'Our Admiral Yi Sun-sin' tops 300,000 visitors in 83 days, showcasing the strength of the National Museum of Korea

According to Financial News, the special exhibition "Our Admiral Yi Sun-sin" at the National Museum of Korea has drawn more than 300,000 visitors in just 83 days.
The National Museum of Korea announced on the 23rd that the cumulative number of visitors to the special exhibition "Our Admiral Yi Sun-sin" reached 305,142 as of the 18th. This milestone was achieved 83 days after its opening on November 28 last year, marking both the first and the highest record for a special exhibition at the museum featuring Korean cultural heritage.
A museum official explained, "Unlike previous blockbuster exhibitions that focused mainly on foreign masterpieces or world civilizations, this exhibition, which centers on a figure from our own history, has succeeded in securing both broad public appeal and strong buzz, and that is highly significant."
The previous record for visitor numbers among special exhibitions on Korean cultural heritage held in Special Exhibition Hall 2 was set in 2011 by "Return After 145 Years: The Oegyujanggak Uigwe," which attracted 200,227 visitors with free admission. Among paid exhibitions, the 2022 show "Oegyujanggak Uigwe: The Meaning of Their Nobility" drew the largest audience, with 161,965 visitors.
"Our Admiral Yi Sun-sin" is the largest special exhibition on Yi Sun-sin ever held, presenting 369 artifacts in 258 separate items. Featuring major primary sources left by Admiral Yi Sun-sin, including the autograph manuscript of "Nanjung Ilgi (War Diary of Yi Sun-sin)," the "Long Sword of Yi Sun-sin," "Imjin Jangcho," which is a later copy of the reports he submitted to the king, and the "Seogan Letters," a collection of letters he sent, the exhibition offers a multidimensional portrait of Yi Sun-sin as both a battlefield commander and a human being.
Yoo Hong-jun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, stated, "This achievement demonstrates that the narratives and emotional power embodied in our cultural heritage possess global competitiveness," adding, "We will continue to do our utmost to present exhibitions that shed new light on our culture and make it enjoyable for everyone."
The exhibition runs until March 3, and admission will be free on the 25th, designated as Culture Day, and on March 1st Independence Movement Day.
rsunjun@fnnews.com Yoo Sun-joon Reporter