Actor Song Il Guk playing as Jumong, in the historical drama, Jumong
Prior to taking this Asian 270 course on premodern Korea, I had very little knowledge about Korean history prior to the 1900s. I have always been interested in the Three Kingdoms Period, especially Koguryo. Jumong, one of the few historical Korean dramas I had ever watched, portrays the life of Jumong, the founder of the Koguryo dynasty. This historical drama shortly after its release had gained a lot popularity. But while watching this drama, I noticed a lot of very inaccuracies, and it seemed to be a very repetitive pattern in not just this drama, but other Korean historical films and dramas as well. Yes, movies are meant to not be realistic, but some of the things portrayed in this drama were very bizarre.
Battle scenes in particular seemed very inaccurate, especially the weapons that were used in the historical drama. In multiple battles, Jumong and his army have been seen using these black explosive balls, which when in contact with fire explode. This most likely was gunpowder that was compacted into a ball shape. China was one of the first countries to ever use and experiment on gunpowder, which began in the 9th century. However, in this drama, Jumong and his men from Koguryo are seen using gunpowder as a grenade-like weapon. The setting of this drama dates back to early 1st century, which is nowhere near the 9th century, when gunpowder was first used.
Jumong and his followers, wearing the "God armor" that can penetrate anything
Secondly, towards the later half of the drama, one of Jumong's blacksmith's develops an impenetrable armor. To test it, Jumong fires an arrow at it, and the armor deflects it, and they celebrate the production of this new armor. They go on to mass produce this armor for their army. This is odd in many ways. First off, they seemed to assume that just because the armor deflected an arrow, it is a strong and impenetrable armor. Later, when the first use the armor, the Han Chinese swords were unable to penetrate the armor. However, just a few episodes later, somehow the Han Chinese were able to create a sword that can penetrate it. During the Koguryo time period, the Han Chinese were much more technologically advanced than Koguryo, and it is very unlikely they had created an armor that was impenetrable.
The video below is the very first scene of the historical drama Jumong. Just watching the first 10 minutes of this drama showing a fight scene between Hae Mo Su (Jumong's father) and his friend, a prince of Puyo, is just so unrealistic.
Growing up, among many different career paths that I had in mind, business was one of the biggest ones. Although my parents ultimately wanted me to choose my own career path, my dad had always wanted me to become a businessman. Although I am studying naval architecture and marine engineering, if I could choose an alternate career path, it would have been business. I would have liked to have chosen casino business, which interests me the most. Today, casinos Las Vegas, as well as Macao, are one of the largest entertainment business in the world.
Kangwon Land
In South Korea, one thing about the casino business that stood out as very odd was that most casinos are foreigner-only, and natives are not allowed to play. In a news article regarding the status of gambling in Korea, since the founding, gambling has been prohibited and casinos were made to only attract tourists. However, Kangwon Land, is a casino that is open to local citizens, which contradicts the prohibition of locals in casinos. Even with the Kangwon Land, many locals attempt to obtain fake passports in order to play in the foreigner-only casinos. I am curious as to how the casino businesses are doing, since it only allows foreigners to play at the casinos. There is many problems with allowing only foreigners to play. First off, Macao, which is the largest casino site in Asia, attracts significantly more tourists than Korea. Secondly, most likely the foreigners who visit the casinos are high rollers who have a lot of experience at gambling.Thirdly, by not allowing locals to gamble in casinos only forces them to find other methods to gamble, such as underground gambling or obtaining fake passports. Then, the government has to spend time and money tracking these passports and arresting people who pose as foreigners. It is hard to find exact information regarding the status of casinos in South Korea, but it is highly unlikely that their business is thriving. I just don't exactly understand why the government does not just allow locals to play, as it allows for more business and eliminates the fake passport issue.
Recently there have been many rumors circulating regarding the declining health of Kim Jong-il. Recent photos suggest that Kim Jong-il had a stroke and his death is near. Furthermore, Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il;s youngest could be the heir as the next dictator. Recently he has been promoted to the rank of a general and is pictured following Kim Jong-il around. There is little known about Kim Jong-un, and one thing has been put up to question: will he rule North Korea the same way his father did, or will he be different? Even then, North Korea has been going through a crisis as a majority of its population is poor and malnourished. North Korea has been depending on China and Russia for supplies but due to the decline in the world economy, it has been very limited.
