{
  "id": 10145974,
  "title": "The world of Toegye Yi Hwang",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/the-world-of-toegye-yi-hwang-10145974",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-27T05:42:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/20260927/the-world-of-toegye-yi-hwang"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Yi Hwang, better known by his pen name Toegye, was a prominent figure in Korean Confucianism who lived from 1501 to 1570. Toegye's image can still be seen on a 1,000 won note. Recently, the speaker gave a presentation to the Toegye Association, discussing the world that Toegye lived in, shedding light on aspects of his society and social practices that are often misunderstood.\n\nContrary to popular belief, Toegye's Confucianism was quite different from the version we encounter today. Modern Confucianism is often associated with male domination and the oppression of women, with concepts such as primogeniture and the rights of the eldest son. However, during Toegye's time, Confucianism had a different character.\n\nSome of the common aphorisms we learn about Confucianism, such as \"respect for men, humility for women\" (namjon yeobi) and \"the three bonds and the five relationships\" (samgang oryun, which include king and subject, parent and child, and husband and wife), were indeed present in late Confucianism. Nonetheless, the overall impact and societal implications of these concepts varied significantly during Toegye's era.",
  "summary": "If you’ve been to Korea and spent a 1,000 won note, you’ve seen the image of Yi Hwang (1501-70), who is better known by his pen name Toegye. Recently I gave a presentation to the Toegye Association — and I spoke about the world the Master Toegye lived in, his society and social practices. It was not what most people think it was. One might assume that since Toegye was a major figure, maybe \"the\"…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "The world of Toegye Yi Hwang",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/the-world-of-toegye-yi-hwang",
        "published": "2026-09-27T05:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}