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Looking for an autumn outing in Seoul in September 2026? Discover the exhibition now on view at Gyejodang Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Kingdom of the Winds, “Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward” runs from September 9 to September 21.

Presented as part of the Nexon Foundation’s “Borderless” social contribution initiative, the exhibition supports emerging artists and explores the distinctly Korean beauty and values of The Kingdom of the Winds through traditional crafts.

If you are planning a visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace or looking for a Seoul exhibition this September, this is an opportunity to combine a palace stroll with an art exhibition. Through firsthand reviews from PEAK creators, discover how a familiar game IP has inspired new works in lacquerwork, ceramics, traditional painting, dancheong decorative painting, embroidery, and other craft techniques.

1. “Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward” at a Glance

Source: An Invitation to [BORDERLESS: Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward].

Category	Details
Exhibition Title	“Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward”
Venue	Gyejodang Hall, Gyeongbokgung Palace
Dates	September 9–September 21, 2026
Opening Hours	9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. *Last admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace is at 5 p.m. The palace is closed on Tuesdays.
Exhibition Admission	Free; a separate Gyeongbokgung Palace admission fee of 3,000 won applies
On-Site Experiences	Artworks, web catalog missions, commemorative exhibition coupons, and special idus merchandise

2. Where The Kingdom of the Winds Meets Traditional Crafts

The Kingdom of the Winds is one of Nexon’s signature RPGs, known for its distinctly Korean world and long history. For this exhibition, emerging artists went beyond recreating the game’s characters and scenes. Drawing on their training in traditional crafts and their individual perspectives, they reinterpreted these familiar elements as new works of art.

Artwork Title	Elements from The Kingdom of the Winds	Participating Artists	Traditional Craft Techniques
Rogue, Riding the Wind	Rogue · Squirrel	Yang Ho-seong · Choi Hyo-ryeong · Han Hye-in	Dry lacquer · Lacquerwork · Mother-of-pearl
Guardian Beasts Protecting the Realm	Four Guardian Beasts	Lee Sol-chan · Kim Jeong-woo	Ceramics · Traditional roof tiles
Collars Embracing the Wind	Four Guardian Beasts	Kim Hui-seon	Traditional painting
Myriad Images of 용전설	용전설	An Yu-jin · Lee Dong-min	Dancheong decorative painting · Traditional painting
A Cornered Pouch Carrying the Wishes of a Squirrel and Rabbit	Squirrel · Rabbit	An Eun-jeong	Traditional embroidery

① Rogue, Riding the Wind

This sculpture captures a tense confrontation between a Rogue, one of the signature classes in The Kingdom of the Winds, and a squirrel NPC. Built on a dry-lacquer base, it combines raw, black, and colored lacquer techniques with traditional materials such as mother-of-pearl, paulownia wood, and brass sheets. Look closely at the mother-of-pearl adorning the squirrel’s stripes and the varied hues of the lacquerwork.

② Guardian Beasts Protecting the Realm

This work expresses the hope that the Four Guardian Beasts, who protect new players in the game, will also watch over us in the real world. The beasts draw inspiration from depictions of the Four Guardian Deities in Goguryeo tomb murals, while the bricks that form the work were inspired by the floor tiles in the beasts’ in-game dwelling. The piece brings together the contrasting textures of ceramics and traditional roof tiles.

③ Collars Embracing the Wind

This painting reimagines the Four Guardian Beasts of The Kingdom of the Winds as human figures in traditional attire. Drawing on each beast’s associated direction, color, and symbolism, it places the human figures on the front and the beasts’ original forms on the back, expressing the connection between humans and divine beasts. Look for each beast’s distinctive directional color and the elements of The Kingdom of the Winds hidden throughout the work.

④ Myriad Images of 용전설

This work reinterprets 용전설, the boss monsters of The Kingdom of the Winds, through traditional Korean dancheong and painting techniques. Drawing on dancheong’s distinctive visual forms and the symbolism of the five traditional colors, it depicts the game’s four dragons on canvas. Notice the rich colors created by layers of traditional pigments, the texture of the hemp fabric, and the way the gold and silver leaf change with the light.

