# Traditional Dobohk



## TSD Australia (Sep 30, 2008)

Hi just wondering if anyone knows what the traditional way of wearing a dobohk is, in Tang Soo Do?

Is it just plain white with black trim or are there patches?

Our uniforms have Korean patch on left arm, Australian patch on right arm, federation/association patch on left chest and underneath our instructors title patch. Our chief instructor wishes to remove everything and go back to pure tradition.

Is it just a Western thing?

Thanks


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## JoelD (Sep 30, 2008)

In the USSBDMDK Federation we are allowed only the federation patch on the left chest and optionally we can have a soo bahk do patch and a korean/american flag patch on the left or right arm or both. Those are the only appoved patches we can wear. Now, some older students have doboks with the words Soo bahk Do sticthed on the back (only Dans, by the way), but those are no longer available. For instance, my instructor who is a 6th Dan wears one like that.

Also, Sa Bom, Kyo Sa, and Jo Kyo rocker patches are below the federation patch


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## MBuzzy (Sep 30, 2008)

TSD Australia said:


> Hi just wondering if anyone knows what the traditional way of wearing a dobohk is, in Tang Soo Do?
> 
> Is it just plain white with black trim or are there patches?
> 
> ...



Wow that's a tough one.  It really depends what you mean by "traditional."  Are you just talking about getting back to how it was XX number of years ago?  Or how the Koreans do it now?  Or how it was done when TSD was created?

Originally, the Dobahk was just clothes.  If you go to any old Korean museum, you will see that they used to wear more colorful version of what we call a Dobok - just as their daily clothes.  I'm not sure how the class system went with what they wore, but there sure are a lot of Doboks in those museums!   

At my Dojang in Korea, we wore the regular white Dobok with TSD screened onto the back, plus a patch on each arm and one over the left breast and trim.  Actually, most of the Dojangs that I saw did it like that.  

If you go back to the older magazines, Hwang Kee wore a plain Dobok, no patches, but with the trim.....I really think that the "traditional" way is to do it however your instructor wants to!  Really, older Dojangs would be much less organized and linked, so they would each be more unique.


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## Muwubu16858 (Oct 3, 2008)

When Hwang Kee first started teaching in the 1940's, they wore plain white dobohk; no trim, no patches.


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## MBuzzy (Oct 3, 2008)

I wonder when Hwang Kee began wearing the trim.  I know that it changed over the years from a very light blue to the much darker midnight blue that we use now.


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## JoelD (Oct 3, 2008)

Craig, do you mean that light blue trimmed Dobak from the Inside Kung Fu cover? heck, i always thought that it was just faded from being old and washed so many times.... lol. My green belt dobak was only a year old and it was already starting to fade pretty bad... im sure if i got stuck at green belt for a few more years it would be a nice mint green in no time.


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## MBuzzy (Oct 3, 2008)

JoelD said:


> Craig, do you mean that light blue trimmed Dobak from the Inside Kung Fu cover? heck, i always thought that it was just faded from being old and washed so many times.... lol. My green belt dobak was only a year old and it was already starting to fade pretty bad... im sure if i got stuck at green belt for a few more years it would be a nice mint green in no time.



That is definitely possible....although I've heard that it did used to be a lighter blue....but then, I've also heard that it was just faded.

There are definitely quite a few orgs that use black also....it would be cool to know how the colors evolved.


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## IMP (Oct 3, 2008)

Muwubu16858 said:


> When Hwang Kee first started teaching in the 1940's, they wore plain white dobohk; no trim, no patches.


 
Hmmm... this is what I've always worn, but I've seen plenty of differences. I've seen huge patches on the back, smaller patches on the chest, black trim, trim the same color as the belt and even a very heavy brown-clothed dobok with dark brown trim. I've heard that that kind is for grappling only, but I dunno...


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## Muwubu16858 (Oct 3, 2008)

In Vol.1 by GM Hwang Kee, in the first few pages with photos, there's a pic at the Moo Duk Kwan. I says it's an anniversary in 1945. Look at the Dobahks worn by all the students. No Trim! Also in the back of Vol.2, there's a picture labeled "The 3rd Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Demonstration to public....July 19, 1949. Look at the uniform used by GM Hwang in this photo. No Trim!


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## mtabone (Oct 3, 2008)

Tradition is that which you do everyday....

So....

Karate dogi is "old school traditional" plain white

Tang Soo Do dobak is "old school traditional" midnight blue trim on lapels, lower rim of uniform, and sleeves. 

Why are they different? 

A visual difference shows a separation and distinction of the arts. 

(btw simply letting everyone wear red, blue, lightning bolt uniforms simply because that is the "tradition" you want to do everyday I don't believe is right....but that is another discusion all together)


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## Master Jay S. Penfil (Oct 8, 2008)

Mike Tabone,
It is great to see you here again...

How have you been?

Regarding "Tradition"...

When people ask me about tradition, I ask them; who's tradition do you want to discuss. Every grand master had a reason for establishing their own traditions. 

So who's is right and who's is wrong?

This is the age old question that will never be answered the same by everyone at the same time...

We each follow those who we believe in...

In my dojo we wear a plain white gi/dobalk. 

Since my separation from GM Kim I have gone back to wearing my plain black belt. 

I have always liked the clean look without all of the added color and patchs.

My students like it as well...


All the best,


Sensei Jay S. Penfil


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