Military officer who fought under Yi Sun-sin as a turtle-ship assault commander in the Imjin War; said to have served as Hunryeonwon Panguan and Cheomji Jungchubusa
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 광산 이씨 |
Yi Gi-nam (李奇男) was a mid-Joseon military officer whose seat is given as Gwangsan by Wikipedia. His dates are not given in the sources checked. According to Wikipedia he served in the Imjin War under Yi Sun-sin and, while Panguan of the Hunryeonwon (rank 5), became a turtle-ship assault commander.
The same text says that together with Yi Eon-ryang he won great victories at Sacheon and Dangpo, and that as the war dragged on he set up military farms to supply provisions. He is said to have joined the Waegyoseong battle and the Battle of Noryang and won merit, rising to Jeolchung-janggun and Cheomji Jungchubusa (senior third rank).
In popular media he was played by Lee Cheol-min in the KBS drama "Imjin War 1592" and by Lee Un-san in the film "Hansan: Rising Dragon." However, his seat and career were confirmed only in a single Wikipedia article and could not be checked against primary sources such as the Annals or genealogies; please verify the details in sources like the Seonjo Annals or the Korean Classics DB. It should also be noted that his Gwangsan Yi origin could not be cross-checked outside Wikipedia.
Wikipedia says that as Hunryeonwon Panguan he served as turtle-ship assault commander and won great victories at Sacheon and Dangpo with Yi Eon-ryang. His specific role in each battle could not be confirmed here.
He is said to have set up military farms to supply provisions as the war lengthened and to have joined the Waegyoseong battle and the Battle of Noryang. For the life of Yi Sun-sin, see his page on this site.
The location of his tomb could not be confirmed.