People have some particular fascination with the top office of the country. In the UK, it’s Buckingham Palace, in the USA, it’s the White House. In South Korea, it’s quite similar – people go to visit The Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae). It’s interesting to see where the top government meetings take place and get a glimpse of the President’s life.

Cheong Wa Dae means “building with blue (청 – ‘Cheong’) roof tiles (와 – ‘wa’). That’s why in English, the President Complex is The Blue House. It’s located near Gyeongbokgung Palace, at the site of Gyeongmudae (archery range). At this location, civil service examinations, military recruitment, and martial arts competitions took place. In the back of Blue House is Bugaksan Mountain, one of the four mountains surrounding the old city of Seoul. From the garden, in front of the President’s Office, you can enjoy the fantastic views of Namsan and the city of Seoul.

Cheong Wa Dae was the home to the executive office and the residence of the President of South Korea. The complex also accommodates the Presidential Secretariat and Press Center. President Youn Posun (1960-62, 4th presidential term) first used Cheong Wa Dae to describe its office and residence. As of May 10, 2022 the Blue House is open to the public because president Yoon Suk-yeol moved its official office to Yongsan. Now, you can tour the grounds of the Blue House and explore areas what were not open to the public before. 

How to Book?

To visit the Blue House, you must make an online reservation on the Blue House website. Online reservation is only possible for Korean citizens and foreign long-term residents in Korea (you must use a Korean phone number to verify your identity.

If you are just a visitor to Korea, there’s still a possibility to tour the Blue House. Online pre-reservation is not available at the moment, but there are 500 spots a day reserved for walk-ins on a first-come first-get basis. You just need to show up at the designated times:  9:00 AM and 1:30 PM. (make sure to come a bit early to secure a spot). 

Getting There

The tour starts from the Blue House 3 gates – left, central and right. Make sure to go at least 20 min before the actual start of the tour. You might have to show your reservation, and/or passport/ID for a check-up. Make sure to wear mask at all time during the tour. 

The Blue House Tour

The tour starts at Chunchugwan – the press center of Blue House. Chunchugwan is where journalists get briefed on government policies. You will go through a security check. Note that currently there’s no guided tours and not much information in English, but I believe this will change in the foreseeable future.

As you might expect, the buildings and surrounding green and service areas are carefully maintained. Expect to see lots of people (up to 10,000 people a day can be let to tour the grounds of the Blue House).

Presidential Residence | 대통령관저

The President’s Residence was never opened to the public, so it’ might be the hilight of the tour. Make sure not to miss it. It’s in the upper part of the Blue House grounds. The residence consists of two hanok style buildings, small garden and beautiful pavilion. 

Nokjiwon

Nokjiwon is a garden with a 170-year-old umbrella pine tree and three Korean red pine trees. The lawn is often used for outdoor events like concerts or press conferences. It connects the president residence with the office buildings of the Blue House. Just a move is the guest house used for designated foreign guests.

Sangchunjae | 상춘재

Sangchunjae is a beautiful hanok house in front of Nokjiwon. The building accommodates state guests and important visitors of Cheong Wa De. Sangchunjae means “eternal spring.” 

Sugungteo

Sugungteo is the site of the former Blue House representative building. Built in 1939 during the Japanese Occupation, it was the residence of the Governor-General. For 54 years, until 1993, this was where presidents met foreign officials and held government meetings. One witness, which survived the Joseon Era, the Japanese Occupation and the turbulent recent Korean history stands nearby, a 700-year-old spreading yew tree.

The next stop is the highlight of the Blue House Tour. You will pass a second security check. If you look to the left after the security gate, you will see the beautiful Segongwon Garden with a replica of the famous Bullomun Gate of Changdeokgung Palace. I can imagine the garden can be one of the favorite places of the President and the First Lady for a talk and walk with dignified guests.

Main Blue House Building

Main Blue House building reflects the traditional Hanok style architecture. In the back of the building are the footsteps of Bugaksan Mountain. The most striking part of Cheong Wa Dae is the roof structure. It’s painted in a discrete Danchong coloring style. The three sections of the President’s office are covered with over 150,000 blue roof tiles.

Inside the premises of the main Blue House building is currently available and offers an amazing opportunity to see the staterooms, recently only available to a selected few. So many important meetings have happened there, major historical decisions for the country of South Korea.

Yeongbingwan | 영빈관

State Guest House is the venue for welcome banquets, state meetings, and various performances. The exterior of the building is classical, with impressive granite columns. You can only get a glimpse of the interior through the big glass windows of the grand foyer of the building.

Even though there’s no end time for the tour, new people will be let now and then. After finishing the tour, you might want to visit also Cheongwadae Sarangchae (청와대사랑채) – a museum dedicated to the history of the Korean president institution. 

Useful Tips

• Even though there are no dress code requirements, ensure to be adequately dressed for what Cheong Wa Dae represents. 
• Taking photos at Cheong Wa Dae is permitted, but respect other people’s privacy. 
• Tour is around 60-70 min, so plan accordingly. You might stay longer if you wish as there’s no organized tour at the moment
• Food and drinks are not allowed at the Blue House and will not be provided inside. 
• Toilets are only available at the beginning of the tour at the security check.

Tour Times

Everyday except Tuesdays  – 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 15:00, 16:30 

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