EBS AI Drama Revives the Face and Voice of Sang-jwa, an Oarsman Before the Battle of Hansan Island

EBS 'AI Drama: Resurrection Class' restores Sang-jwa, an oarsman of the panokseon considered a hidden protagonist of the Battle of Hansan Island, using AI. This 'Neungro-gun Sang-jwa Episode' follows the eve of the Battle of Hansan Island through the eyes of Sang-jwa, a sa-no (servant) and member of the Neungro-gun belonging to the Heungyang No. 2 vessel of the Jeolla Left Naval Headquarters.

August 13, 1592, the Oarsman in the Panokseon Hull

The night of August 13, 1592, is a tense time just one day before the Battle of Hansan Island. In the lowest part of the panokseon, in a space filled only with darkness without a single window, there were people rowing the oars.

Relying on the faint light coming through small holes in the gunwale, Sang-jwa pushed the oars along with colleagues gathered from places such as Yeosu, Boseong, and Suncheon. This labor, where five people moved as one unit, was the driving force that decided the victory or defeat of the war, but the names of the oarsmen were not properly recorded in history.

In the work, Sang-jwa stares into the camera and says, 'Even if it seems like the high-ranking officials are fighting, the ship does not move without us.' To him, the battlefield was a place directly touching death.

If a panokseon sank, the oarsmen in the hull faced a high risk of being the first to drown. Sang-jwa's memories also include the sight of the turtle ship charging into the enemy lines during the Battle of Sacheon, and the moment his comrade Mak-da, who was rowing beside him, lost his life to an enemy bullet. Even so, he does not run away and prepares to go into battle by gripping the oars again.

Gripping the Oars Again at the News of 70 Japanese Ships in Gyeonnaeryang

The basis for Sang-jwa staying at his post is his faith in Admiral Yi Sun-sin. To him, a servant, rumors spread like hope that the Admiral, who did not stop commanding even after being hit by an arquebus, would recognize those who achieved merit regardless of their social status.

In particular, the story that he recorded even the names of fallen soldiers one by one to commend their merit moves Sang-jwa. Sang-jwa asks, 'Could my name be left this time too?' and hardens his resolve to head back to the battlefield on the night the news arrives that 70 Japanese ships have gathered in Gyeonnaeryang.

AI Restoration Verified by Nanjung Ilgi and Annals of King Seonjo

This work is not mere imagination. The production team reconstructed the dialogue and major scenes based on Yi Sun-sin's 『Nanjung Ilgi』, 『Imjin Jangcho』, 『Annals of King Seonjo』, and Jo Gyeong-nam's 『Nanjung Japrok』.

The internal structure of the panokseon underwent consultation from Professor Song Gi-jung of the Republic of Korea Naval Academy, and the combat environment of the time was designed by referring to materials such as 『Sugun Joryeondo』. The production team chose a method where AI visualizes the narrative written by human writers and verified by experts, rather than a method where AI arbitrarily creates stories.

'AI Drama: Resurrection Class' has previously reproduced historical figures such as Ahn Jung-geun, Socrates, Yun Dong-ju, Virginia Woolf, and Vincent van Gogh using AI digital restoration technology. This episode shifts the spotlight from great heroes to the oarsmen in the hull who actually moved the ships during the Battle of Hansan Island.

The production team stated, 'While the Battle of Hansan Island is remembered as the victory of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, it was actually the oarsmen rowing in the hull who moved the ships,' adding, 'We wanted to grant faces and voices to those whose names could not even be recorded.' They further added, 'We hope this serves as an opportunity to reflect more deeply on human life and history through the technology of AI.' The broadcast will air on EBS 1TV at 11 PM on the 5th.