In the autumn of 1795, King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty set out on an unprecedented eight-day royal pilgrimage from his palace in Seoul to his father’s memorial site in Hwaseong. Escorting his mother, Lady Hyegyeong, the monarch marched with thousands of soldiers, officials and horses in a historic display of filial piety and royal authority. That grand journey will return on a monumental scale this Sunday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government, Gyeonggi Province, and the cities of Suwon and Hwaseong announced a joint historic reenactment of King Jeongjo’s 31.8-kilometer procession. The 2026 King Jeongjo Royal Parade will begin from Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul and cross the Han River to end at Yungneung, the royal tomb complex in Gyeonggi Province. Featuring more than 4,000 participants and 108 horses, the daylong festival is one of Korea’s largest living history spectacles. The procession bridges four major municipal boundaries, transforming modern urban thoroughfares into dynamic outdoor stages for traditional pageantry, street theater and cultural performances. The journey b