Song Si-yeol was so stubborn that TWO different kings tried to execute him

Song Si-yeol, the most powerful Neo-Confucian scholar of his era, had one setting: my way or the highway. He clashed with King Hyojong over ritual disputes, dominated Joseon politics for decades through the Noron faction, and refused to compromise on literally anything. King Sukjong finally had enough and ordered him to drink poison in 1689. He was 82. The man spent his entire career telling kings they were wrong and somehow survived until his 80s. In Korean history, that's basically a speedrun world record for not getting executed sooner.