"Yi Sun-sin Wasn't Allowed, But This Is Fine?" Protest Filed Against AG Organizing Committee Over Absurd Performance in Front of Athletes

Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University has lodged a protest with the organizing committee of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after a person disguised as Toyotomi Hideyoshi appeared at the athletes' village welcome event.

Professor Seo announced today (September 17) via social media that he sent a formal protest email to the Asian Games organizing committee demanding an official apology and measures to prevent recurrence regarding this incident.

"Toyotomi is a figure who invaded Joseon in 1592, triggering the Imjin War and shattering peace in East Asia," Seo criticized. "Given that this Asian Games is touted as Asia's largest festival of peace and harmony, this performance was highly inappropriate."

"Looking back at Japan's past actions, this is an even more baffling and unacceptable treatment," he stated, adding that he pointed this out in his protest email.

He also brought up the case during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, when the South Korean athletic delegation hung a banner on the outer wall of the athletes' village referencing Admiral Yi Sun-shin's phrase "Sang-yu-sip-i" (I still have twelve ships left), only to be forced to take it down following backlash from Japanese media and right-wing groups.

"Japan's double standard—banning Admiral Yi Sun-shin while featuring Toyotomi, who left neighboring countries deeply scarred through a history of aggression, is anachronistic," he criticized.

Furthermore, he emphasized, "The organizing committee must issue a formal apology for this incident and take care to ensure that such an event never happens again."

Seo added, "We will continue to inform the world about Japan's erroneous behaviors regarding history."

Previously on the 15th, at Kinshuo Port in Nagoya, Japan, a pre-event performance featuring Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu was held to commemorate the docking of the large passenger ship "Costa Serena," which is being used as a cruise athletes' village.

(Photo: Professor Seo Kyoung-duk's social media, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.