Korean television music program “Immortal Songs” brought contemporary pop music into Seoul’s royal palaces for a special episode connected to the 2026 Royal Culture Festival. The second part of the program aired on October 31, following a performance filmed at Gyeongbokgung Palace and additional stages at Deoksugung Palace. The episode featured BOYNEXTDOOR, ATEEZ, NMIXX, Lee Seung-gi, Lyn, Kim Chang-wan Band and trot singer Park Ji-hyun. The production was organized around the theme “Awakening the Palace, Awakening Art,” with the second episode focusing on style, light and artistic expression. BOYNEXTDOOR opened the show alongside guards and musicians associated with Gyeongbokgung’s royal guard-changing ceremony.
Their entrance used the palace’s royal route, historically known as the path taken by the king, while traditional military musicians performed alongside the group. The staging connected an instantly recognizable K-pop format with one of Korea’s most important historic sites. The episode also included a special ATEEZ performance filmed at Deoksugung’s Seokjojeon. Korean media described it as the first time a K-pop idol group had staged a performance against that building as its main backdrop. The production combined palace architecture, modern lighting, choreography and contemporary stage costumes, while some performers incorporated elements inspired by hanbok into their styling.
For international viewers, the special offers a useful example of how Korean cultural programming often places modern popular music in conversation with heritage. Gyeongbokgung was the main palace of the Joseon dynasty, which ruled the Korean Peninsula from 1392 to 1910. Deoksugung is known for its mixture of traditional palace buildings and early modern Western-style architecture, giving the episode two visually different historical settings. The Royal Culture Festival is a recurring public program designed to encourage visitors to experience Korea’s palaces through performances, exhibitions and participatory events. By using a nationally broadcast music show, organizers extended that cultural conversation to television audiences, while the presence of major idol groups made the historic locations accessible to younger Korean viewers and international K-pop fans.