Many believe that North Korea will soon collapse, as they have not improved their economy in the past ten years. There is much uncertainty about whether Kim Jong-un will be able to lead North Korea once he takes over. I believe that within the next ten to twenty years North Korea will collapse, and it will be a big problem for not only South Korea, but China as well. Many North Koreans have attempted to flee by crossing the border into China. If the government collapses, people will attempt to cross the border into China, numbering millions and rush to the border at the 38th parallel. If the North Korean regime falls, the nuclear weapons may no longer be a threat, but the main problem is dealing with the millions of hungry North Koreans. Especially because of today's economy and South Korea already have problems of their own, it will be impossible for the South Korean government to take care of the millions of North Koreans. Once Kim Jong-un assumes leadership, hopefully he will open up the doors and make North Korea less of an isolated nation. But even then, North Korea has a long way to go in order to catch up with today's standards. Technologically North Korea lags behind most other countries. But for now, South Korea and the US can only just wait and hope Kim Jong-un's rise to leadership will bring about new changes for North Korea.
South Korea has a mandatory military conscription which requires all males to serve in the military for 21 months. The military conscription began shortly after the end of the Korean War (1950-1953). Although technically South Korea and North Korea are still at war. This is the primary reason for South Korea having a military draft. Today, one of the main problems that arise is military draft evasion. This is particularly common amongst students who are studying abroad. Students who are studying abroad have the option of delaying military service until they finish school. Also, many celebrities have also attempted to evade military service. Compared to the past and now, the South Korean government has been much more strict about military conscription, and nobody is exempt unless they have a disability. A famous example is the rap star MC Mong (Shin Dong-Hyun), who allegedly had two teeth pulled out in order to evade the military draft. There was much controversy regarding and he was received a six month jail term. One fact about this video which I found very interesting was that most of the members of the cabinet and political officials did not serve in the military.
Some friends of mine who are currently in the United States studying abroad have sent letters to delay their conscription. Almost all of them would prefer to not serve in the military. Some have even decided to just stay in the United States and not go back to Korea for a while. Just recently I found out that my friend who decided to just evade military service, cannot go back to Korea until he is 35 years old, otherwise he would be sent to jail. My dad, who served in the ROK (Republic of Korea) army for 4 years, and retired as a captain, explained how these days, the government has been much more harsh on the military conscription. During his days in the ROK army, it was easier to evade the military, but also during his time, joining the military was considered a good deed.
Namdaemun, also known as Sungnyemun, is a historic gate located in Seoul, South Korea. It was built during the Choson dynasty in 1398 and was declared national treasure number one in 1962. On February 10, 2008, a fire destroyed most of the structure. Prior to this fire, this structure has stood for over 600 years. The fire was set by an arson and most of it was destroyed. A lot of history is attached to this structure and it is one of few historic landmarks to survive the Japanese invasion in 1592, the Japanese occupation in 1910, and the Korean War. Prior to the fire, Namdaemun was closed off and was made open to the public for the first time since 1907. It was only open to the public for two years. I luckily have had the privilege to visit Namdaemun prior to the fire.
Nameademun after the fire
The extensive damage caused by the fire is evident as the roof collapsed. The Namdaemun gate is connected to the Namdaemun market, and the two places are associated with each other. Despite this tragedy, there was much criticism towards the government for not handling the fire better. There is some speculation regarding the fire and how it could have been stopped quicker and allowed for far less damage. Some Koreans compare the fire of Namdaemun to the 9/11 attacks on the World trade center. As of right now, Namdaemun is currently in the process of being restored and is projected to be completed in 2012 and will cost nearly $20 million. Although measurements were made prior to the fire, after the restoration is complete, most of its history was destroyed in the fire. Before the fire, Namdaemun was the oldest wooden structure is Seoul. I am curious as to if the Namdaemun will still be considered national treasure number one after it is completely restored. My guess is it will most likely still be called national treasure number one, but due to the restoration, the historic aspect of Namdaemun will no longer be the same.
