Gyeongbokgung Hanbok Rental: Compare Prices & Book the Best Option

Basic rental: some options start below ₩10,000

More designs or longer rental: price depends on the shop and option you choose

Professional photoshoot package: around ₩100,000 or more

Starting price: about US$7
Booking: Trip.com
Good to know: Free lockers and several accessories are listed as included.

This was one of the cheapest options I found, but it isn’t completely stripped down. The listing includes free lockers as well as items such as a handbag, hair accessories and other photo props. It’s also close to Gyeongbokgung, which matters more than it may seem when you’re changing clothes and returning the hanbok later.

Rental time: about 1.5 hours
Booking: Viator
Included: Hanbok rental, hair styling, underskirt and locker, with selected accessories available.

Hanboknam makes more sense if you want a straightforward rental but still want help with the overall look. One detail I’d watch is the rental time: the time spent choosing and changing into your hanbok can count toward the rental period, so a short booking can pass faster than you expect.

Starting price: about US$7–8 when checked
Booking: Trip.com
Good to know: The listing showed an extended-wear promotion when I checked it.

This is the one I’d look at if a short rental feels rushed. The promotion I found allowed much longer use than a typical short rental, which gives you more room to take photos without constantly checking the return time. Promotions can change, though, so check the rental duration shown for your date before paying.

Duration: about 2–3 hours
Booking: Viator
Included: Hanbok rental, English-speaking history guide/photographer and 50+ edited photos.

This is quite different from renting a hanbok and taking a few phone photos yourself. You’re also paying for someone to photograph you and guide you through the palace. When I checked it, this package had more than 400 reviews with a 5.0 rating, so this is the option I’d compare if good photos are one of the main reasons you’re renting a hanbok.

Starting price: about US$89 when checked
Duration: about 2 hours
Booking: Viator
Included: Premium hanbok, hair styling, locker, traditional bag and around 100 original photos.

I’d put this in a different category from the budget rentals. It’s for someone who cares more about the hanbok and the photos than simply wearing one for a couple of hours. One important difference is the cancellation policy: the listing was marked non-refundable when I checked it, so I’d make sure the date is settled before booking.

If I were choosing: I’d start with Palacefox or Daehan Hanbok if I mainly wanted the hanbok experience and my own photos. If the photos themselves were important, I’d compare the guided photoshoot package with Ari Hanbok instead of comparing them with the cheapest rentals.

Basic or traditional hanbok
If your main plan is to walk around Gyeongbokgung and take photos with your phone, I’d start here. You don’t necessarily need the most expensive hanbok to get good photos inside the palace.

Premium hanbok
This is worth looking at if the outfit itself matters to you. Depending on the shop, premium options may give you more elaborate embroidery, fuller skirts, different fabrics or a wider choice of designs.

Royal or themed styles
Some shops also offer king, queen, princess or other character-style outfits. These can be fun for photos, but I’d check the actual photos of the available outfits rather than relying on the category name.

What I’d check before paying: look at the actual hanbok photos included in your booking category, then check the accessories and hair styling. The word “premium” by itself doesn’t tell you exactly what you’ll get.

About 1.5–2 hours
This can work if your plan is simple: change into a hanbok, go straight to Gyeongbokgung, take some photos and come back. I wouldn’t plan too many other stops with a rental this short.

Around 3–4 hours
This gives you more breathing room. You can spend longer inside the palace, stop for photos without rushing and still have some time around the nearby streets before returning the hanbok.

Half-day or longer
I’d look at this if wearing the hanbok is going to be a bigger part of the day. It gives you time to explore beyond the palace without constantly thinking about the return deadline.

If it were my first time: I’d be more comfortable with around 3–4 hours if the price difference wasn’t large. I’d choose 1.5–2 hours only if I planned to stay mainly inside Gyeongbokgung and take my own photos.

HANBOK = FREE PALACE ENTRY
If you’re wearing a qualifying hanbok, you can enter Gyeongbokgung without paying the regular admission fee.

