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Sejong the Great

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Royalty

The Resume

    (May 6, 1397-May 18, 1450)
    Born in Hanyang (Seoul), Korea (South)
    Fourth king of Choson Dynasty (1392-1910)
    Generally considered to be Korea’s greatest monarch
    Best known as inventor of Korean alphabet (hangul)
    Helped develop rain gauge, water clock, sundial and musical notation
    Reformed agriculture, taxation and the legal system

Why he might be annoying:

    He married at age 12.
    He frequently fought with the Chinese and Manchus.
    His father meddled in court politics even after he abdicated.
    His Korean alphabet was opposed by the upper class who preferred the old system of Chinese characters.
    His Buddhism often put him at odds with his Confucian officials.
    The South Korean navy calls its missile destroyers ‘Sejong the Great class destroyers.’

Why he might not be annoying:

    His older brothers thought Sejong would be a better king and deliberately got themselves exiled.
    He rid Korea of Japanese pirates.
    He gave talented lower class people opportunities to advance.
    He founded ‘Jade Hall,’ an institution devoted to scholarly and practical learning.
    He encouraged Koreans to develop their own culture rather than copying the Chinese.
    The Korean writing system he developed was easy to learn and increased literacy.

Credit: Georgina


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 14 Votes: 85.71% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 30 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 32 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 25 Votes: 52.00% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 16 Votes: 43.75% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 21 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 70 Votes: 45.71% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 94 Votes: 37.23% Annoying