Yi Ik

"Seongho" Yi Ik (1681–1763) was a Korean Neo-Confucian scholar, early Silhak philosopher and social critic. He was born to a yangban family of the Yeoju Yi clan. Like most people in his position, he studied for the gwageo in order to gain a position of rank; but failed in his first attempt in 1705. Shortly thereafter, his elder brother Yi Jam was beaten to death as part of the Lady Jang incident, and Yi lost interest in government service.

Yi Ik
One of the structures in the Tomb of Yi Ik
Korean name
Hangul	이익
Hanja	李瀷
Revised Romanization	I Ik
McCune–Reischauer	Yi Ik
Art name
Hangul	성호
Hanja	星湖
Revised Romanization	Seongho
McCune–Reischauer	Sŏngho
Courtesy name
Hangul	자신
Hanja	子新
Revised Romanization	Jasin
McCune–Reischauer	Chasin

Yi Ik followed in Yu Hyeong-won line of thought extending in this work Seongho Saseol, which covers subjects as government, economy, and the family, and makes detailed proposals for reordering each aspect of Joseon society. His most famous work was Record of Concern for the Underprivileged which lays down the cardinal principles of reform ideas. As Yi attracted many disciples, Silhak gradually emerged as Joseon dynasty's dominant school of thought.

He was born in Ansan in 1681. In 1967 a monument to him, "Tomb of Yi Ik" was erect there, next to a museum celebrating his life and works.