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Found this on one of my surfing jaunts. Thought I'd share........
Controversial Hapkido Frequently Asked Questions
by David N. Beck
How do *I* know the answers?
It's difficult to know what the actual facts are -- even when there are written records, sometimes the writers are biased. Although I've used books, web sites, mailing lists, questions to my teachers, etc, I am not a trained researcher, and I don't claim that these answers are the be all end all answers to these questions. But they are MY answers to these questions based on what I've experienced, seen, and heard from multiple sources in over 20 years of studying martial arts.
Most of these questions involve differing views of history. To me this is all pretty unimportant. One, both Hapkido and Taekwondo are martial arts that have changed and continue to change with the times. Two, the term 'art' in martial art implies creativity and individual expression. Every instructor teaches a little bit differently, and every student will find certain techniques just work better for them than others, so every martial art becomes an individual martial art. I can teach you *my* interpretation of Hapkido and/or Taekwondo, but that is *my* interpretation -- I encourage you to use that as a base and eventually develop your *own* interpretation. What matters is that you train to meet your goals, not who created that particular method of training.
I have capitalized family names and used the Western approach of placing them last; you'll often see them reversed as is Asian tradition.
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Q. What is the difference between Taekwondo and Hapkido?
A. Sometimes not all that much; there has been a LOT of cross-pollinization. Virtually everyone in Korea gets some Taekwondo training (it's their national sport - ever know an American boy who'd NEVER played baseball?). The specialty jumping spinning kicks of Hapkido proved very useful for demonstration and breaking purposes and got adopted into Taekwondo. Any Hosinsool (self-defense) techniques you see in Taekwondo got adopted from out of Hapkido. Any HKDists that want to spar tend to do so under TKD rules and adapt their techniques accordingly. There's a lot of mixed versions out there. Who originated what techniques? Who cares? But in general if its sport oriented, it's Taekwondo; and if it's self-defense oriented, it's Hapkido.
Q. What's wrong with TKD types doing Hapkido seminar training?
A. Nothing, if it's used properly. There are many many more TKD type places than HKD, and many schools do some sort of mix; doing some Hapkido as the self-defense part of their curriculum. I've attended, taught, and hosted many seminars and much can be learned from them. But for myself and for the vast majority of people, learning something well takes time. For anything physical, repetition to acquire muscle memory is absolutely essential. So if the material shown at a seminar is not practiced enough over time, it is lost. Ongoing regular Hapkido practice with a good instructor will correct mistakes in your practice and stop bad habits from being ingrained. But a seminar here and a seminar there is not going to do much more than give you an idea of the material. Thus I feel that doing rank tests at a seminar that simply test what's been worked on at that seminar is a bad practice. It tends to promote memorization of the particular techniques done just before, without understanding principles behind the techniques or being able to apply the techniques to different situations. And to me, that's like someone playing scales versus someone playing music. If it's rote technique, you're not a martial artist.
Q. Who founded Hapkido?
A. Some sources will say Yong Sool CHOI (1904-1986), some will say Han Jae JI. My answer is Ji, and call Choi the 'father' of Hapkido.
Q. Why would Yong Sool Choi be considered the founder?
A. Because all the branches of Hapkido go back to Choi and Choi was Han Jae JI's primary teacher. Yong Sool CHOI was taken to Japan as a young boy and supposedly became an adopted son of the famous Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu martial artist Sokaku TAKEDA (1860-1943). He supposedly was with Takeda until Takeda's death, after which Choi returned to Korea and shortly thereafter opened a school.
Q. Why 'supposedly'?
A. Choi always claimed he learned from Takeda, yet none of the Takeda family say they remember him. Takeda kept meticulate records of those he trained down to the level of how much he charged per technique, yet none of the names Choi used appears in the records, and there ARE some Korean names there, including at least one with a teaching license. Choi claimed to have teaching licenses from Takeda, but said the bag he had them is was stolen from him at a train station on his arrival in Korea after Choi's death.
It was common at the time for Korean children to be taken into rich Japanese households as servants. Perhaps Choi was a servant in the household and around (carrying the bags, etc) but not an actual participant in Takeda's seminars. But you would certainly expect the family to remember him, and they say no. As far as an adopted son, perhaps Choi just looked on Takeda as a father figure and there's been some mistranslation in interviews. Culturally, adoption of any Korean into a Japanese family would be VERY unlikely.
There were other teachers of Daito-ryu aikijujitsu, I think that perhaps Choi was a second generation student of Takeda rather than first generation. Regardless of where and from whom he learned, Choi was a formidable martial artist when he returned to Korea after Takeda's death.
Q. Why would JI be considered the founder?
A. Because Ji came up with the name, added many different things to the art, and is most responsible for the spread of Hapkido. Choi actually directly taught very few people because he always charged very high rates and the training was very severe. Between 70-80% of the Hapkido branches can be traced back to Ji. Choi never taught high, spinning, or jumping kicks; cane, staff, or other weapons; or breathing exercises -- these things were added by Ji. Most new martial arts styles come from some one person studying several different arts under several teachers, merging some things and modifying others, and then teaching the result under a new name. Choi never claimed to have studied with any other teacher than Takeda, and never modified what he taught.