Today South Korea is the largest shipbuilding nation in the world. The links to the two news articles on this post explain the competition between South Korea and China over shipbuilding. In the first article, which was published in 2005 by the New York Times, explains that recently South Korea has overtaken Japan as the world's largest shipbuilding nation, but China looms to become the next largest. The second article, which was published by the Chosun Ilbo, explains how even today there is still competition between China and South Korea. Also the second article states that Korea has recently just regained the lead from China in shipbuilding. The Hyundai Shipyard pictured above, is currently the world's largest shipyard, and is so efficient and technologically advanced that a $80 million ship is released into waters every four working days. The video below gives an overview of the Hyundai shipyard and some of its qualities that make it the best and biggest shipyard in the world. South Korea is attempting to maintain is position as the world's largest shipbuilding nation despite how China is on the rise. Korea has a lot of history when it comes to ship building. Dating back to the Koryo dynasty, during Mongol rule, Koryo had to build and supply ships for the Mongols. Later in the Choson dynasty, the world's first ironclad warship was built, called the turtleship. Korea has a long history of shipbuilding and is an important practice that has been around for hundreds of years.
The video below shows a glimpse of the technology used at the Hyundai Shipyard, and some of its key features. One aspect of just shipbuilding in Korea in general that stood out and was mentioned in the video was that it was well organized and the style in which the company operated was similar to the military. This is possibly a reason for the efficiency of the shipyard and is very distinct compared to other shipyards around the world. China is projected to become the world leader in shipbuilding by 2015, primarily because it has such a massive cheap labor force. But nonetheless South Korea today is trying to maintain its position by shifting its focus to ships that are used for container transportation.
As a naval architecture and marine engineering major here at the University of Michigan, I hope to one day be able to go to Korea and see what the Hyundai shipyard is like and maybe even work there in the near future. I personally have never been to a shipyard so it will be a good experience. Prior to my major declaration as a naval architecture and marine engineer, I actually was unaware that South Korea is world wide leader in shipbuilding. As of right now the naval architecture and marine engineering is one the smallest departments in the College of Engineering, but I feel like it will one day grow to be a much bigger sector in engineering. More than 70% of the earth's surface is covered by water, and thus shipbuilding is a crucial in many aspects of society (transportation, trade, entertainment, etc.). But I hope to one day be able to work at the Hyundai Shipyard and just see how advanced and how great the world's largest shipyard is.
Throughout history several military officers have not only gained fame within their own native countries, but also around the world as well. A small list of some of these renown military leaders are: Erwin Rommel, Horatio Nelson, Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Alexander the Great. All the following military officers achieved great victories and have proven themselves to be among one of the greatest military officials in the history of the world. Outside of Korea, Japan, and China, very few have of heard of a man by the name of Yi Sun-Shin. Yi Sun-Shin was born in Hansung, Korea, which is present day Seoul, the capital of South Korea. He was an admiral of the Korean Navy who defeated the Japanese in many battles during the Imjin War. Yi Sun-Shin's military career experienced many troubles, and despite reaching high ranks in the military, he was demoted to a common soldiers more than once. All of this was due to the corrupt Royal Court of Korea at the time. Nonetheless, despite Yi Sun-Shin's demotion, he never gave up and continued to serve his country. In 1592, Japan, which was recently united under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, launched a massive campaign to attack Korea, called the Imjin War. During just that first year alone, the Korean army was massacred, and the Japanese were quickly able to take over most of Korea. At this point in time, it was hopeless for Korea, as their men were not nearly as advanced and well trained as the Japanese. What stopped from Japan from ultimately completely taking over Korea, was the one man: Yi Sun-Shin.Yi Sun-Shin, who at the time had been promoted to Commander of the Left Cholla Province, had extensively prepared the Korean navy, as he and many other officials new that a Japanese invasion was imminent. Yi Sun-Shin's very first encounter with the Japanese navy was at Okpo, and this battle was known as the Battle of Okpo, and it was a heavy blow to the Japanese, as they lost several ships and men, while Yi Sun-Shin lost few men and no ships. Yi Sun-Shin continuously defeated the Japanese navy during the many encounters, and it took a toll on the whole Japanese invasion as supply routes were cut off.
