Joseon society was a strictly class-based society. Consequently, it seems that most of the known figures and those recorded in history were members of the Yangban class. In this sense, this book holds significance. It tells the stories of individuals who, despite being of a status lower than the Yangban—the commoners—transcended the barriers of social class to be recognized as experts. Honestly, before reading this book, I never imagined that there could be poets among the lowest class. I had

I suspect that biographies of great figures are the books parents recommend to their children the most. This is likely because they hope their children will learn and feel something through the great lives of those who truly lived in their time. Nevertheless, aren't the great figures we encounter now a bit cliché? I, too, have always wondered if there were any historical figures less known to us, beyond the common ones like King Sejong or Marie Curie. Perhaps because this book fully satisfied

When you ask children, "What do you want to be when you grow up?", they each name a historical figure they wish to emulate. Many mothers consider biographies of great figures to be essential reading as children grow up, reading them together with them and hoping they will read them. I am one of those mothers who shares this sentiment. However, I lived without ever considering that there might be hidden figures whose stories we are unaware of—until I came across the book, "The Stubborn People of

This book contains several stories about experts from various fields who lived during the Joseon Dynasty. They are referred to as "stubborn" in this book because their obstinacy regarding their respective fields was extraordinary. While stubbornness in a negative sense is something that must be corrected, the stubbornness referred to here signifies an attitude of prioritizing principles and refusing to compromise with injustice. Since it was precisely because of this obstinacy that they were

Parents of elementary school children are naturally inclined to scrutinize every aspect of a book, even when examining just a single volume, to determine how educational the content is and how well it aligns with the curriculum to aid learning. Junior Kim Youngsa’s children’s history book, *The Stubborn People of Joseon That Children Want to Emulate*, is a satisfying read for parents, as it not only connects to elementary Korean and Social Studies curricula but also tells the stories of

Although we often read about figures in history books... like the stubborn people of Joseon whom a child wants to emulate... through the stories of figures from the Joseon era, we were able to read about those who actually achieved their dreams through their real lives. Since the drama my child liked was set in the Joseon period—even though it has recently finished airing—their interest in the era was already high. I think through this book, my child was able to read about the efforts made by

The title "The Greatest Experts of Joseon Who Succeeded Through Passion and Challenge" is well-deserved. As I read this book, I am reminded anew of the lives of our ancestors—lives filled with passion and a unique craftsmanship comparable to the great figures we commonly know—and the qualities worthy of our respect. Writing is the expression of meaning. Writing must be useful in reality. The same applies to writing in general. It does not need to be grandiose. One simply needs to choose words

I feel that this book, *The Stubborn People of Joseon That Children Want to Emulate*, is quite a different kind of biography from existing ones. While the protagonists in history books are usually from the ruling class, the figures in this book lived anonymously; however, they were true masters and experts in their respective fields who, despite their humble status, pushed their work to the highest level through sheer stubbornness and pride. Had their names not been recorded in ancient texts,

[The Stubborn Figures of Joseon That Children Want to Emulate] This book features figures such as Hong Se-tae, Yi Ok, Min In-saeng, Choi Buk, Choi Cheon-yak, and Yu Sang. Upon closer examination, there are many individuals whom one has never heard of. This is because they were members of the "middle class" who pioneered paths in the fields of art, science, and journalism during the Joseon Dynasty, a time when social statuses were strictly divided into the Yangban, Sangmin, and Cheonmin classes,