King Seonjo was the 14th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty. Early in his reign, he was known for promoting many brilliant Confucian scholars and encouraging a renaissance of learning. However, his court soon became paralyzed by intense factional struggles between rival political groups.
When the Japanese invasion began in 1592, Seonjo made the highly controversial decision to abandon the capital, Hanseong, and flee north toward the Chinese border to seek refuge and request aid from the Ming Dynasty. This action deeply alienated the common people.
Throughout the war, Seonjo often displayed paranoia, deeply mistrusting highly successful military commanders like Admiral Yi Sun-sin out of fear that their massive popularity might threaten his throne. Despite his shortcomings in crisis leadership, his desperate diplomacy successfully brought the Ming armies into the war, which was crucial for Joseon's survival.