Sunjong Royal Wedding 120th Anniversary: Guide to the Andongbyeolgung Exhibition in Seoul

The 120th anniversary of the royal wedding of Sunjong and Empress Sunjeonghyo is the central reason to see 《Andongbyeolgung, Layers of Time》, a Seoul Museum of Craft Art exhibition now open in Seoul. The Andongbyeolgung exhibition connects the 1906 royal wedding held on the Andongbyeolgung site with imperial clothing, craft objects, and later history tied to the same place.¹

For visitors, the most important point is that this is not a short commemorative display. The official exhibition page lists the run from April 28, 2026 to August 29, 2027, on the third floor of Exhibition Building 3 at Seoul Museum of Craft Art.² That gives readers planning a Seoul culture itinerary a long viewing window, although one rare original object was available only at the start of the show.

Sunjong Royal Wedding 120th Anniversary Focus

《Andongbyeolgung, Layers of Time》 was organized around two anniversaries: the 120th anniversary of the royal wedding of Sunjong and Empress Sunjeonghyo, and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of the Blessed Korean Martyrs.² The exhibition is also rooted in the location of the museum itself, since Seoul Museum of Craft Art stands on the former Andongbyeolgung site.

The historical thread begins in 1906, when Sunjong and Empress Sunjeonghyo held their royal wedding at Andongbyeolgung. The exhibition then extends that place-based story to Prince Ui and his wife, who spent their later years there from 1948 to 1955.¹ This makes the show useful for visitors who want more than a general survey of Korean imperial-era craft: the exhibition is structured around one site and the layers of royal life attached to it.

The display focuses on imperial clothing and craft-related materials. Seoul Museum of Craft Art lists the exhibition type as textile craft, with fiber and paper as the exhibition materials.² Reports on the opening also describe royal costume artifacts connected to Empress Sunjeonghyo and Princess Ui, as well as items such as the Treasure 《Uiwang Yeongwang Chaekbong Uigwe》 and 《Chubong Chaekbong Uigwe》.³

The exhibition was prepared as a collaboration between Seoul Museum of Craft Art and Oryundae Korean Martyrs Museum.¹ That collaboration matters because the show brings together religious, royal, and craft-historical perspectives rather than treating Andongbyeolgung only as an architectural memory or a palace-related keyword.

What Visitors Can Expect to See

A practical way to approach the exhibition is to think of it in three connected layers: the royal wedding of 1906, imperial clothing and ceremonial memory, and the later life of Prince Ui and his wife on the same site. The exhibition’s Korean title, which translates naturally as 《Andongbyeolgung, Layers of Time》, reflects that layered structure.

Several opening reports noted that the show includes royal clothing artifacts associated with Sunjong, Empress Sunjeonghyo, and the Prince Ui couple.⁴ Asia Economy also reported that the exhibition introduces drawing and video work by artist Kwon Min-ho, extending the historical material into a contemporary visual response.³

One of the most time-sensitive objects was the original Wonyugwan associated with Prince Ui. Seoul City said the original, believed to have been worn by Prince Ui during his 1906 investiture ceremony, would be shown for only six days because of conservation concerns.¹ Korea Economic Daily later specified that the original Wonyugwan was on view through May 3, 2026, after which it would be replaced by a reproduction.⁵ Because May 3, 2026 has already passed, visitors planning after May 7, 2026 should not expect to see the original Wonyugwan on display.

The broader exhibition remains valuable beyond that limited reveal. Its core subject is not a single object but the way imperial craft and royal clothing help explain the Andongbyeolgung site across different periods. Seoul Museum of Craft Art director Kim Su-jeong described the exhibition as a place where craft from past time and space meets the present again to create new meaning and history.³

How to Plan a Visit

The exhibition venue is Seoul Museum of Craft Art, Exhibition Building 3, third floor.² The official schedule runs from April 28, 2026 to August 29, 2027, so visitors have more than a year to include it in a museum visit.² The sources provided do not state admission price, opening hours, reservation requirements, or refund rules, so those details should be checked through the museum’s official visitor information before going.

The exhibition opened at the same time as another Seoul Museum of Craft Art special exhibition, 《The Hybrid》, which marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France.⁴ Visitors interested in Daehan Empire craft may want to note that the two shows were announced together as special exhibitions, but 《Andongbyeolgung, Layers of Time》 is the one directly tied to the Sunjong and Empress Sunjeonghyo royal wedding anniversary.

The Fact reported that related education programs and museum shop art products were also introduced with the special exhibitions.⁶ The available source material does not provide full program dates, booking steps, or product details, so those should not be assumed from the exhibition listing alone.

작성자 소개

Patrick Choi

Administrator

모든 글 보기