Does the name really matter?

[MAist25]

Hey guys, just a quick thought. I am a practitioner of Taekwondo Moo Duk Kwan under Grandmaster Richard Chun. Being one of the first to bring Korean martial arts over to America, he taught Tang Soo Do originally. When Korea pushed for unification under the new name of Taekwondo, Chun began calling his art just that, rather than Tang Soo Do. Being a student under his association, I have learned the same things he used to teach when he taught Tang Soo Do. However, it is now simply called Taekwondo. So does the name really matter much at all?

I emailed him about this and his response was that I am a practitioner of both Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do being that his is one of the highest ranking Moo Duk Kwan members. It is funny because his students have both gone on to open Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do dojangs. Although they all learned the same art, they call it something different. So how much does the name mean at all?

I have been pondering this because I would someday like to open my own dojang and am not sure what direction I would take. Because GM Chun chose to take the TKD route I feel as though I should follow him. But I am sick of associating the art I study with those that study the Olympic style TKD. I have nothing against it, but it is not even close to what I practice. I spoke to GM Chun on the phone the other day and told him I was practicing with an Olympic TKD player every once in a while, and he said that the Olympic style was okay but to keep practicing the traditional form of TKD, practice the forms, the Moo Duk Kwan forms, and my one step sparring specifically.

It seems that although he chose the TKD route he did not anticipate how much of a sport it would become and how much of the art would be lost. He continues to push what he now calls "traditional Taekwondo." It's as though he should have simply stuck to calling his art Tang Soo Do, as the style he teaches is still the old style, rather than the new Taekwondo we see today. So how much does the name really matter? Do I have the right to call what I do Tang Soo Do? Would I have the right to call what I teach Tang Soo Do? How much does the name matter? Your thoughts?

 

[Cyriacus]

The name of a system comes with connotations. Beyond that, no, it really doesnt matter.

 

[rlobrecht]

Who so you want to target as students? This could make a big difference, because non-martial artists know what taekwondo is.

If you use more traditional name, you might get people looking for a nice meal.

 

[arnisador]

Who so you want to target as students? This could make a big difference, because non-martial artists know what taekwondo is.

I have to agree with this. TKD itself was originally marketed as "Korean Karate" (which of course it is) for just this reason.

 

[MAist25]

Yes I have thought about this problem. But I also don't want people passing me up simply because the already "know" what taekwondo is and are interested in taking up a "real" martial art rather than a sport. Since less people know what Tang Soo Do is, it might prompt them to come actually check it out before having preconceived notions about what they expect to find in a Taekwondo school.

 

[Dirty Dog]

What about using the full name of the system taught by GM Chun: Taekwondo Moo Duk Kwan, instead of just part of it?

 

[MAist25]

Yes that is certainly an option. But my though for discussion was more of a hypothetical one. Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do are very similar and some practitioners of Taekwondo with roots to Hwang Kee have not deviated very far from his teachings. The 2 styles are sometimes almost identical. So with this being so, can a practitioner of Taekwondo revert back to the old name of Tang Soo Do in order to differentiate what he is teaching from the newer, more modern and sportified style of Taekwondo? Or would he be wrong in doing so?

As I said, several people under Chun have done just that, opening up Tang Soo Dojangs rather that Taekwondo dojangs since we learn is closely related to and much more accurately resembles Tang Soo Do than the mainstream image of Taekwondo. Thoughts?

 

[WaterGal]

Yes I have thought about this problem. But I also don't want people passing me up simply because the already "know" what taekwondo is and are interested in taking up a "real" martial art rather than a sport. Since less people know what Tang Soo Do is, it might prompt them to come actually check it out before having preconceived notions about what they expect to find in a Taekwondo school.

If I were you, I'd say Tang Soo Do. Maybe I'm being selfish, though! The Mr and I teach KKW TKD (and also hapkido). One of our main rivals is a TSD school that took the approach you're considering, where they say they teach TKD. We've had a lot of their current or former students coming by, and they get confused because we're actually doing something different. (Another local TSD school calls themselves So-and-so's Karate, so I guess there's always that option.)