You don’t need to buy a separate palace ticket.
If you’re wearing a qualifying hanbok, you can use the free-admission entry procedure at Gyeongbokgung rather than paying the normal admission fee.

It needs to look like a proper hanbok outfit.
The palace has guidelines for free admission. Both traditional and modernized hanbok can qualify, but simply wearing a few hanbok-style accessories with ordinary clothes is not the same as wearing a full hanbok.

Important: Gyeongbokgung is normally closed on Tuesdays.

Opening hours also change by season. If Gyeongbokgung is the main reason you’re renting a hanbok, check the palace opening day and closing time before you book the rental.

Also check for evening openings.
Gyeongbokgung sometimes opens at night during special periods. The dates and entry rules are announced separately, so if your Seoul trip falls during one of these periods, check the official schedule before choosing your hanbok rental time.

Taking your own photos
This is the better value if you’re comfortable using your phone, travelling with someone who can take photos, or you mainly want a few casual pictures around the palace. In that case, I wouldn’t pay extra for a photographer just because the package looks more complete.

Booking a professional photoshoot
This starts to make more sense if the photos are one of the main reasons you’re renting the hanbok. A photographer can help with where to stand, how to pose and which parts of Gyeongbokgung work well as backgrounds, so you’re paying for both the shooting time and the finished images.

Where the extra money makes sense:
If you’re travelling alone, want couple photos, or don’t want to spend half the visit asking strangers to take pictures, the photoshoot package becomes much easier to justify.

Before you book, check exactly what photos you receive.

Look for the number of edited photos, whether original files are included, how long the shoot lasts and when the photos will be delivered. Two packages with similar prices can include very different amounts of photography.

Check the exact rental time
Look at when the rental starts, how long you can keep the hanbok and what happens if you return it late. A short rental can feel much shorter if changing time is included.

Check what’s included
Hair styling, bags, lockers, underskirts, hair accessories and photo props may be included with one package but not another.

Check the size range
Most shops offer several sizes, but the range can vary. If you’re worried about fit, I’d check the size information before paying rather than assuming every design is available in every size.

Check the shop location
A shop close to Gyeongbokgung saves time before and after the palace visit. This matters even more with a short rental because you still need to change, walk to the palace and return the hanbok.

Check what you need to bring
Some rentals may ask for identification or have their own deposit requirements. Check the booking details before you go, especially whether you need to bring your passport or another form of ID.

Check the cancellation policy
Some of the options I found had free cancellation, while at least one premium photoshoot package was marked non-refundable. Don’t assume the policy is the same across every listing.

Important: check the return time before you leave the shop.

Late-return fees can apply, and the shop’s closing time may be earlier than you expect. I’d save the return deadline on my phone before heading into Gyeongbokgung.

One last check before paying:
Rental time, included accessories, hair styling, size, shop location, ID or deposit requirements, cancellation policy and the exact return deadline. If those details are clear, there usually isn’t much left to guess about.

If I just wanted to try hanbok → Palacefox

This is where I’d start for a simple, inexpensive rental near Gyeongbokgung. The listing I checked also included useful extras such as a locker and several accessories, so the low starting price doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting only the clothes.

If I didn’t want to rush → Daehan Hanbok

I’d compare this one if the longer rental promotion is still available for my date. Having more time would matter to me more than saving a small amount and then watching the clock while I’m inside the palace.

If the photos mattered most → Photoshoot & History Tour

This is the one I’d compare if I wanted more than phone photos. The package I checked included the hanbok, an English-speaking guide/photographer and 50+ edited photos, so I’d look at it as a photoshoot and palace experience rather than a normal rental.

What I’d do for a first visit:
I’d probably choose a simple rental with enough time to enjoy Gyeongbokgung without rushing. I’d only move up to the photoshoot package if getting good photos was one of the main things I wanted from the day.