Han Jae JI began martial arts training in 1949 at the age of 13 with Choi in Seoul. He trained for 7 years full time with Choi. Ji learned meditation techniques, weapons, and Tae Kyun kicking from a man he know as Taoist Lee starting at age 18. He learned more meditation techniques from a lady Taoist monk he knew only as Grandma. He was still training with Choi during this time as well.
Ji moved to his hometown of Andong, opening a school there (the An Moo Kwan) as a 3rd Dan in 1956. He taught Yoo Kwon Sool there for 9 months, then moving to Seoul and opening a school at a tie factory he called the 'Sung Moo Kwan'. He gained more students and soon was able to teach from a boxing gym. He added techniques to deal with boxing style punches at this time.
In 1958, Ji moved his school to Joong Boo Shi Jang where he continued teaching until April of 1960. During this period, Ji began to add basic kicking and punching techniques taken from other Korean schools and his Tae-Kyun training. In 1959 he decided that his system was sufficiently different from Choi's culturally patterned Japanese aiki-jiu jitsu to call it 'Hapkido'.
Into the early 60's, Ji was merging in techniques and modifying his curriculum. A fellow student of Choi's and good friend of Ji's, Moo-Woong KIM, gave input and advice during 8-9 months in 1961 to help finalize the kicking curriculum. Kim had also trained in Tae-Kyon and was a noted kicker.
Ji offered Choi use of the name and Choi thereafter trained using 'hapkido' until his death in 1986. Choi continued always with his original teachings, which meant that most of the striking, kicking techniques and weapons techniques were omitted.
Q. So if what Choi taught was simply Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu, why not continue to call it that?
A. Choi didn't care what it was called. He called it 'yawara' at first. Then 'Dai Dong Ryu Yu Sool', the Korean equivalent of Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu. Many of Choi's students had backgrounds from other martial arts, and Korean names were desired rather than Japanese names. So it became 'Dai Dong Ryu Yu Kwon Sool', then 'Hapki Yu Kwon Sool', then eventually 'Hapkido'.
Q. Isn't it inconsistant to call Ji the founder of HKD and not call Hong Hi Choi the founder of TKD? Didn't both create the name, add stuff to the art, and spread it widely?
No, it's more a matter of degree. Ji is directly responsible for the differences between HKD and Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu, including the name, and at least 70% of HKD lineage is his. Choi is not responsible for any differences between TKD and its karate forebears with the exception of the sine wave (done only in ITF TKD), he may or may not be responsible for the name Taekwondo, and his percentage of TKD lineage is less than 10%. And even that percentage would more properly be credited to Tae Hi Nam. See the Controversial TKD FAQ.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Aikido?
A. Aikido founder Morehi USHEBA studied with Sokaku TAKEDA for a number of years as well as a number of other teachers before forming Aikido. The simularity of technique is very apparent between the two arts in the circular non-resistive motions, joint-locking and throwing. Both even are written with the same Chinese characters. However, the philosophy is different in that a Hapkidoist mixes in hard with the soft, including kicks and strikes; plus the footwork tends to be a little different. Possibly CHOI never directly studied with TAKEDA but only watched (and Aikidoists wear the hakamas - which block viewing of the feet). Or possibly the cross-influence of other Korean kicking/punching arts with Hapkido modified the footwork. There has been enough cross training influence over the years that it's very hard to track. There have been HKDists that studied Aikido and Aikidoists that studied Hapkido, with the primary crossover influence being Hapkido Grandmaster Jae Nam MYONG. Myong founded the International Hapkido Federation (one of the top 3 HKD organizations in Korea) and became the International Aikido Federation representative in Korea.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Kido?
A. None. The same Chinese written characters are used for Hapkido and Aikido. In the early 60's, President Chung Hee PARK lifted import restrictions from Japan and Ji came across a book on Aikido and noticed this for the first time. He didn't like them having the same name and dropped the 'Hap' from his art. In 1963 the Korean government granted a charter through the Ministry of Education to create the Korea Kido Association, with Choi as Chairman and Jung Yoon KIM as First Secretary. The majority of Ji's students didn't like the name change and many kept calling it Hapkido, plus Ji and Kim did not get along. By 1965 Ji was in the politically powerful position of Chief Instructor for the President's Security Forces and left the Kido Association to establish the Korean Hapkido Association. The Korea Kido Association retained many members and became something of an umbrella organization for Korean martial arts that did not want to associate themselves with Taekwondo and the Kukkiwon. So now it contains Hapkido, Kuk Sool Won, Hwarangdo, Tuk Gong Mool Sool, etc. at least 31 styles at last count. It is headed by GM In Sun SEO, whose brother In Hyuk SUH founded Kuk Sool. It remains one of the three major hapkido organizations in Korea.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Kuk Sool?
A. Not much, mostly more palm heel strikes and Chinese weaponry training from Southern Praying Mantis. Any other differences appear to be in the trappings; fancier uniforms, stressing flashier techniques, etc. In Sun SEO studied Hapkido with Yong Sool Choi and earned a black belt in 1958. The founder of Kuk Sool Won, In Hyuk SUH, is SEO's brother (same name, they just spell it differently in English). Suh claims that everything in Kuk Sool is from his grandfather, that he never studied with Hapkido with Choi or kung fu with Monk Hae Dong and Wang Tae-eui. But Suh is extremely nationalistic, and discounts everything non-Korean. He sees Choi's HKD as Japanese daito ryu aiki jujitsu, and kung fu as Chinese. I think that Suh can perhaps justify to himself saying that he never trained with Choi because it came through his brother. But you look at the techniques and Kuk Sool Won is Hapkido with a few other things added in. For many years Kuk Sool schools even went by the name Kuk Sool Hapkido.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Hwarangdo?
