This special issue presents the five works that merged the historical investigation of the Joseon era with the so-called “material turn” in global circulation. They cited Bruno Latour’s Actor-Network theory and Pamela Smith’s research on tacit knowledge. Yet, they mostly focus on sharpening their historical acumen through a unique lens. Above all, they have selected an unconventional cast of heroes for their research, aiming to “fairly treat those who have sustained our lives without receiving due recognition.” These subjects include artisans, stones, lime, elm juice, soldiers’ bodies, Korean indigo plants, ice, pine trees, timber, gardens, Beijing flower shops, and daffodils. To reveal the roles of these heroes, the authors employ two specific historical methods: reading against the grain and following socioecologically intertwined contexts. By carefully reading between the lines and tracing interconnected contexts, they dynamically illustrate the diverse knowledge practices carried out alongside these material actors. For years, historians of science in Korea have grappled with the question: "Is there science in Korean history?" While previous scholars have addressed this in various ways, these five works add a "material sensibility" to those efforts while revealing various everyday science in use and its resourceful creativity that I call giji.