Changdeokgung

This guide to Changdeokgung in Seoul opens on a spring night in 1623, when a rival faction stormed the palace to unseat King Gwanghaegun, a ruler who had spent years trying to keep Joseon out of a war between Ming China and the rising Manchu armies. It follows Gwanghaegun through capture and decades of exile, from Ganghwa Island to Jeju, and asks what became of the throne he lost. A quiet spot to pause is near the main gate, where the fire that night began.