A. Not much. The founder of Hwarangdo, Dr. Joo-Bang Lee studied Hapkido in private lessons with Choi and also visited and trained in many schools, including with Moo-woong Kim and In Hyuk Suh, founder of Kuk Sool. He claims to have merged a little HKD with secret techniques taught to him and his brother Joo Sang Lee by a monk named Sahm Dosa to create Hwarang-do. Supposedly the techniques were secretly handed down through 57 generations of warrior/monks since the Silla dynasty and the days of the hwarang. Dr. Lee had his own school as early as 1960, and was promoted to 8th degree by Yong Sool Choi at the same time as Han Jae Ji in May of 1968. From 1961-68 he called his school a Hapkido school. But shortly after that he supposedly got permission from Sahm Dosa to teach the 'secret techniques', founded Hwarangdo, and moved to the USA.
Actual differences to Hapkido appear to be in the trappings -- more philisophical and Korean cultural stuff based on the historical hwarang, some forms and more strikes than is typical in HKD, and more weapons training. But all the self-defense techniques in his 3-book series are HKD. And the forms and teaching methodologies are very similar to Kuk Sool. How much stock to put in the 'secret techniques' and the 57 generations handed down from monk to monk -- well, I won't say it's *impossible*.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Krav Maga?
A. In the late sixties the Korea Hapkido Association President was Woo Joong KIM, also president of the Dae Woo Company which had many interests in the Middle East. Many HKD instructors went there and taught police forces and military officers. The founder of Krav Maga was an Israeli boxer and wrestler that participated in some of this training and boiled things down into a very simple practical system to teach the Israeli armed forces. It looks like some basics from a number of martial arts including HKD. It's a good fighting system; I wouldn't call it a martial *art*. It's immediate destruction no nonsense stuff, great for a sentry in the military; not so good for graduated levels of response necessary for policemen or for the general person in today's society.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Viet No Vuem?
A. In 1967 the KHA sent 15 members of demonstration teams to Vietnam and taught Korean, US, and Vietnamese troops and special forces. Viet No Vuem is the Vietnamese martial art that came out of it. Viet No Vuem appears to be basic HKD with some TKD mixed in, plus the advanced acrobatic falls and rolls from Hapkido.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Han Moo Do?
A. Han Moo Do is Dr. He-Young KIMM's combination of Hapkido, Kuk Sool, and Taekwondo. Dr. Kimm is a HKD pioneer in the US, a scholar, and the author of the Hapkido Bible. Train with him if you ever get the chance.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Hankido?
A. Hankido is Jae Nam MYONG's combination of Hapkido and Aikido. Introduced in 1992, it tries to be an easy-to-learn martial art. Myong is the head of the International Hapkido Federation. Myong died in 1999 and his IHF is led by his son Sung Kwang Myong. This IHF is actually a 3-pronged organization that teaches with the martial arts of Hapkido under the banner of International Hapkido Federation, Hankido under the banner of the International Hankido Federation, and Hankumdo (Korean sword) under the banner of the International Hankumdo Federation. A lot of IHF's already, plus there are at least two other totally unrelated International Hapkido Federations, one led by Bong Soo HAN and another by James Benko.
Q. What Hapkido organizations exist?
A. There are many, there's no clearly dominant one like TKD has in the WTF. I've noted the head of the organization and a sentence or two on what I know of them.
Note: the same word in Korea is used for 'federation' or 'association', so some of these can be confusing.
World Hapkido Federation - Kwang Sik MYUNG
This is the biggest in the US, and the one BMA is affilated with. Myung was a student of Ji's (starting in 1957) that claims Choi as his teacher. Excellent training materials (books and tapes).
World Sin Moo Hapkido Association - Han Jae JI- founder of Hapkido. This is Doju-nim Ji's current organization. It is fairly small and has no training materials available yet, but is developing some from Doju-nim Ji's 50th m.a. anniversary seminars.
Korea Hapkido Federation - Se Lim OH 10th Dan largest in Korea
Oh was an early student of Ji's in Andong, his first school. The KHF overall has a good reputation, but...supposedly the U.S. rep is Richard Hacksworth., Ocee, Florida. I don't understand all the relationships here, but associated is the National Han Moo Kwan Association and the Korean Martial Arts Instructors Association, and a slew of other organizations. My own experience with him has been limited to buying via him material represented as being the official KHF curriculum, but it was in fact only his requirements. Other reputable HKD people I know of have had much worse experiences with him. I do know of other people in the KHF with impeccable reputations; I would say this is a case where you won't be able to tell anything from the organization and should look at people on an individual basis.
International Hapki Federation - Jae Nam MYONG (deceased), now named the International Hapkido Federation. Close relationships with Aikido organizations. This one is also involved in sponsoring HKD competitions. Also involved is Marshall Gagne.
