The National Museum of Korea announced Monday that its special exhibition "Our Yi Sun-sin" concluded its 96-day run on March 3, drawing a final tally of 407,045 visitors.
The exhibition, the largest Yi Sun-sin-related show ever held in Korea, ranks as the third most-visited special exhibition in the museum's history. The show, which opened November 28, 2025, charged admission for most of its run.
Museum officials attributed the exhibition's success to its multidimensional portrayal of the "human Yi Sun-sin" — the anguish and life behind the heroic image. Visitors encountered Yi as both battlefield commander and mortal man through 369 artifacts across 258 items, including his handwritten "Nanjung Ilgi" (War Diary), the Admiral Yi Sun-sin Sword, "Imjin Jangcho" (Battle Reports), and "Seogancheop" (Collection of Letters) — all designated National Treasures.
Immersive displays combining passages from the war diary with video, sound, and interactive elements resonated deeply across generations and nationalities.
The exhibition attracted high-profile visitors throughout its run, including President Lee Jae-myung, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung, Joint Chiefs Chairman Jin Young-seung, and Navy Chief of Staff Kang Dong-gil. Diplomatic envoys from 68 countries — 87 representatives in total — also attended.
"This achievement proves that the profound narratives and emotional power of our cultural heritage possess world-class competitiveness," National Museum of Korea Director Yoo Hong-jun said. "We will continue striving to present high-quality exhibitions that cast new light on our culture for everyone to enjoy."
Only two special exhibitions at the National Museum of Korea have drawn larger crowds: "The Louvre Museum Exhibition" (2006, 580,000 visitors) and "Egyptian Civilization: Pharaohs and Mummies" (2009, 440,000 visitors). Other top exhibitions include "Life and Art in Modern Paris: Musée d'Orsay" (2014, 370,000), "Treasures of Egypt: Egyptian Mummies Come to Korea" (2016, 340,000), "600 Years of the Habsburgs: Masterpieces of Fascination" (2022, 320,000), and "The Master's Gaze: National Gallery, London" (2023, 360,000).
Among exhibitions featuring Korean cultural heritage, the previous attendance record was "The Return After 145 Years: Oegyujanggak Uigwe" (2011, 200,000 visitors, free admission). For paid exhibitions of Korean heritage, "Oegyujanggak Uigwe: The Meaning of Its Nobility" (2022) held the record at 160,000 visitors.