Jongmyo Jerye, or the Royal Ancestral Memorial Rite of the Joseon Dynasty, denotes a seasonal memorial rite conducted to honor the royal ancestors at the Jongmyo Shrine where their spirit tablets are enshrined. The rite epitomized all ceremonies performed to embody the ideal Confucian virtues of Loyalty and Filial Piety. Jongmyo Jerye remains the sole surviving rite, a significant reason why UNESCO listed this ritual on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2001.

During the Joseon period, state rites occurred five times a year, in the first month of every season: the first, fourth, seventh, tenth, and twelfth months. Additionally, special rites were held to mark celebratory events or disasters. The rite predominantly comprises three stages: burning incense and offering wine while invoking ancestral spirits in the first stage, reciting prayers and sharing food and beverages from the offering tables in the second, and bidding farewell to the ancestral spirits by incinerating written prayers and special gifts in the final stage. Presently, the rite is held once a year, on the first Sunday of May.

Jongmyo Jeryeak, or the Royal Ancestral Ritual Music, is the musical performance conducted at the Jongmyo Shrine as part of the royal ancestral memorial. Originally created for a royal banquet by King Sejong, the fourth king of Joseon, this music replaced the earlier Goryeo dynasty's music used at the Joseon court. King Sejong also developed an original music notation system called Jeongganbo, or "Grid Notation." It is recognized as Asia's first Mensural notation and is often likened to the development of staff notation in the West due to its significance in music history. Regarding the artistic merit of the Royal Ancestral Ritual Music, experts commend the harmony between diverse artistic elements such as ritual, hymn, dance, music, costume, poetry, and more. This unique Korean musical heritage has been preserved in its original form for approximately 600 years.