This post was created as part of my NEXON PEAK activities.

I heard that “Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward,” an exhibition celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Kingdom of the Winds, had opened at Gyejodang Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace. I was in elementary school when I spent so many hours playing on the 연 server, and now, somehow, I’m approaching my late 30s—it was a strange feeling. As soon as Saturday came around, I went to see it, drawn by the childhood memories that always come with thinking about The Kingdom of the Winds, my weakness for museum merchandise, and the thought of an autumn outing now that the weather had turned cool.

Getting to Gyejodang Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace is straightforward. If you’re taking the subway, you can walk from Exit 5 of Gyeongbokgung Station or Exit 2 of Gwanghwamun Station. I took the bus and went through the entrance to the right of the Cheong Wa Dae meeting point, trusting the walking directions on NAVER Map, only to find that all the paths were blocked. You must buy a Gyeongbokgung Palace ticket first, then present it to enter through Hongjemun Gate. Hopefully, that will spare you the wandering around I did.



 The ticket office is easy to spot—with so many people around, following the crowd will get you more than halfway there. Tickets were 3,000 won per adult, and admission is free if you’re wearing hanbok. It brought back memories of visiting with friends about 10 years ago, when we dressed in coordinated hanbok to take photos. Seeing so many people out enjoying the day in hanbok was a real treat.

 There were plenty of kiosks, so the lines weren’t long when I arrived. I went in at around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 12, but by the time I left, a little past 3 p.m., so many people were arriving that the lines had grown quite long. Something to keep in mind when planning your visit. Once you enter through Heungjemun Gate, head diagonally to your right to find Gyejodang Hall. You can cross the bridge and turn right, or turn right immediately after entering—whichever is easier for you.

 I couldn’t find any signs for The Kingdom of the Winds exhibition on the way to Gyeongbokgung Palace, but once inside, I came across a banner along the path to Gyejodang Hall. It has a QR code for the online exhibition catalog, which you’ll also find in several other places around the exhibition. Curiosity got the better of me, so I scanned it on my way in.

 The website has a poster with the exhibition’s title, “Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward,” its dates and location, and the stories in the online catalog. Once you’re inside, have a look through the site for the missions, too. You can earn gifts by completing them, so I’d recommend giving them a try as you explore. They make the visit a little more fun than simply looking around, and I found myself paying closer attention to the works.

 Let’s head into Gyejodang Hall. I learned that this was where the crown prince conducted state affairs with his officials.

 As you enter, you’ll find a photo spot on the left and the artwork featured in the first mission on the right. Each piece has a QR code linking to its catalog entry, and a booth behind this particular work hands out exhibition catalogs, so it was easy to read the descriptions while taking everything in. 왈숙이’s General Store was opposite the photo spot, and the catalog booth was across from the artwork pictured below.

 To the left of the catalog booth was a display about The Kingdom of the Winds, with stories from the game, the phrase that brings back the most memories for me—“Release the squirrels”—and information about the exhibition. With the music playing all the while, I almost felt as though I’d stepped into a tavern in the game or was wandering around Gungnaeseong again.

 To follow the missions in order, enter through the door on the right and leave through the one on the left, though since you take your shoes off to go inside, it doesn’t really matter. Just head in and explore in whichever direction you prefer. All around me, visitors in hanbok were busy taking photos.



There’s plenty to see inside Gyejodang Hall, and time slips by as you explore, complete missions, and take in the pieces on display. I especially loved “A Panorama of Dragon Legends” by An Yu-jin and Lee Dong-min, and clearly I wasn’t alone—I waited quite a while to take a photo in front of it. So many visitors were posing for that perfect shot, and I slipped over for one myself. Alongside Kim Hui-seon’s “Collars Holding the Winds,” with its 4 colors and characters, the dragons in their signature colors looked wonderful, as though they could ward off every troublesome spirit. I also spent a long time admiring An Eun-jeong’s “Ear Pouches Filled with the Wishes of Squirrels and Rabbits.” The embroidery was so intricate... it really was beautiful. I already love browsing MU:DS merchandise at the National Museum of Korea, so seeing works like these was a real delight.

When you log into The Kingdom of the Winds, you choose between the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. I always chose the Vermilion Bird, so I was especially drawn to the red. It was lovely to compare those familiar elements of the game with the artists’ interpretations, and seeing its signature monsters(?)—rabbits and squirrels—stitched into the embroidery felt like a little reunion, too.



 After taking in the exhibition to my heart’s content and finishing the missions, I collected my rewards and went back for another look at the merchandise. Everything was so beautiful that I lingered for quite a while. Completing the missions gets you not only an in-game coupon but also discount coupons for idus, apparently worth 4,000 won off each month. I’m planning to register them once I finish writing this post.

 The merchandise is only available from September 9 to December 31, and you can see it in person at 왈숙’s General Store. Every piece was so lovely that checking my bank balance was a little disheartening. ^.^...



These pieces are even lovelier in person, and even harder to resist. I’ll leave the link just below. Sob, they’re so pretty.



A portion of the proceeds 

helps support the ongoing creative work 

of the participating artists, I’m told.

Buying something could be a lovely way to show your support.

Browse on idus

 Apparently, posting a photo of your visit on Instagram enters you into a draw for a mother-of-pearl passport wallet. I felt a little shy, so I took one with just my hand in the frame, but if you’re feeling brave, do give it a try. That passport wallet really is beautiful.



After seeing everything, I headed out of Gyeongbokgung Palace to find quite a crowd. Looking toward Geunjeongjeong, I could see the mountains and our palace standing tall; in the other direction, Gwanghwamun stood among the high-rise buildings. It was a magnificent sight, and the harmony of the mountains, modern buildings, and palace struck me all over again. I felt lucky that the exhibition had brought me back to Gyeongbokgung Palace after so long.



I learned that this exhibition at Gyejodang Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace was a collaboration between The Kingdom of the Winds, NEXON Foundation’s Borderless, and Korea National University of Heritage, marking the game’s 30th anniversary. It’s a community initiative through which Borderless offers The Kingdom of the Winds IP as creative inspiration and gives emerging traditional craft artists opportunities to create and share their work.

These cooler days make me want to get out and explore, and the chance to see both Gyeongbokgung Palace and The Kingdom of the Winds exhibition for free in hanbok, or for 3,000 won per adult otherwise, is hard to pass up. If you’ve played The Kingdom of the Winds, are planning a day out with your children, or want some photos to treasure with your partner or friends, why not visit Gyeongbokgung Palace and the exhibition at Gyejodang Hall? It’s a chance to take in the distinctive mix of a Korean palace, mountains, and tall buildings, along with a sense of history and an exhibition that’s a feast for the eyes. I went with a friend and had such a lovely time, and I hope you’ll enjoy your visit just as much.

You’ll find the full announcement and details at the link below!

Read the anniversary exhibition announcement