2007 South Korea 1,000 Won Banknote – Yi Hwang & Confucian Harmony
Pick# 54 | Numista# 201806
Issued by the Bank of Korea, the 2007 1,000 Won note is a tribute to Korea’s philosophical heritage and artistic tradition. Featuring a blue and purple color scheme with a brown serial number and double-letter prefix, this note is part of the Series VI and remains in circulation—making it a modern favorite among collectors of East Asian currency.
Design Highlights
Obverse: Portrait of Yi Hwang (Toegye), a 16th-century Neo-Confucian scholar whose teachings shaped Korean intellectual life. Behind him is Myeongnyundang, the lecture hall of Sungkyunkwan, Korea’s oldest Confucian academy.
Reverse: A serene landscape painting titled Gyesangjeonggeodo by Jeong Seon, depicting Yi Hwang in Dosan Seowon, the private academy he founded. Plum blossoms add seasonal symbolism, representing renewal and scholarly purity.
Color Scheme: Blue and violet tones on multicolored underprint, with crisp engraving and subtle microtext.
Key Specifications
Feature Description
Country South Korea
Issuer Bank of Korea (한국은행)
Year of Issue 2007
Denomination 1,000 Won
Pick Number P# 54
Printer Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation
Size 136 × 68 mm
Material Cotton-based paper
Watermark Yi Hwang + electrotype “1000”
Serial Format Brown ink, double-letter prefix
Security Features Microprinting, latent image, watermark, UV-reactive elements
Demonetized No – still legal tender
Why Collect This Note?
The 2007 1,000 Won note is a refined example of Korea’s cultural reverence for scholarship and nature, ideal for:
Collectors of Confucian or philosophical-themed currency
Fans of Korean art and landscape painting
Gifts for educators, students, or those born in the 2000s
East Asian currency enthusiasts seeking symbolic depth
Whether you're curating a Korea-specific collection or exploring philosophical figures on currency, this note offers elegance, wisdom, and timeless appeal.