World Kido Federation/Korea Kido Association - In Sun SEO
Seo was a student of Choi's. This is something of an umbrella organization for non-TKD martial arts in Korea. Many Hapkido kwans are members, including Hal Whalen's Moo Ye Kwan and Pelligrini's International Combat HKD Federation, so it's a grab bag of good and bad.
Korea Hapkido Association - Duk Kyu HWANG
Hwang was Ji's first student in Seoul.
Korean Hapkido Association - Moo Woong KIM - helped add the kicks to HKD
American Hapkido Association - Chong Min LEE
American Hapkido Association - Mike Wollmershouser
Wollmershouser was a student of Choi's, his bio says the highest ranking American ever taught by Choi. Active in the northeast U.S. There was a video series he put out in the 1980's that I've seen one or two of; cheap quality but excellent techniques shown, well worth getting if you can find them. He died some years ago of cancer.
Universal Hapkido Institute - Ik Hwan KIM
International Hapkido Federation - Bong Soo HAN
Han was a student of Ji's (starting 1958) and Choi's that claims Choi as his teacher. He was one of the first Hapkido instructors in the United States and is famous for the Billy Jack movies that gave Hapkido its first big visibility. He also appeared in Kentucky Fried Movie in perhaps the funniest MA related scenes ever filmed.
International Hapkido Federation - James Benko, Ph. D
International Combat HKD Federation - John Pelligrini. Pelligrini has the reputation of having taken out much of the Hapkido curriculum and primarily markets to martial artists of other styles, focusing on seminar training. It is my opinion and that of many others that this is a disservice to HKD, making it easy to get HKD rank and formenting a picture of it as an adjunct style rather than the complete martial art it is. I cannot speak to Pelligrini's skills not having met the man, seen him on the mat, or seen his videos ... but others I respect have been on the mat with him and were not impressed. For what it's worth, I started Hapkido before he did. My understanding is he was a TKD guy that did some seminars with Mike Wolmersouser and received an HONORARY 1st Dan black belt in Hapkido given at a seminar in 1988, then bounced around orgainization to organization doing seminars and jumping up in rank; emerging with an 6th Dan when he created the ICHF in 1992, and shortly thereafter getting an 8th Dan from In Sun SEO. I guess since he was able to gain rank quickly by seminars and changing organizations he's happy to do the same for others. For what it's worth, I tested for my 1st Dan in 1997, and I'm not yet eligible for 6th Dan by my and most organization's guidelines.
Lets end with some ones I KNOW are good:
United States Korean Martial Arts Federation - J.R. West. I've now been to several of Master West's seminars and was extremely impressed. His reputation as a superb Hapkido man is well-deserved. The integrity, openess, and skill of this man is amazing. Train with him if you ever get the chance. He puts on a big seminar every six months in Jackson, Mississippi that attracts a lot of major Hapkido people, and his organization involves no politics; simply helping people learn the art.
National Korean Martial Arts Association - Rudy Timmerman. Excellent reputation. GM Timmerman is a Kuk Sool and Kong Shin Bup person, a student of In Hyuk SUH and others. Based in Canada, his is another organization with a reputation for no politics and helping people learn.
International Hapkido Alliance - Geoff Booth. Master Booth is a student of GM Ji. I've hosted him now 5 or 6 times and it's always a great deal of fun, with superb Hapkido and keeping everyone smiling with his jokes. Master Booth has a DVD series out that are fantastic -- great techniques, very clear, extremely well done.
Q. Why do all these 10th Dan HKD Grandmasters who were Ji's students claim Choi as their teacher?
Korean martial artists traditionally study under multiple people and then claim one as their teacher, supposedly the one who most influenced them. So they could study for years under Ji, go to one seminar with Choi, and claim Choi (the more famous person) as their teacher. Ji was a very young man when he first started teaching -- almost all his students were older.
Another reason is that DJN Ji is a very creative individual and would teach whatever he felt like teaching that day. When an organization sets out specific requirements for rank for instance, if he didn't follow them or he promoted someone that hadn't met those specific requirements; it caused problems. He doesn't like doing the administrative work that is necessary to run a good organization. So he'd be involved in founding a HKD organization, then would delegate the admin details, eventually there'd be some disagreement on some detail or another, and he'd leave that organization to found another one.
And DJN admits to not being very likeable when young -- he didn't really mellow and begin using the Taoist theory he put into Sin Moo HKD until after his prison term.
Q. Prison term? What happened?
GM Ji was the head of the presidential bodyguards when President Chung Hee Park's wife was killed during an attempt on the President's life. Gm Ji was out of the country on R&R at the time. Gm Ji was not the head of the bodyguards when President Park was killed in 1979. The new head bodyguard was with President Park at that time and was also killed. The assassin was the head of the Korean CIA, i.e. someone within President Park's inner circle. But Ji resigned after the assasination anyway. When he became a civilian he joined the Min Jung Dang political party, and got involved with one of two rival groups inside the party. Ji started training some people from one group to protect President Doo-whan CHUN when he would visit party headquarters, and the leader of the other group reported to the president that secret training was going on to overthrow him. Ji received a 1-year prison term. During the term, he was unable to work out, but meditated a great deal, and when he got out started Sin Moo Hapkido.
Q. What's the difference between Sin Moo Hapkido and other kinds of Hapkido?
A. Technique wise, essentially none. Sin Moo Hapkido adds more mental and spiritual training, with more stress on meditation and how to live your life.
