How to Walk Through 74 Years of Power Beneath Bukaksan Mountain: A Visit to the Blue House

74 Years When the Blue House Was the Presidential Residence, from 1948 to May 10, 2022

The Blue House site lies north of Gyeongbokgung Palace, below the southern slope of Bugaksan Mountain. During the Japanese colonial period, it was used as the residence of the Governor-General of Korea. With the establishment of the Republic of Korea's government in 1948, it was transferred to the Korean government and became the presidential residence. For the next 74 years, it symbolized the president's workplace and home, and it was opened to the general public on May 10, 2022.

This is not merely an extension of the palace grounds, but a place where traces of the colonial period, the establishment of the government, and the modern presidential system overlap. During your visit, viewing the two-story Main Building, the State Guest House used for national events, the official residence where the president's family lived, and Sangchunjae, a traditional hanok, separately makes the role each building played clearer.

Blue House Visiting Basics: 09:00–18:00 from March to November, Closed on Tuesdays

Blue House visiting hours are 09:00–18:00 from March to November and 09:00–17:30 from December to February, with admission closing 30 minutes before closing time. It is closed every Tuesday, but if Tuesday is a public holiday or substitute holiday, it opens and closes the following day. Because closing times vary by season, it is difficult to see everything from the Main Building and official residence to the State Guest House when entering late in the afternoon.

Admission is free. The official visitor information call center is 1522-7760, and the official website is https://www.opencheongwadae.kr. General visitors enter after making an online reservation, and same-day reservations are also possible. People aged 65 or older, people with disabilities, recipients of national merit benefits, and foreign nationals may apply on site without advance registration; on-site reservations close at 17:00.

• Address: 1 Cheongwadae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Recommended stay: 2–3 hours
• Admission: Free
• Bring a passport or identification in case identity verification is required

Six Key Points Connecting Chunchumun Gate with Nokjiwon, the Official Residence, the Main Building, and the State Guest House

If this is your first visit, it is easy to understand the direction of travel by entering through Chunchumun Gate and proceeding through Nokjiwon, Sangchunjae, the official residence, the former Main Building site, the Main Building, the Grand Garden, and the State Guest House before exiting through the main gate. A 2025 Seoul Metropolitan Government visitor article also introduced this order as the recommended route, and the Nokjiwon section allows you to see pine trees, a lawn courtyard, and Sangchunjae together.

The official residence is situated higher than the Main Building, so the route uphill has some steep sections. The Main Building was described as allowing interior visits to its two floors, while the State Guest House was introduced as a space where the first floor can be viewed. If you have limited time, including Nokjiwon and Sangchunjae rather than seeing only the Main Building and State Guest House makes it easier to understand that the Blue House is a garden-like site at the foot of Bugaksan Mountain.

The Two-Story Office on the Main Building's Second Floor and the State Guest House's First Floor: Differences to See Inside

The Main Building, the Blue House's signature blue-tiled structure, faces the Grand Garden. According to 2025 visitor information, the Main Building has two floors and allows interior visits; the president's office was introduced as being on the second floor. Viewing the lawn courtyard in front of the Main Building together with the background toward Inwangsan Mountain reveals the site's axis more clearly than a photo of the building alone.

The State Guest House is described as a space used for large-scale meetings and receptions for foreign state guests. While the Main Building symbolizes the president's daily work, the State Guest House demonstrates the scale of national protocol. However, the areas open to the public and the programs may change frequently, so it is safest to check the same-day announcements on the official website before reserving.

Nine Minutes from Exit 5 of Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 to the Meeting Point at the East Parking Lot

Official access information uses the east parking lot of Gyeongbokgung Palace as the Blue House meeting point. It is a 9-minute walk from Exit 5 of Gyeongbokgung Station on Subway Line 3 and a 12-minute walk from Exit 1 of Anguk Station on Line 3. If you take Jongno 11 bus, get off at Beopryeonsa Bus Stop and walk approximately 5 minutes to the east parking lot.

By car, you may consider the 56-space Cheongwadae Sarangchae parking lot and the east parking lot of Gyeongbokgung Palace, but public transportation is much more predictable on weekends and public holidays. The provided address, 24 Jahamun-ro 9-gil, can be viewed as an access point near the Blue House, while the official representative address is 1 Cheongwadae-ro. Check both the entrance instructions on the reservation screen and the actual meeting point to avoid returning to the wrong gate.

• Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 5 → East parking lot: 9-minute walk
• Anguk Station Exit 1 → East parking lot: 12-minute walk
• Jongno 11 bus → Get off at Beopryeonsa Bus Stop → 5-minute walk
• Cheongwadae Sarangchae parking lot: 56 spaces listed

2,000 Foreign Visitors per Day for On-Site Applications: Prepare Your Reservation Barcode and ID

Foreign visitors receive a reservation barcode by email in English when booking online and enter by presenting the barcode on site. Unreserved foreign visitors may also apply on site, but the stated limit is 2,000 people per day. Since reservations are generally required for visitors, during peak season or on weekends it is better to prioritize an online reservation rather than travel relying only on on-site applications.

Restrooms are listed in the Yeomin 1 Building rest areas on the first and second floors, the Chunchu Public Relations Center on the first floor, Chunchugwan on the second floor, the administration building, and Sihwamun Gate. Drinking fountains are installed at the former Main Building site, the Yeomin 1 Building rest areas, the Chunchu Public Relations Center, the official residence, and Sihwamun Gate, among other locations. There are no cafés or convenience stores inside the Blue House. Drink vending machines are listed at the Yeomin 1 Building rest areas and Chunchugwan, so prepare water and a few basic items for your visit.

Combine Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon on the Same Day, but Calculate the Blue House's Steep Sections Separately

Because the Blue House is north of Gyeongbokgung Palace, it is easy to connect Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Palace Museum of Korea, and Bukchon Hanok Village into a one-day itinerary. However, the interior of the Blue House is not a flat course that ends after viewing only the Main Building from the main gate. Since there are steep sections on the way up to the official residence, wheelchair and stroller users should first ask at the on-site information center about possible routes and areas open that day.

The official website provides pages in English, Japanese, and Chinese in addition to Korean. Regular weekday guided tours have been listed at 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 15:00, and 16:00, and at 10:00 and 15:00 on weekends and public holidays. Guided-tour operations may change according to events and seasons, so check the timetable again before reserving and leave at least two hours to see both the Main Building interior and the garden areas.