A biannual nighttime tour of Gyeongbokgung will commence next month, with prebooking for the event starting on Thursday.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, the Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour for the second half of the year will be held from Sept. 2-15, and Oct. 6-20, twice a day. The first session will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and the second from 7:40 p.m. to 9:40 p.m.

This year’s Starlight Tour, which started in 2016, will be held under the theme of old folktales from the Joseon era. 

As with the May-June tour, visitors will be able to see actors re-enacting a typical day in the Joseon era upon entering the Heungryemun Gate. They will be able to hear the crown prince reading texts aloud outside his quarters, while a royal supper will be provided at the dining hall.

Other programs include a re-enactment of the love story between King Sejong and Queen Soheon, and a performance of gukak -- traditional Korean music -- at the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, which was used to host state-level banquets during the Joseon era.

Up to 60 people can participate in each tour, which costs 50,000 won per person. There are no tours on Tuesdays.

Foreigners are recommended to visit between Oct 18 and 20, when the first tours will be in English, Chinese or Japanese.

Prebooking for the event starts at 2 p.m. Thursday at http://ticket.auction.co.kr. Each person can buy up to two tickets. Up to 10 tickets per tour will be sold via phone (1566-1369) exclusively for senior citizens, the disabled and foreigners.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)