Deokhongjeon Hall is next to Hamnyeongjeon Hall. It was the residence and royal council hall of the first emperor, Emperor Gojong. He used to conduct daily state affairs and receive domestic and foreign officers in the hall.

Deokhongjeon Hall is one of the most recently built buildings in Deoksugung Palace. It was built in 1912. Before its development, a hall called Gyeongsojeon Hall was built there as a spirit hall to enshrine the tablet of Empress Myeongseong, the wife of Emperior Gojong. Gyeongsojeon Hall was renamed Gyeonghyojeon Hall afterwards. However, it was burned down during the large fire at Deoksugung Palace in 1904. While the tablet of Empress Myeongseong was moved to the west of Junmyeongjeon Hall, the hall building was rebuilt on the site. Nevertheless, even after the reconstruction, the mortuary tablet was not moved back, and thus, the new building became the Deokhongjeon Hall in 1912.

The architecture of Deokhongjeon Hall shows the transition from traditional to modern society. The traditional Korean building was usually in a rectangular shape, but Deokhongjeon Hall was built in a square-like shape. Also, its base was built up with long square stones, and its pillars were built to perfect height with simplified column-top brackets to support the roof. There are dragon heads and miscellaneous images on the ridges of the hipped and gabled roof, which symbolize the desire to expel misfortune and prevent fire. Inside the hall, there is a light on the ceiling and a western-style curtain installed.

As Deokhongjeon Hall was built during the Japanese occupation period, the Office of the Yi Dynasty and noble guests lounge were set up in the hall. The Office of the Yi Dynasty was in charge of assisting Emperor Gojong, which in fact was to monitor the royal family. All the visitors had to be granted permission by the office before meeting Emperor Gojong. Therefore, Emprior Gojong and his family were barely able to meet their close courtiers and court maidens under the monitor of the office; instead, most of the visitors were Japanese or officials of pro-Japanese collaborators.