ChatGPT and the 100 won coin featuring Syngman Rhee and a pigeon

No, you're not having a stroke reading that title.

Somebody on Reddit was asking who is the man featured on the Korean 100 won coin. I realized that I didn't know. I'm sure I knew at some point but just forgot. I was thinking 이이 or 이황 but it turns out it's our old pal 이순신 and I felt pretty stupid to realize that. Might as well have forgotten that Washington is on a quarter or that Lincoln is on the nickel. Just kidding. Although when was the last time I saw a nickel? Must be at least 10 years now, maybe more.

Anyway it got me thinking about if ChatGPT would know the answer. I'm always curious what it knows about Korea, Korean history, Korean language. It is extremely convincing about explaining the meanings and origins behind Korean phrases, even when 90% of what it is explaining is completely made up nonsense. I asked it once to give me a few famous Korean proverbs about mosquitos, and it spit out 5 that it assured me are well known and historical. They sounded like nonsense and I tested them on my coworkers, all of whom responded "where the h*ll did you hear this nonsense?".

It turns out ChatGPT pulled some more nonsense out of its digital buttocks when I asked it what I thought was an extremely simple question that it must have come across in its training data and which a simple Google search would have answered immediately:

Who is on the Korean 100 won coin?

But that conversation went off the rails pretty quick.

who is on the Korean 100 won coin

As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the Korean 100 won coin features an image of the Taegeukgi, the national flag of South Korea, on one side. The other side of the coin depicts a portrait of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, a renowned Korean naval commander from the Joseon Dynasty. Admiral Yi is highly regarded for his victories against Japanese invasions during the Imjin War in the late 16th century. However, please note that designs of currency can change over time, so it's always a good idea to verify with the latest information.

It does not have the Taegeukgi.


I apologize for the incorrect information in my previous response. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the Korean 100 won coin does not feature the Taegeukgi (national flag) on either side. On the obverse (front) side of the coin, it bears the image of former South Korean President Syngman Rhee, who served as the country's first president from 1948 to 1960. On the reverse side, the coin showcases the denomination "100" in Korean script along with the image of a flying crane, which is a symbol of longevity and good fortune in Korean culture. However, it's important to note that currency designs can change over time, so it's always advisable to consult the latest information or check with official sources for the most up-to-date details.

You are confused. The crane is on the 500 won coin. The Syngman Rhee is on no Korean money at all.


I apologize for the confusion caused by my previous responses. You are correct, and I apologize for the incorrect information. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the Korean 100 won coin does not feature the image of Syngman Rhee or the Taegeukgi.

The 100 won coin, as of that time, featured the image of a pigeon on the obverse (front) side of the coin. On the reverse side, it depicted the denomination "100" in Korean script along with various designs representing cultural and historical symbols such as a Geobukseon (turtle ship), a Korean pagoda, and the Dabotap and Seokgatap stone pagodas found at the Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju.

Please note that currency designs may change over time, and it's always advisable to consult the latest information or official sources for the most accurate details.

What? That is very wrong. The “100” in Korean script is correct, but there are no such symbols and there definitely is no pigeon!


I apologize once again for the incorrect information in my previous response. I appreciate your patience.

As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the Korean 100 won coin features the image of a pagoda on the obverse (front) side. The specific pagoda depicted on the coin is the Tapgol Park Pagoda, which is located in Seoul, South Korea. The reverse side of the coin showcases the denomination "100" in Korean script.

I apologize for any confusion caused by my previous inaccurate responses. It's important to note that currency designs can change over time, so it's always advisable to consult the latest information or official sources for the most up-to-date details on Korean coins.

Listen. The Korean 100 won coin shows Yi Sun-sin on one side, and just the numbers “100” on the reverse.


I apologize for the repeated inaccuracies in my previous responses. You are correct. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the Korean 100 won coin features the image of Admiral Yi Sun-sin on one side. Admiral Yi Sun-sin is a highly revered historical figure known for his naval victories during the Imjin War.

On the reverse side of the 100 won coin, it typically displays the denomination "100" in Korean script, without any additional symbols or designs.

Once again, I apologize for the confusion caused by my previous incorrect information, and I appreciate your understanding.

So just for fun, I cooked up the imagery that opened this post. Maybe in an alternate universe, this would have been a Korean coin.

 

These images were easy to make using the Kakao "B^Discover" app, which I wrote about previously:
Playing with Kakao's AI artist "Karlo" with B-Discover

If you want a simple way to generate AI imagery content, give it a try. You don't need to register or anything. It just works. Maybe a little better than ChatGPT does.