Ken Corona Hwarangdo?

[glad2bhere]

Sorry, Guys. I guess that doesn't come across well. My point was not that anyone was self promoting and I mentioned it only to say that I would probably comment loudly were someone to do so. My point was that if Ken Corona is doing good things for his students and probably takes a retiring view of himself on the World stage I couldn't fault somebody tooting his horn FOR him. I think we need to get the word out when someone does good things for the arts. My issue with "self-promotion" is when school owners incite their students to "talk-up" a particular system in order to draw inexpensive publicity. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[HRD MA]

I understand you now Bruce. Good points. From what I see, and remember I live in AZ just down the street from the Ken Corona Dojan. Ken is doing what is necessary to have a thriving martial arts practice. As is my instructor. Cant fault anyone for that type of self promotion.

I never knew why there was a falling out between Ken and HRD headquarters. Maybe Bob can shed some light on that one.

 

[Bob D.]

Bruce, None of KJN Corona's direct students have posted on this site. Shesulsa is about 800 miles away and trains under one of KJN Corona's past students.

Patrick, KJN Corona's relationship with WHRDA is his business and his alone.
Frankly, You'll find out for yourself why most leave if your around long enough to get to blackbelt. No offence intended but I think you know what I'm saying.

Bob

 

[MichiganTKD]

Sorry, Guys. I guess that doesn't come across well. My point was not that anyone was self promoting and I mentioned it only to say that I would probably comment loudly were someone to do so. My point was that if Ken Corona is doing good things for his students and probably takes a retiring view of himself on the World stage I couldn't fault somebody tooting his horn FOR him. I think we need to get the word out when someone does good things for the arts. My issue with "self-promotion" is when school owners incite their students to "talk-up" a particular system in order to draw inexpensive publicity. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

Bruce,
Something that really grinds me is when someone posts a thread saying "This guy is really good. You should check him out" and conveniently has a link to some yahoo's website who just happens to have modeling photos of himself, questionable history, and biography including "wants to pursue acting."
Well said. I get tired of self promoting hacks or those who get their students to do it for them. One of the reasons I've never gone into detail about my own history unless someone asks. I know who I am. That's all I need.

 

[HRD MA]

Fair enough Bob. Everyone is pretty hush hush as to the falling out. Its too bad a business has become between two close friends such as Tim and Ken, but I guess that happens alot, I'm sure it has to be over money or something. In the mean time I'll respect the privacy. Doesnt changed the fact that Ken was a great HRD instructor and technician In the mean time, I'm training hard, enjoying HRD and will continue to support our organization.

 

[hwa_rang_do_adam]

my name is adam and this has nothing to do wit promotion, i have been a student of Master Ken Corona for about 2 weeks and I go there every week day from 3:00pm until 8:00pm to train and if he had the dojang open 24/7 I would live there, Master ken Corona is a great guy. Currently i am an orange belt, I dont know how long it usially takes to get from white belt to orange belt and know the kwon bop, ki bon kwan bup,nak bop,jok sul,hyung,and hoshin sul like the back of their hand. What in going for in this thread is that Master Ken Corona is a great Hwa Rang Do instructer


adam age 16
phoenix az

 

[C. G. Lopez]

Shesulsa,

This is to answer your original post. Yes, I Know Ken Corona very well and consider him a friend and teacher. I started training with him over eleven years ago and have grown tremendously as a person and a martial artist from the relationship. