Beyond the Hero: Lecture and Discussion to Shed Light on the Human Side of Yi Sun-sin

Lecture and Discussion at the National Museum of Korea on January 16
Online Registration Opens January 8

The National Museum of Korea announced on January 8 that it will hold a lecture and discussion event titled "Speaking of the Human Yi Sun-sin" at the Small Auditorium of the Education Center at 2 p.m. on January 16.

'Speaking of the Human Yi Sun-sin' Event Poster. Provided by the National Museum of Korea

This event is organized in connection with the special exhibition "Our Yi Sun-sin" and aims to shed light on Yi Sun-sin not just as a historical hero, but as a human being.

The lecture and discussion will feature a diverse group of experts, including curators, historians, psychiatrists, writers, and film directors. Participants will explore Yi Sun-sin's human side, his anguish, choices, and daily life-facets often overshadowed by his heroic image-from multiple perspectives. After presentations by five experts from different fields, there will be a Q&A session with the audience.

The first lecture will be delivered by Lee Jeonggeun, Director of the Archaeology and History Division at the National Museum of Korea, who will speak on "The Human Yi Sun-sin as Seen Through Exhibition Planning." He will introduce the curatorial process of portraying Yi Sun-sin as a person beyond a war hero, focusing on how his inner world and emotions were represented in the exhibition through his own records, such as the "Nanjung Ilgi" (War Diary) and "Imjin Jangcho" (Imjin War Drafts).

Next, Kim Geunha, Research Professor at Sogang University specializing in Joseon-era military history, will give a lecture titled "Yi Sun-sin of That Day." Rather than focusing on the undefeated general, Kim will reinterpret the image of the historical hero by highlighting Yi Sun-sin as a person who lived day by day in the face of an uncertain future.

Lee Jaebyung, a psychiatrist, will present on "The Abyss Within the Armor: A Psychiatrist’s Perspective on Yi Sun-sin’s Trauma and Resilience." He will analyze traces of anxiety, sorrow, and anguish that Yi Sun-sin may have experienced from a psychiatric perspective, and examine how he overcame psychological trauma and developed resilience.

Yoon Hongki, the writer of the screenplays for the films "Hansan" and "Noryang," will lecture on "The Weight of a Hero, the Breath of a Human: The Human Side of Yi Sun-sin on Screen." He will introduce scenes from the films that depict Yi Sun-sin’s humanity and share insights into the creative process of bringing these aspects to life in the screenplay.

Finally, Kim Hanmin, director of the Yi Sun-sin film trilogy "The Admiral: Roaring Currents," "Hansan," and "Noryang," will conclude the event with a lecture on "Yi Sun-sin and the Spirit of the Times." Director Kim will discuss the significance of Yi Sun-sin’s life for contemporary society and how the spirit of Yi Sun-sin, reimagined through cinematic creativity, can be inherited in the modern era.

This lecture and discussion event is open to the public free of charge, with advance registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is available through the National Museum of Korea’s education platform "Modu" from 10 a.m. on January 8 until 5 p.m. on January 14.