Controversial Hapkido Frequently Asked Questions
by David N. Beck
How do *I* know the answers?
It's difficult to know what the actual facts are -- even when there are written records, sometimes the writers are biased. Although I've used books, web sites, mailing lists, questions to my teachers, etc, I am not a trained researcher, and I don't claim that these answers are the be all end all answers to these questions. But they are MY answers to these questions based on what I've experienced, seen, and heard from multiple sources in over 20 years of studying martial arts.
Most of these questions involve differing views of history. To me this is all pretty unimportant. One, both Hapkido and Taekwondo are martial arts that have changed and continue to change with the times. Two, the term 'art' in martial art implies creativity and individual expression. Every instructor teaches a little bit differently, and every student will find certain techniques just work better for them than others, so every martial art becomes an individual martial art. I can teach you *my* interpretation of Hapkido and/or Taekwondo, but that is *my* interpretation -- I encourage you to use that as a base and eventually develop your *own* interpretation. What matters is that you train to meet your goals, not who created that particular method of training.
I have capitalized family names and used the Western approach of placing them last; you'll often see them reversed as is Asian tradition.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. What is the difference between Taekwondo and Hapkido?
A. Sometimes not all that much; there has been a LOT of cross-pollinization. Virtually everyone in Korea gets some Taekwondo training (it's their national sport - ever know an American boy who'd NEVER played baseball?). The specialty jumping spinning kicks of Hapkido proved very useful for demonstration and breaking purposes and got adopted into Taekwondo. Any Hosinsool (self-defense) techniques you see in Taekwondo got adopted from out of Hapkido. Any HKDists that want to spar tend to do so under TKD rules and adapt their techniques accordingly. There's a lot of mixed versions out there. Who originated what techniques? Who cares? But in general if its sport oriented, it's Taekwondo; and if it's self-defense oriented, it's Hapkido.
Q. What's wrong with TKD types doing Hapkido seminar training?
A. Nothing, if it's used properly. There are many many more TKD type places than HKD, and many schools do some sort of mix; doing some Hapkido as the self-defense part of their curriculum. I've attended, taught, and hosted many seminars and much can be learned from them. But for myself and for the vast majority of people, learning something well takes time. For anything physical, repetition to acquire muscle memory is absolutely essential. So if the material shown at a seminar is not practiced enough over time, it is lost. Ongoing regular Hapkido practice with a good instructor will correct mistakes in your practice and stop bad habits from being ingrained. But a seminar here and a seminar there is not going to do much more than give you an idea of the material. Thus I feel that doing rank tests at a seminar that simply test what's been worked on at that seminar is a bad practice. It tends to promote memorization of the particular techniques done just before, without understanding principles behind the techniques or being able to apply the techniques to different situations. And to me, that's like someone playing scales versus someone playing music. If it's rote technique, you're not a martial artist.
Q. Who founded Hapkido?
A. Some sources will say Yong Sool CHOI (1904-1986), some will say Han Jae JI. My answer is Ji, and call Choi the 'father' of Hapkido.
Q. Why would Yong Sool Choi be considered the founder?
A. Because all the branches of Hapkido go back to Choi and Choi was Han Jae JI's primary teacher. Yong Sool CHOI was taken to Japan as a young boy and supposedly became an adopted son of the famous Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu martial artist Sokaku TAKEDA (1860-1943). He supposedly was with Takeda until Takeda's death, after which Choi returned to Korea and shortly thereafter opened a school.
Q. Why 'supposedly'?
A. Choi always claimed he learned from Takeda, yet none of the Takeda family say they remember him. Takeda kept meticulate records of those he trained down to the level of how much he charged per technique, yet none of the names Choi used appears in the records, and there ARE some Korean names there, including at least one with a teaching license. Choi claimed to have teaching licenses from Takeda, but said the bag he had them is was stolen from him at a train station on his arrival in Korea after Choi's death.
It was common at the time for Korean children to be taken into rich Japanese households as servants. Perhaps Choi was a servant in the household and around (carrying the bags, etc) but not an actual participant in Takeda's seminars. But you would certainly expect the family to remember him, and they say no. As far as an adopted son, perhaps Choi just looked on Takeda as a father figure and there's been some mistranslation in interviews. Culturally, adoption of any Korean into a Japanese family would be VERY unlikely.
There were other teachers of Daito-ryu aikijujitsu, I think that perhaps Choi was a second generation student of Takeda rather than first generation. Regardless of where and from whom he learned, Choi was a formidable martial artist when he returned to Korea after Takeda's death.
Q. Why would JI be considered the founder?
A. Because Ji came up with the name, added many different things to the art, and is most responsible for the spread of Hapkido. Choi actually directly taught very few people because he always charged very high rates and the training was very severe. Between 70-80% of the Hapkido branches can be traced back to Ji. Choi never taught high, spinning, or jumping kicks; cane, staff, or other weapons; or breathing exercises -- these things were added by Ji. Most new martial arts styles come from some one person studying several different arts under several teachers, merging some things and modifying others, and then teaching the result under a new name. Choi never claimed to have studied with any other teacher than Takeda, and never modified what he taught.