⑤ A Cornered Pouch Carrying the Wishes of a Squirrel and Rabbit

This textile work features a squirrel and rabbit from The Kingdom of the Winds embroidered onto traditional Korean cornered pouches as symbols of good fortune. The squirrel appears alongside grapevines to represent wealth and prosperity for future generations, while the rabbit, accompanied by the moon and a pine tree, symbolizes longevity. Through traditional embroidery and motifs, the work expresses the hope that The Kingdom of the Winds will remain loved for many years to come.

3. Exhibition Highlights from PEAK Creators

PEAK creators were particularly drawn to the way a familiar game IP had been reimagined through traditional crafts. For longtime players of The Kingdom of the Winds, the exhibition offered a new way to revisit old memories. For visitors unfamiliar with the game, it provided an approachable introduction to traditional crafts.

💬 "What makes this exhibition so interesting is that it goes beyond simply reproducing familiar game characters. Instead, it explores a range of traditional craft techniques, including lacquerwork, ceramics, traditional painting, dancheong, and embroidery."

— 꽤돼, A Recommended Exhibition at Gyeongbokgung Palace: “Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward,” Featuring Emerging Artists and Celebrating 30 Years of The Kingdom of the Winds

💬 "The Kingdom of the Winds uses 2D graphics, so it was interesting to see one of its squirrels brought to life as a 3D sculpture."

— 곤류, My Visit to The Kingdom of the Winds 30th Anniversary Exhibition at Gyeongbokgung Palace

💬 "Anyone who has played The Kingdom of the Winds is likely to recognize these monsters. Seeing them embroidered onto traditional cornered pouches should make this a particularly engaging work for longtime players."

— 꽤돼, A Recommended Exhibition at Gyeongbokgung Palace: “Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward,” Featuring Emerging Artists and Celebrating 30 Years of The Kingdom of the Winds

💬 "I wanted to visit because The Kingdom of the Winds brings back childhood memories, because I love museum merchandise from MU:DS, and because the cooler weather made me want to enjoy an autumn outing."

— 자경씨, [The Kingdom of the Winds 30th Anniversary Exhibition] Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward. (With an Autumn Outing to Gyeongbokgung Palace)

Visitors could also explore a web catalog that cast them as a peddler squirrel completing missions related to the artworks. Those who complete the missions can receive coupons for in-game items in The Kingdom of the Winds and idus discounts. At “왈숙’s General Store,” visitors could see the exhibition merchandise in person. PEAK creators also enjoyed moving from the artworks to the missions and merchandise, with Gyeongbokgung Palace’s scenery as the backdrop.

4. Why Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace for an Autumn Outing in Seoul?

“Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward” offers more than an indoor exhibition alone: it combines traditional craft works with Gyeongbokgung Palace’s autumn scenery in a single visit. With a palace stroll and a cultural experience in central Seoul, it is a natural choice for anyone planning a visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace, exploring Seoul’s September exhibitions, or looking for an autumn outing.

What You Are Looking For	What This Exhibition Offers
Exhibitions at Gyeongbokgung Palace	Traditional craft works at Gyejodang Hall celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Kingdom of the Winds
Places to Visit at Gyeongbokgung Palace	A visit combining a palace stroll, artworks, and web catalog missions
September Exhibitions in Seoul	A free exhibition running September 9–21; a separate Gyeongbokgung Palace admission fee applies
Autumn Outing Destinations	Gyeongbokgung Palace’s scenery in the cooler season and traditional crafts inspired by a game IP

• Enjoy the palace and exhibition together. Explore the main areas of Gyeongbokgung Palace before or after the exhibition at Gyejodang Hall for a pleasant half-day outing.

• No familiarity with the game is needed. Discover the works through the materials and techniques of traditional crafts, including lacquerwork, ceramics, dancheong, and embroidery.

• Players can experience familiar scenes in a new way. See the characters and world of The Kingdom of the Winds take shape as three-dimensional artworks and crafts.

