"The Righteousness Engraved in Korean DNA Originates from Admiral Yi Sun-sin"

Interview with Director Kim Han-min on the Film ‘Hansan: Rising Dragon’
Admiral Yi Sun-sin Lost Family and Comrades During the 7-Year Imjin War
Loneliness, Mental Exhaustion, External Pressure, and Defamation of Justice Persisted
Amazed and Attracted by His Strength and Spirit to Overcome These Challenges Head-On

Park Hae-il, who appeared as Yi Sun-sin in the movie 'Hansan: Rising Dragon'. Photo by Lotte Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] “The enemy originally intended to unite by land and sea and advance westward, but with this single war, one of the enemy’s arms was severed, and although Konishi gained Pyongyang, his position became isolated and weakened, preventing him from advancing further. Thus, our country was able to secure the coastal areas from Jeolla and Chungcheong to Hwanghae and Pyeongan, enabling the revival through military supply and command transmission. Even places like Liaodong’s Jinzhou, Fuzhou, Haizhou, Gaizhou, and Tianjin remained unshaken, allowing Ming troops to come by land. All of this was thanks to Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s victorious achievements. How could this not be the help of heaven!” - Yu Seong-ryong, from ‘Jingbirok’

The Battle of Hansan Island, often regarded as a rare victorious report during the arduous Imjin War, inflicted a significant and deep wound on Japan’s war situation thereafter. Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s achievements, who achieved unprecedented consecutive victories in naval warfare worldwide, have been highlighted multiple times through various records and works. However, the film ‘Hansan’ focuses on the inner struggles behind these victories and the efforts of the subordinate commanders and common people who supported him and enriched the tactical density.

Thus, Yi Sun-sin in ‘Hansan’ is portrayed as flowing steadily without boiling, emphasizing the qualities of a wise general who gathers unexpected powerful strength beneath a calm surface, waiting for the decisive moment. Throughout the preparation of the film, Director Kim Han-min emotionally connected with the era by reading the ‘Nanjung Ilgi’ (War Diary) by his bedside. ‘Hansan,’ positioned centrally among the three films depicting Yi Sun-sin’s life on the battlefield?preceded by ‘Myeongnyang’ and currently followed by ‘Noryang’ in production?was woven with a deeper, sharper, and unique perspective on Yi Sun-sin and the Battle of Hansan Island. The following is a Q&A with the director.

Movie 'Hansan: Rising Dragon' Director Kim Han-min. Photo by Lotte Entertainment

- This is the second film dealing with the Battle of Hansan Island following ‘Myeongnyang.’ Why did you focus on Yi Sun-sin?

▲ I focused on him because he holds a historically significant position, and I was captivated by the irony and profound charm of his character. According to contemporary historical records such as ‘Jingbirok’ and the Annals, Admiral Yi Sun-sin was a military man who also embodied the qualities of a gentleman and scholar, practicing these virtues in his life. Isn’t it ironic that in a Confucian society dominated by Neo-Confucianism, a military man possessed the spirit of a scholar? He was a gentleman and a warrior who harmonized the brush and the bow.

- While preparing the three films, what feelings did you develop about the human Yi Sun-sin?

▲ During the seven years of war, Admiral Yi Sun-sin lost his mother, son, and comrades. How did he endure that loneliness, mental exhaustion, and the relentless external pressures? Moreover, he faced misunderstandings and slanders from political rivals. Nowadays, there are religions and support systems, but Joseon was a country governed by Neo-Confucianism and dominated by ideology. The issue of the ‘four emotions and seven affections’ was a central topic, and for Admiral Yi, it became a direct and realistic problem through the Imjin War. I was amazed by his strength and spirit to confront and overcome this head-on, and I felt a renewed attraction to him.

- The theme of ‘righteousness’ (義) is strongly emphasized in the work. Why is that?

▲ Emphasizing righteousness among benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom reflects the social symbolism of righteousness in Joseon society at the time and its importance imprinted in the DNA of Korean people even today. Beneath the dynamism of modern Korean history lies righteousness. The fundamental strength that made today’s Republic of Korea possible also lies in righteousness, and I believe its main source came from Admiral Yi Sun-sin.

The Crane Wing formation of the Battle of Hansan Island depicted in the movie 'Hansan: Rising Dragon'. Photo by Lotte Entertainment

- The battle scenes emphasizing tactics like the Crane Wing formation (Hakikjin) were depicted with great density. What technical aspects did you focus on?

▲ The last 51 minutes of the film consist of battle scenes. We repeatedly considered the most efficient way to portray the Battle of Hansan Island as a true war. To vividly depict artillery techniques, the texture of the sea surface, and the movements of the Turtle Ship when it appears and acts, we applied various scene compositions and effects. Especially for the battle scenes, there was criticism that when external sounds get louder, the characters’ dialogues become hard to hear. So, risking it, we included subtitles for the dialogues while making the sounds of war louder and clearer.

- You mentioned that you pre-produced animation storyboards to enhance completeness. Could you elaborate?

▲ We filmed at the Gangneung skating rink using green screens with Joseon Panokseon ships, Japanese Antakebune ships, and Turtle Ships. The navigation during filming was the animatic storyboard created by the CG team. By producing the video storyboard first, we could effectively show the actors what the situation was, where to look, and what emotions and acting to perform. I believed this process was essential for precise post-production CG work, and through this filming, we confirmed its effectiveness to some extent.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.