Yi Gwal's rebellion put Korea into a state of chaos before it was invaded by the Manchu Qing dynasty.
In 1622, he joined the Injo revolution, which was a movement in Korea to get rid of the government of King Gwanghaegun, who advocated evenhanded diplomacy between the Ming and the Qing.
At that time, the Han Ming Dynasty had recently fallen to the invading Jurchen, who had renamed themselves the Manchu.
Historically, Korea was in a long time conflict with the Jurchen tribes, who inhabited the wide plains of Manchuria.
Also, during the time of King Seonjo just before the Japanese invasions of Korea, the political parties had been divided between the Easterners and the Westerners.
Yi Gwal sent Han Myeong-ryun to combat the enemy, but the rebels were defeated due to inferior geographical position.
As Yi Gwal and Han Myeong-ryun tried to escape on February 15, they were murdered by their own troops led by Gi Ik-heon, who were seeking forgiveness from the government.
Yi Gwal failed, but Joseon society effectively entered a period of chaos, which then provoked and facilitated the First Manchu invasion of Korea in 1627.