A Critique on the Issues Surrounding Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s Armor: Focusing on the Relationship with the So-Called Armor of Yi Bong-sang and the Portrait Enshrined at the Tongyeong Chungmugong Memorial Hall

Traditional Korean armor during the Joseon Dynasty was typically of an integrated (one-piece) type, yet Admiral Yi Sun-sin is often depicted wearing segmented (multi-piece) armor in portraits and statues, leading to criticisms concerning various issues of historical accuracy. Recently, further confusion has arisen as the so-called armor of General Yi Bong-sang has mistakenly been regarded as that of Admiral Yi Sun-sin. This study examined the previously raised issues concerning the armor depicted in Admiral Yi’s current portraits and statues, analyzing them one by one. In doing so, it investigated the likely form of the armor worn by the admiral during the Imjin War by consulting mid-Joseon historical records, artifacts, and paintings of wartime scenes, including the recently revealed portrait enshrined at the Tongyeong Chungmugong Memorial Hall. As a result, it was revealed that the claim asserting that Korean armor was of an integrated type while segmented armor was of Chinese origin cannot be substantiated. It was thus confirmed that various styles of armor, both segmented and integrated, coexisted during the Joseon Dynasty, and that segmented armor had become more prevalent during the Imjin War period. Therefore, there is nothing unusual about Admiral Yi Sun-sin having worn segmented armor. In addition, it was verified that the so-called ‘Yi Bong-sang armor’, which is lavishly decorated with Dragon-phoenix motifs (鳳凰紋) and inscribed with the inscription Wonsu (元帥, Marshal), could not have been worn by Admiral Yi Sun-sin. In particular, the portrait enshrined at the Tongyeong Chungmugong Memorial Hall, which depicts Admiral Yi Sun-sin in his final moments during the Battle of Noryang, served as the original model (母本) for both the portrait painted by Kim Eun-ho and the statue sculpted by Kim Se-jung. It is the only surviving portrait of Admiral Yi from the Joseon Dynasty and the only armored portrait from the entire traditional Korean period. This portrait holds research value not only in capturing Admiral Yi’s facial features but also in the study of armor and weaponry from the Joseon era. Therefore, further research from various perspectives is needed going forward.