Yeongnyeongjeon Hall courtyard, the performance accommodates 350 attendees per session. Reservations for up to 200 people per show open at 2 p.m. on April 15 via Ticket Link, with the remaining tickets available on-site on a first-come, first-served basis.
For the first time, the event will feature smart glasses with Korean and English subtitles, enhancing accessibility for foreign visitors and hearing-impaired audiences.
Panoramic view of Yeongnyeongjeon Hall at Jongmyo Shrine, designated as a Treasure
During the musical’s run, additional hands-on experiences will be available at Jongmyo. Visitors can craft traditional royal incense known as Buyonghyang in the Jeongjeon Musician’s Hall, once used by court musicians during memorial rites, or don traditional Korean attire for commemorative photos at the Yeongnyeongjeon Musician’s Hall.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to bring Korea’s intangible cultural heritage to life for modern and international audiences.
Image credit: Yonhap, The Korea Heritage Service / photonews@koreabizwire.com