Han Jae JI began martial arts training in 1949 at the age of 13 with Choi in Seoul. He trained for 7 years full time with Choi. Ji learned meditation techniques, weapons, and Tae Kyun kicking from a man he know as Taoist Lee starting at age 18. He learned more meditation techniques from a lady Taoist monk he knew only as Grandma. He was still training with Choi during this time as well.
Ji moved to his hometown of Andong, opening a school there (the An Moo Kwan) as a 3rd Dan in 1956. He taught Yoo Kwon Sool there for 9 months, then moving to Seoul and opening a school at a tie factory he called the 'Sung Moo Kwan'. He gained more students and soon was able to teach from a boxing gym. He added techniques to deal with boxing style punches at this time.
In 1958, Ji moved his school to Joong Boo Shi Jang where he continued teaching until April of 1960. During this period, Ji began to add basic kicking and punching techniques taken from other Korean schools and his Tae-Kyun training. In 1959 he decided that his system was sufficiently different from Choi's culturally patterned Japanese aiki-jiu jitsu to call it 'Hapkido'.
Into the early 60's, Ji was merging in techniques and modifying his curriculum. A fellow student of Choi's and good friend of Ji's, Moo-Woong KIM, gave input and advice during 8-9 months in 1961 to help finalize the kicking curriculum. Kim had also trained in Tae-Kyon and was a noted kicker.
Ji offered Choi use of the name and Choi thereafter trained using 'hapkido' until his death in 1986. Choi continued always with his original teachings, which meant that most of the striking, kicking techniques and weapons techniques were omitted.
Q. So if what Choi taught was simply Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu, why not continue to call it that?
A. Choi didn't care what it was called. He called it 'yawara' at first. Then 'Dai Dong Ryu Yu Sool', the Korean equivalent of Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu. Many of Choi's students had backgrounds from other martial arts, and Korean names were desired rather than Japanese names. So it became 'Dai Dong Ryu Yu Kwon Sool', then 'Hapki Yu Kwon Sool', then eventually 'Hapkido'.
Q. Isn't it inconsistant to call Ji the founder of HKD and not call Hong Hi Choi the founder of TKD? Didn't both create the name, add stuff to the art, and spread it widely?
No, it's more a matter of degree. Ji is directly responsible for the differences between HKD and Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu, including the name, and at least 70% of HKD lineage is his. Choi is not responsible for any differences between TKD and its karate forebears with the exception of the sine wave (done only in ITF TKD), he may or may not be responsible for the name Taekwondo, and his percentage of TKD lineage is less than 10%. And even that percentage would more properly be credited to Tae Hi Nam. See the Controversial TKD FAQ.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Aikido?
A. Aikido founder Morehi USHEBA studied with Sokaku TAKEDA for a number of years as well as a number of other teachers before forming Aikido. The simularity of technique is very apparent between the two arts in the circular non-resistive motions, joint-locking and throwing. Both even are written with the same Chinese characters. However, the philosophy is different in that a Hapkidoist mixes in hard with the soft, including kicks and strikes; plus the footwork tends to be a little different. Possibly CHOI never directly studied with TAKEDA but only watched (and Aikidoists wear the hakamas - which block viewing of the feet). Or possibly the cross-influence of other Korean kicking/punching arts with Hapkido modified the footwork. There has been enough cross training influence over the years that it's very hard to track. There have been HKDists that studied Aikido and Aikidoists that studied Hapkido, with the primary crossover influence being Hapkido Grandmaster Jae Nam MYONG. Myong founded the International Hapkido Federation (one of the top 3 HKD organizations in Korea) and became the International Aikido Federation representative in Korea.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Kido?
A. None. The same Chinese written characters are used for Hapkido and Aikido. In the early 60's, President Chung Hee PARK lifted import restrictions from Japan and Ji came across a book on Aikido and noticed this for the first time. He didn't like them having the same name and dropped the 'Hap' from his art. In 1963 the Korean government granted a charter through the Ministry of Education to create the Korea Kido Association, with Choi as Chairman and Jung Yoon KIM as First Secretary. The majority of Ji's students didn't like the name change and many kept calling it Hapkido, plus Ji and Kim did not get along. By 1965 Ji was in the politically powerful position of Chief Instructor for the President's Security Forces and left the Kido Association to establish the Korean Hapkido Association. The Korea Kido Association retained many members and became something of an umbrella organization for Korean martial arts that did not want to associate themselves with Taekwondo and the Kukkiwon. So now it contains Hapkido, Kuk Sool Won, Hwarangdo, Tuk Gong Mool Sool, etc. at least 31 styles at last count. It is headed by GM In Sun SEO, whose brother In Hyuk SUH founded Kuk Sool. It remains one of the three major hapkido organizations in Korea.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Kuk Sool?
A. Not much, mostly more palm heel strikes and Chinese weaponry training from Southern Praying Mantis. Any other differences appear to be in the trappings; fancier uniforms, stressing flashier techniques, etc. In Sun SEO studied Hapkido with Yong Sool Choi and earned a black belt in 1958. The founder of Kuk Sool Won, In Hyuk SUH, is SEO's brother (same name, they just spell it differently in English). Suh claims that everything in Kuk Sool is from his grandfather, that he never studied with Hapkido with Choi or kung fu with Monk Hae Dong and Wang Tae-eui. But Suh is extremely nationalistic, and discounts everything non-Korean. He sees Choi's HKD as Japanese daito ryu aiki jujitsu, and kung fu as Chinese. I think that Suh can perhaps justify to himself saying that he never trained with Choi because it came through his brother. But you look at the techniques and Kuk Sool Won is Hapkido with a few other things added in. For many years Kuk Sool schools even went by the name Kuk Sool Hapkido.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Hwarangdo?
