LONDON - A British online casino company has come under fire for using the image of Yi Sun-shin, a revered Korean naval commander, in one of its slot machine games. The game, developed by Pragmatic Play and released in September last year, depicts Yi wearing Chinese-style armor and includes visuals of the turtle ships he famously designed.
According to Yonhap News Agency, criticisms have been voiced by Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University known for his advocacy of Korean cultural interests. Seo expressed serious concerns about the potential for global misperceptions due to the representation of a national hero in a gambling context. He plans to request the removal of Yi’s image from the game, highlighting the inappropriateness of such a depiction in a gambling setting, especially considering the strict anti-online gambling laws in South Korea.