• Interactive experiences and merchandise add to the visit. Web catalog missions, commemorative exhibition coupons, and special idus merchandise offer more to enjoy after viewing the artworks.

5. What Makes This Collaboration with Emerging Artists Special

The exhibition was created to support emerging artists and celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Kingdom of the Winds. The participating student artists include certified national heritage repair technicians and skilled workers, as well as graduates of National Intangible Heritage training programs. Each reinterpreted the game IP through their own traditional craft practice.

• Game IP offers a new source of creative inspiration. Emerging artists brought their own perspectives to the characters and world of The Kingdom of the Winds, reinterpreting them as traditional craft works.

• The collaboration bridges games and art. Familiar characters bring players closer to traditional crafts, while other visitors can discover game culture in a new way.

• It brings traditional crafts to a wider audience. Combining game IP with lacquerwork, ceramics, dancheong, embroidery, and other techniques offers an accessible way to discover the appeal of traditional crafts.

Explore the participating artists’ creative processes in Stories of Emerging Artists in Traditional Crafts, the Nexon Foundation’s official Borderless production notes, and take a closer look at the venue and artworks in the Exhibition Highlights Video.

6. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. When and where is “Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward” being held?

The exhibition runs from September 9 to September 21, 2026, at Gyejodang Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace. Opening hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with last admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace at 5 p.m. The palace is closed on Tuesdays.

Q2. How much does admission cost?

The exhibition itself is free, but a separate Gyeongbokgung Palace admission fee of 3,000 won applies. Visitors aged 24 and under can enter the palace free of charge.

Q3. What artworks can I see at the exhibition?

The exhibition features works by student artists who have reinterpreted the characters and world of The Kingdom of the Winds through traditional crafts. The artists include certified national heritage repair technicians and skilled workers, as well as graduates of National Intangible Heritage training programs. Using lacquerwork, ceramics, traditional painting, dancheong, embroidery, and other techniques, they express the game’s distinctly Korean beauty and values.

Q4. What activities and rewards are available on-site?

You can complete web catalog missions related to the artworks. Then visit the “Reward Station” in front of Gyejodang Hall to receive commemorative exhibition coupons, including a coupon for in-game items in The Kingdom of the Winds.

Q5. Where can I see the exhibition merchandise?

The “special idus merchandise,” inspired by the traditional craft works, is on display at the venue. It was also unveiled on the idus website on September 9, 2026. [Explore Borderless Merchandise]

Q6. Is it a good choice for a Gyeongbokgung Palace visit or a September exhibition in Seoul?

Yes, especially if you would like to combine a stroll through Gyeongbokgung Palace with traditional craft artworks. The central Seoul location is easy to reach, and web catalog missions and merchandise offer more to explore beyond the exhibition itself. Together, these make it a good autumn outing for friends, couples, and families.

Q7. What is the Nexon Foundation’s “Borderless” initiative?

“Borderless” brings games together with other cultural and artistic fields. The project provides creators with Nexon game content as a source of artistic inspiration and helps the diverse new works they create reach a wider audience. This exhibition was developed to support emerging artists and celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Kingdom of the Winds.

“Winds at Thirty, Carrying Tradition Forward” celebrates the 30-year history of The Kingdom of the Winds while exploring the possibilities that emerge when game IP meets a new generation of traditional craft artists. The historic setting of Gyeongbokgung Palace, memories of a familiar game, and the artists’ fresh interpretations make for a distinctive experience. If you are looking for an exhibition at Gyeongbokgung Palace or in Seoul this September, consider an autumn visit that combines the artworks with a palace stroll.

Which game characters or scenes would you like to see reimagined through traditional crafts? Share your exhibition reviews and ideas on PEAK!

More Official Information

• Nexon Foundation Borderless Exhibition Guide

• Stories of Emerging Artists in Traditional Crafts

• Exhibition Highlights Video

• The Kingdom of the Winds Official Exhibition Notice

※ This article draws on posts submitted as part of PEAK creator activities as of September 20, 2026. Game content and event availability are subject to change.