Yi Sun-Shin was also known for the turtle ship, also called Geobukseon, which is known as the first ironclad warship to ever be made in history. Along with the turtle ship, and Yi Sun-Shin's naval tactics, they were able to crush the Japanese navy and cut off their supply routes. Had Yi Sun-Shin been unsuccessful in stopping the Japanese navy, Korea could have easily fallen into Japanese hands. However, it was not all easy for Yi Sun-Shin as he experienced problems with the Royal Court. The Japanese grew desperate and used Yosira, a Japanese translator, to oust Yi Sun-Shin. Yosira spoke fluent Korean and Japanese, and he was able to gain the trust of the Korean government. Yosira sent a letter to a Korean general Kim Ung-so revealing the Japanese plan of attack (which was all a lie) in order to lure the Korean navy into a trap. The Royal Court believed Yosira's words and ordered Yi Sun-Shin to attack. Yi Sun-Shin, being an experienced admiral, knew it was a trap and declined to follow orders. Since Yi Sun-Shin declined to follow orders, he was first cited to be executed, but was spared the death penalty and was demoted to a common soldier. During that time period, most officers would accept the death penalty as it was considered a disgrace to become demoted. This demotion, however, did not stop Yi Sun-Shin. He continued to serve as a common soldier, and during that time, under Won Kyun, Yi Sun-Shin's rival, nearly the whole Korean navy was destroyed at the Battle of Chilchon. Immediately after this defeat, the Royal Court reinstated Yi Sun-Shin, but were thinking of ridding of the Korean navy since very few remained. Yi Sun-Shin, sent a letter to the court and one of his famous quotes stated this: "This humble subject still has 12 ships. However small the number may be, I solemnly swear that I will be able to defend the sea if I prepare myself for death to resist the enemy." For a man, who was tortured, and demoted for no wrongdoing, and still have the will to defend his country, shows just how much determination he had in defeating the Japanese and becoming victorious. One of Yi Sun-Shin's most famous battles, was the Battle of Myongyang. In this battle, Yi Sun-Shin was successfully able to defeat the Japanese navy, while being horribly outnumbered. At this point, the Korean navy had around 13 ships, and at the battle, the Japanese ships numbered 133, and plus another 200 ships that were used for logistical support. The odds were against the Koreans, but Yi Sun-Shin used the tide and terrain to his advantage and successfully defeated the Japanese, and most importantly, did not lose a single ship during this battle. This defeat had shaken the entire Japanese navy, as it further slowed their advance to send supplies. After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Japanese began a massive retreat, and along with the Ming navy, Yi Sun-Shin intended to crush the enemy. The final encounter was known as the Battle of Noryang. Despite the victory over the Japanese navy, Yi Sun-Shin was killed during battle as he was hit by a stray bullet.
Yi Sun-Shin's military achievements truly deserve much more praise. At sea, he was a fearless commander who cared for his soldiers and carefully planned out attacks. At home, he was a loyal citizen of Korea, who persevered despite the corruption of the Royal Court. Furthermore ,Yi Sun-Shin's military record was flawless. Of all his 23 naval battles against the Japanese, he never lost a single battle. Very few military officers in the history of the world can boast having an undefeated military record. Yi Sun-Shin not only deserves credit as one of the worlds greatest military officers, but also the fact that he never gained full support of the Korean Royal Court and being demoted to a foot soldier was a set back for him. Yi Sun-Shin also had no previous experience at naval warfare and neither did he have access to records of previous battles as a reference. Despite his lack of experience in naval warfare, his undefeated military record shows his expertise in careful planning and his military genius. Admiral Togo Heihachiro of Japan, who was noted for defeating the Russian navy, quoted this: "It may be proper to compare me to Nelson, but not to Korea's Yi Sun-Shin. He is too great to be compared to anyone." It is important to understand that Admiral Togo was Japanese, yet he stated that Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, a foreign officer, could not be compared to him. Although Yi Sun-Shin is not well known outside of Korea, within Korea, he is highly praised and regarded as the national hero of Korea, who drove the Japanese out, and saved Korea. His military genius, loyalty to his country, and perseverance, all characterize a man who could be considered to be one of the greatest military officers of all time.Yi Sun-Shin significantly impacted the course of Korean history, and if Japan successfully conquered Korea and Ming in 1592, Korea would probably not be the same as it is today. Although Yi Sun-Shin's achievements did not affect anyone outside of Korea, China, and Japan, his achievements will forever be remembered by all Koreans.
Below is a video from the Korean film Heaven's Soldiers. This scene is the last few minutes which depicts Yi Sun-Shin giving his famous speech before fighting the Japanese at the Myongyang Strait. This was the Battle of Myongyang, in which 13 Korean ships under Yi Sun-Shin defeated the Japanese navy force that was 333 strong.
Sources:
Jho Sung-do. Yi Sun-shin; A National Hero of Korea. Chinhae, Korea: Choongmoo-kong Society, 1970
Park Yune-Hee. Admiral Yi Sun-shin and His Turtleboat Armada. Seoul, Korea: Hanjin Publishing Co., 1978
