# Difference between "Hyung" and "Poomse"



## Laurentkd (Apr 23, 2007)

So when do you use which?
When I was a kid I trained TKD (chung do kwan) but it was still pretty karate based and we called all forms "hyung"

where I train now (ji do kwon roots) everything is "poomse" except when my instructor will accidently say "koryo hyung" and then correct himself.

So what is the difference?  Is one an older term vs. a new one, or is one just more japanese rooted?  My master tried to ask his master, but he couldn't verbalize a good explanation (that annoying language barrier)

Any experts out there?? (yes you Last Fearner!  )


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## shesulsa (Apr 23, 2007)

I'm curious as to this too.  A co-leader in my GS troop just tested and asked if what Poomsae we do and I tried to explain we do HRD hyungs, no Tae Guk or Pal Gae.  She asked me what the difference is between Poomsae and Hyung and I'm embarrassed that I couldn't answer!


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## IcemanSK (Apr 23, 2007)

My understand is that it's simply the word used. I believe Poomsae = the English word "forms". Tul (the ITF word) = "patterns." I'm not sure what hyung translates to. I could be all wrong on this. We'll need to wait til the wee hours of the morning for LF to come on & straighten us out.:ultracool


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## crushing (Apr 23, 2007)

Here is a previous discussion about the same:

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31258


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## exile (Apr 23, 2007)

Looks to me as if MSUTKD's analysis pretty much nails it down completely. My impression is that `poomsae' is used by WTF/KKW people to distance  themselves from the `tul'-loving ITF (see e.g. Stuart Anslow's recent book on combat applications of the ITF patterns), and that `hyung' is kind of neutral but has a resonance connecting TKD to its Shotokan karate foundation (people in TSD, who use hyung quite often in connection with their forms, seem far more upfront about acknowledging the lattter), hence it's the one I tend to use more frequently...


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## bluemtn (Apr 23, 2007)

I've heard both indicated the same thing, just one is a more "modern" term as opposed to the other-  meaning, the only difference is just the word that's used.


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## terryl965 (Apr 23, 2007)

Poomsae is more of what Korea wants and the Kukkiwon and Hyung is more of ITF saying and that is what they want. They both mean the same.


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## MBuzzy (Apr 23, 2007)

Hyung is simply the Korean word for Form.  Hyung = Kata = Form


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## Shaderon (May 11, 2007)

We almost exclusively use the word "Tul" (ITF school here) using Hyung only sometimes in informal settings.  I use the word Hyung on here so people don't misunderstand what I mean, we never use Poomsae and before being on this forum I'd never even heard of it.

I understand the word Tul to be the Korean word for Pattern as it came down originally (for us) from Gen Choi, I have been told Hyung is a king of generic eastern word though MSUKTD's posts do make a heck of a lot of sense and seem to support this somewhat.


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