I liked the embelleshments ...

SPOILERS

1. I love the Admirals detached, emotionless behavior, lost in thought, while preparing for battle. You will notice everybody else is freaking out, even the japanese admirals. I especially love that nothing bad happened to his lieutenant Bae Seol who was in open rebellion during the war briefing. This lieutenant always ran from battles, and he escaped from this one too (and was hanged later when found in his home village, the movie dramatizes him dying in a rowboat.)

2. Quote: An Admiral fights for an Emperor. But the Emperor draws his power from the people. So even though the Korean Emperor was clearly a clueless schmuck, Yi sun-sin could look beyond him and serve his countrymen and be loyal to his people.

3. Quote: Did he win the battle by the grace of god? By the grace of God, the whirlpool opened up during the battel and was very strong. By the grace of God, the peasants sailed out and risked their lives to save Yi Sun-Sin. Which was the greater grace of God?

I like these references to modern day Korean democracy. I bet Kim Jong-un just hates these references in the movie!!!