Jo Gwang-jo tried to make Joseon a utopia and got poisoned for it at age 37

Jo Gwang-jo speedran political reform. Got appointed, immediately started pushing radical Neo-Confucian ideals: merit-based hiring, land redistribution, anti-corruption purges. In like two years he overhauled half the government. The problem? He was SO idealistic that he made enemies of literally every established power in the court. The old guard framed him by writing 'Jo will be king' on leaves using honey so that caterpillars would eat the rest and leave the message visible. Yes, they used BUGS as a propaganda tool. Jungjong fell for it and Jo Gwang-jo was forced to drink poison. He was 37. The man speedran reform AND speedran getting martyred.