Don't call him "Sunshine"!

Yi Sun Shin was born on April 28, 460 years ago. He was an interesting man who sacrificed everything to defeat the Japanese after they attacked Korea in 1592. He recieved no thanks during his lifetime and was jailed at least once.

His main failing is embodied in the modern expression, "Those who don't play politics suffer for it". - Actually, I don't know if that is an expression, but I'm sure I've heard something like it.

I read Nanjung Ilgi, Yi's war diary (in English), and perhaps becasue of an over exact translation, he comes off as a whiner and mama's boy. Note to my Korean readers who would otherwise hunt me down and have me deported: I'm blaming the translation or the problems with a modern westerner trying to understand 16th century Korea. Anyway, he is always, "I miss my mom", "My stomach hurt so I slept all day", "I miss my mom"...

This picture is from the Times:


April 28th parade for Yi Sun Shin