A. Not much. The founder of Hwarangdo, Dr. Joo-Bang Lee studied Hapkido in private lessons with Choi and also visited and trained in many schools, including with Moo-woong Kim and In Hyuk Suh, founder of Kuk Sool. He claims to have merged a little HKD with secret techniques taught to him and his brother Joo Sang Lee by a monk named Sahm Dosa to create Hwarang-do. Supposedly the techniques were secretly handed down through 57 generations of warrior/monks since the Silla dynasty and the days of the hwarang. Dr. Lee had his own school as early as 1960, and was promoted to 8th degree by Yong Sool Choi at the same time as Han Jae Ji in May of 1968. From 1961-68 he called his school a Hapkido school. But shortly after that he supposedly got permission from Sahm Dosa to teach the 'secret techniques', founded Hwarangdo, and moved to the USA.
Actual differences to Hapkido appear to be in the trappings -- more philisophical and Korean cultural stuff based on the historical hwarang, some forms and more strikes than is typical in HKD, and more weapons training. But all the self-defense techniques in his 3-book series are HKD. And the forms and teaching methodologies are very similar to Kuk Sool. How much stock to put in the 'secret techniques' and the 57 generations handed down from monk to monk -- well, I won't say it's *impossible*.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Krav Maga?
A. In the late sixties the Korea Hapkido Association President was Woo Joong KIM, also president of the Dae Woo Company which had many interests in the Middle East. Many HKD instructors went there and taught police forces and military officers. The founder of Krav Maga was an Israeli boxer and wrestler that participated in some of this training and boiled things down into a very simple practical system to teach the Israeli armed forces. It looks like some basics from a number of martial arts including HKD. It's a good fighting system; I wouldn't call it a martial *art*. It's immediate destruction no nonsense stuff, great for a sentry in the military; not so good for graduated levels of response necessary for policemen or for the general person in today's society.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Viet No Vuem?
A. In 1967 the KHA sent 15 members of demonstration teams to Vietnam and taught Korean, US, and Vietnamese troops and special forces. Viet No Vuem is the Vietnamese martial art that came out of it. Viet No Vuem appears to be basic HKD with some TKD mixed in, plus the advanced acrobatic falls and rolls from Hapkido.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Han Moo Do?
A. Han Moo Do is Dr. He-Young KIMM's combination of Hapkido, Kuk Sool, and Taekwondo. Dr. Kimm is a HKD pioneer in the US, a scholar, and the author of the Hapkido Bible. Train with him if you ever get the chance.
Q. What's the difference between Hapkido and Hankido?
A. Hankido is Jae Nam MYONG's combination of Hapkido and Aikido. Introduced in 1992, it tries to be an easy-to-learn martial art. Myong is the head of the International Hapkido Federation. Myong died in 1999 and his IHF is led by his son Sung Kwang Myong. This IHF is actually a 3-pronged organization that teaches with the martial arts of Hapkido under the banner of International Hapkido Federation, Hankido under the banner of the International Hankido Federation, and Hankumdo (Korean sword) under the banner of the International Hankumdo Federation. A lot of IHF's already, plus there are at least two other totally unrelated International Hapkido Federations, one led by Bong Soo HAN and another by James Benko.
Q. What Hapkido organizations exist?
A. There are many, there's no clearly dominant one like TKD has in the WTF. I've noted the head of the organization and a sentence or two on what I know of them.
Note: the same word in Korea is used for 'federation' or 'association', so some of these can be confusing.
World Hapkido Federation - Kwang Sik MYUNG
This is the biggest in the US, and the one BMA is affilated with. Myung was a student of Ji's (starting in 1957) that claims Choi as his teacher. Excellent training materials (books and tapes).
World Sin Moo Hapkido Association - Han Jae JI- founder of Hapkido. This is Doju-nim Ji's current organization. It is fairly small and has no training materials available yet, but is developing some from Doju-nim Ji's 50th m.a. anniversary seminars.
Korea Hapkido Federation - Se Lim OH 10th Dan largest in Korea
Oh was an early student of Ji's in Andong, his first school. The KHF overall has a good reputation, but...supposedly the U.S. rep is Richard Hacksworth., Ocee, Florida. I don't understand all the relationships here, but associated is the National Han Moo Kwan Association and the Korean Martial Arts Instructors Association, and a slew of other organizations. My own experience with him has been limited to buying via him material represented as being the official KHF curriculum, but it was in fact only his requirements. Other reputable HKD people I know of have had much worse experiences with him. I do know of other people in the KHF with impeccable reputations; I would say this is a case where you won't be able to tell anything from the organization and should look at people on an individual basis.
International Hapki Federation - Jae Nam MYONG (deceased), now named the International Hapkido Federation. Close relationships with Aikido organizations. This one is also involved in sponsoring HKD competitions. Also involved is Marshall Gagne.
World Kido Federation/Korea Kido Association - In Sun SEO
Seo was a student of Choi's. This is something of an umbrella organization for non-TKD martial arts in Korea. Many Hapkido kwans are members, including Hal Whalen's Moo Ye Kwan and Pelligrini's International Combat HKD Federation, so it's a grab bag of good and bad.
