Reviews
I had so much fun reading King Sejong's diary; it feels as if it were written yesterday. 😊 It's too good to keep to myself. I highly recommend it to anyone proud of our history or who loves the Korean language. 😊
I had so much fun reading King Sejong's diary; it feels as if it were written yesterday. 😊 It's too good to keep to myself. I highly recommend it to anyone proud of our history or who loves the Korean language. 😊
I was looking forward to this book even before I started, because I'm very interested in history. Since it's written in diary form, it was easy to read.
The title The Yi Do Diary made me curious. "Did King Sejong keep a diary?" It turns out the author spent 11 years reading all 163 volumes of the Annals of King Sejong, then rewrote them as a diary in Sejong's first-person voice. This is a completely unprecedented approach that makes historical records easier to read. Historical records are judged by later generations, but by using a diary format, the author Kim Gyeong-muk, a former designer, shows his creativity and sparks readers' curiosity.
Aside from knowing that King Sejong created Hunminjeongeum and promoted science and technology by appointing Jang Yeong-sil to build things like water clocks, I didn't know much about who he was or how he lived. The Yi Do Diary uses historical records as its basis and adds context to present the experiences and concerns of Yi Do, the fourth king of Joseon—later known as Sejong—as well as the standards he used to make decisions and the feelings he had at the time, in a first-person diary format.
I changed the "King Sejong" in my mind to "His Majesty King Sejong." I had thought of him as "King Sejong" because of how school and social systems had conditioned me. Now I sincerely respect him. I came to believe that Sejong looked earnestly at every aspect of society—politics, society, the economy, culture, and law. I also realized how much thought and care should go into the records we leave behind and the reflection we do when looking within ourselves. There are no hidden anecdotes or
I was surprised that Sejong's diary could show us how to ask questions and find answers in this rapidly changing age of artificial intelligence. The gold title on the cover presents it not as a classic but as a humanities diary that's essential now and in the future, teaching thoughtful questions, problem-solving approaches, and solutions. The distinctive writing style, the result of a chief designer at a major company spending ten years on the book, soon made me feel as though I had briefly
Though it's a thick book of more than 400 pages, once you start reading, it flows along almost magically, and I was strangely immersed as if I had become Yi Do. The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty usually seem boring and full of difficult Chinese characters, but this book is written in clear, realistic modern language, making Sejong feel as if he were living in the present. Going beyond the usual focus on King Sejong's achievements, it lets us deeply feel the humanity of Sejong, who loved ordinary
Yi Do's sincere respect and love for the people stay with me. It's a truly wonderful book.
"On August 11, 1418, my father, Taejong, handed the power of the throne to his 22-year-old son. That son is me." The book closely observes Yi Do's life over Sejong's 33 years on the throne from a designer's perspective. I could feel Yi Do's compassion and affection for ordinary people not only in the pages but intensely, as if alive in this very moment. I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to govern a country well or manage an organization. 😊
Kim Kyung-mook: Ido Diary
A close and honest record of Sejong Yi Do's 33 years—a mentor for our time. What was going through the mind of 22-year-old Yi Do when his father, Taejong, handed him the throne? Especially as the third son, who had passed over his eldest brother, Prince Yangnyeong. The unexpected excitement and burden of becoming king, loyalty to his older brother, the bookish model student's ambition to build a good country, and a strong national defense are the themes that run through Yi Do's 33 years of rule. When groups of officials came to criticize his older brother, he drew a clear line: "No matter how much you object, I will preserve the bond between brothers." This book retells the 33 years of the Annals of King Sejong in 33 essays, following Sejong Yi Do's heart and perspective. Based on recorded facts, it balances two things: historical events and human emotion. Some themes continue throughout all 33 years, such as his lifelong insistence that local officials love and care for the people; his practice of calling officials in to talk regardless of rank; and his determination to protect Prince Yangnyeong, honoring his father Taejong's wishes despite officials' persistent appeals to punish him. These stories let us feel his character and the full humanity of Yi Do. Through the words of "the living Sejong Yi Do," we learn about family, officials, governance, and a philosophy of respect for people. We also learn the backgrounds and efforts that made his great achievements possible, making their value feel even more precious.
Korean title: 이도 다이어리
Korean author: 김경묵
Korean publisher: 새움
ISBN-13: 9791170800491
Reviews
I had so much fun reading King Sejong's diary; it feels as if it were written yesterday. 😊 It's too good to keep to myself. I highly recommend it to anyone proud of our history or who loves the Korean language. 😊
I had so much fun reading King Sejong's diary; it feels as if it were written yesterday. 😊 It's too good to keep to myself. I highly recommend it to anyone proud of our history or who loves the Korean language. 😊
I was looking forward to this book even before I started, because I'm very interested in history. Since it's written in diary form, it was easy to read.
The title The Yi Do Diary made me curious. "Did King Sejong keep a diary?" It turns out the author spent 11 years reading all 163 volumes of the Annals of King Sejong, then rewrote them as a diary in Sejong's first-person voice. This is a completely unprecedented approach that makes historical records easier to read. Historical records are judged by later generations, but by using a diary format, the author Kim Gyeong-muk, a former designer, shows his creativity and sparks readers' curiosity.
Aside from knowing that King Sejong created Hunminjeongeum and promoted science and technology by appointing Jang Yeong-sil to build things like water clocks, I didn't know much about who he was or how he lived. The Yi Do Diary uses historical records as its basis and adds context to present the experiences and concerns of Yi Do, the fourth king of Joseon—later known as Sejong—as well as the standards he used to make decisions and the feelings he had at the time, in a first-person diary format.
I changed the "King Sejong" in my mind to "His Majesty King Sejong." I had thought of him as "King Sejong" because of how school and social systems had conditioned me. Now I sincerely respect him. I came to believe that Sejong looked earnestly at every aspect of society—politics, society, the economy, culture, and law. I also realized how much thought and care should go into the records we leave behind and the reflection we do when looking within ourselves. There are no hidden anecdotes or
I was surprised that Sejong's diary could show us how to ask questions and find answers in this rapidly changing age of artificial intelligence. The gold title on the cover presents it not as a classic but as a humanities diary that's essential now and in the future, teaching thoughtful questions, problem-solving approaches, and solutions. The distinctive writing style, the result of a chief designer at a major company spending ten years on the book, soon made me feel as though I had briefly
Though it's a thick book of more than 400 pages, once you start reading, it flows along almost magically, and I was strangely immersed as if I had become Yi Do. The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty usually seem boring and full of difficult Chinese characters, but this book is written in clear, realistic modern language, making Sejong feel as if he were living in the present. Going beyond the usual focus on King Sejong's achievements, it lets us deeply feel the humanity of Sejong, who loved ordinary
Yi Do's sincere respect and love for the people stay with me. It's a truly wonderful book.
"On August 11, 1418, my father, Taejong, handed the power of the throne to his 22-year-old son. That son is me." The book closely observes Yi Do's life over Sejong's 33 years on the throne from a designer's perspective. I could feel Yi Do's compassion and affection for ordinary people not only in the pages but intensely, as if alive in this very moment. I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to govern a country well or manage an organization. 😊
