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Air Macau publication draws criticism over labeling Changdeok Palace 'Chinese-style architecture'

Published: 13 Jan. 2026, 10:38 Updated: 13 Jan. 2026, 16:35

A copy of the in-flight guidebook placed in seat pockets on Air Macau flights shows a description of Changdeok Palace as Chinese architecture. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

An in-flight guidebook distributed by Air Macau has drawn criticism after it described Changdeok Palace, one of Korea’s five royal palaces, as an example of Chinese architecture.

Seo Kyoung-duk, a general education professor at Sungshin Women’s University known for challenging cultural inaccuracies abroad, wrote on Instagram and Facebook on Tuesday that the error appeared in Air Macau’s “Destination Guide,” which is placed in seat pockets. The guide introduced Changdeok Palace in English, Chinese and Japanese as “Chinese-style architecture,” according to Seo.

Seo said he sent a formal complaint via email to the airline.

“This is a clear mistake,” he wrote. “Changdeok Palace is a representative Korean traditional structure where architecture harmonizes with nature.”

He noted that the palace was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 1997 for its historical and cultural value and urged the airline to correct the description promptly to prevent misleading foreign visitors.

Seo added that misinformation about Korean history and culture remains widespread overseas. He called on the public to continue reporting such errors, saying that public tips play an important role in correcting them.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]