Korea Hapkido Association - Duk Kyu HWANG
Hwang was Ji's first student in Seoul.
Korean Hapkido Association - Moo Woong KIM - helped add the kicks to HKD
American Hapkido Association - Chong Min LEE
American Hapkido Association - Mike Wollmershouser
Wollmershouser was a student of Choi's, his bio says the highest ranking American ever taught by Choi. Active in the northeast U.S. There was a video series he put out in the 1980's that I've seen one or two of; cheap quality but excellent techniques shown, well worth getting if you can find them. He died some years ago of cancer.
Universal Hapkido Institute - Ik Hwan KIM
International Hapkido Federation - Bong Soo HAN
Han was a student of Ji's (starting 1958) and Choi's that claims Choi as his teacher. He was one of the first Hapkido instructors in the United States and is famous for the Billy Jack movies that gave Hapkido its first big visibility. He also appeared in Kentucky Fried Movie in perhaps the funniest MA related scenes ever filmed.
International Hapkido Federation - James Benko, Ph. D
International Combat HKD Federation - John Pelligrini. Pelligrini has the reputation of having taken out much of the Hapkido curriculum and primarily markets to martial artists of other styles, focusing on seminar training. It is my opinion and that of many others that this is a disservice to HKD, making it easy to get HKD rank and formenting a picture of it as an adjunct style rather than the complete martial art it is. I cannot speak to Pelligrini's skills not having met the man, seen him on the mat, or seen his videos ... but others I respect have been on the mat with him and were not impressed. For what it's worth, I started Hapkido before he did. My understanding is he was a TKD guy that did some seminars with Mike Wolmersouser and received an HONORARY 1st Dan black belt in Hapkido given at a seminar in 1988, then bounced around orgainization to organization doing seminars and jumping up in rank; emerging with an 6th Dan when he created the ICHF in 1992, and shortly thereafter getting an 8th Dan from In Sun SEO. I guess since he was able to gain rank quickly by seminars and changing organizations he's happy to do the same for others. For what it's worth, I tested for my 1st Dan in 1997, and I'm not yet eligible for 6th Dan by my and most organization's guidelines.
Lets end with some ones I KNOW are good:
United States Korean Martial Arts Federation - J.R. West. I've now been to several of Master West's seminars and was extremely impressed. His reputation as a superb Hapkido man is well-deserved. The integrity, openess, and skill of this man is amazing. Train with him if you ever get the chance. He puts on a big seminar every six months in Jackson, Mississippi that attracts a lot of major Hapkido people, and his organization involves no politics; simply helping people learn the art.
National Korean Martial Arts Association - Rudy Timmerman. Excellent reputation. GM Timmerman is a Kuk Sool and Kong Shin Bup person, a student of In Hyuk SUH and others. Based in Canada, his is another organization with a reputation for no politics and helping people learn.
International Hapkido Alliance - Geoff Booth. Master Booth is a student of GM Ji. I've hosted him now 5 or 6 times and it's always a great deal of fun, with superb Hapkido and keeping everyone smiling with his jokes. Master Booth has a DVD series out that are fantastic -- great techniques, very clear, extremely well done.
Q. Why do all these 10th Dan HKD Grandmasters who were Ji's students claim Choi as their teacher?
Korean martial artists traditionally study under multiple people and then claim one as their teacher, supposedly the one who most influenced them. So they could study for years under Ji, go to one seminar with Choi, and claim Choi (the more famous person) as their teacher. Ji was a very young man when he first started teaching -- almost all his students were older.
Another reason is that DJN Ji is a very creative individual and would teach whatever he felt like teaching that day. When an organization sets out specific requirements for rank for instance, if he didn't follow them or he promoted someone that hadn't met those specific requirements; it caused problems. He doesn't like doing the administrative work that is necessary to run a good organization. So he'd be involved in founding a HKD organization, then would delegate the admin details, eventually there'd be some disagreement on some detail or another, and he'd leave that organization to found another one.
And DJN admits to not being very likeable when young -- he didn't really mellow and begin using the Taoist theory he put into Sin Moo HKD until after his prison term.
Q. Prison term? What happened?
GM Ji was the head of the presidential bodyguards when President Chung Hee Park's wife was killed during an attempt on the President's life. Gm Ji was out of the country on R&R at the time. Gm Ji was not the head of the bodyguards when President Park was killed in 1979. The new head bodyguard was with President Park at that time and was also killed. The assassin was the head of the Korean CIA, i.e. someone within President Park's inner circle. But Ji resigned after the assasination anyway. When he became a civilian he joined the Min Jung Dang political party, and got involved with one of two rival groups inside the party. Ji started training some people from one group to protect President Doo-whan CHUN when he would visit party headquarters, and the leader of the other group reported to the president that secret training was going on to overthrow him. Ji received a 1-year prison term. During the term, he was unable to work out, but meditated a great deal, and when he got out started Sin Moo Hapkido.
Q. What's the difference between Sin Moo Hapkido and other kinds of Hapkido?
A. Technique wise, essentially none. Sin Moo Hapkido adds more mental and spiritual training, with more stress on meditation and how to live your life.
artyon: 
