The Joseon weapon that the Japanese army feared most during the Imjin War

Bigyeok Jincheonroe
Bi (to fly). Gyeok (to strike). Jin (to vibrate). Cheon (heaven)
It was named Bigyeok Jincheonroe because it was said to make a sound like thunder when it exploded.
In the past, cannonballs did not explode;
they simply functioned by delivering impact upon collision,
making it difficult to kill people with cannonballs alone.
However, the Bigyeok Jincheonroe would explode,
scattering small, sharp metal fragments in all directions,
allowing it to kill large numbers of people within a 20m radius.
Every time one detonated,
30 to 40 people would perish,
and it played a decisive role in repelling the Japanese army
during the Battles of Haengju and Jinju.
It was invented by Yi Jang-son
in the middle of the Imjin War.
The Chief State Councillor Ryu Seong-ryong said
that a single Bigyeok Jincheonroe was better than thousands of Joseon soldiers,
evaluating it as a treasure that saved the nation.
As the Bigyeok Jincheonroe was deployed in battle,
the Joseon army was no longer pushed back by the Japanese army on land.
According to Japanese records,
several Joseon weapons were listed as things Japan feared,
including the Turtle Ship, Pyeongon (flail), Pyeonjeon (baby arrow), and Bigyeok Jincheonroe.
Among them, the Bigyeok Jincheonroe was ranked number one..
The Bigyeok Jincheonroe
could be held in the hand and thrown like a grenade by Joseon soldiers on the fortress walls
to strike the Japanese army below,
or it could be loaded into cannons to be fired up to 700m.
The Japanese forces, who were already struggling at sea,
lost their advantage on land as well due to the Bigyeok Jincheonroe,
leading to the failure of their conquest of Joseon.
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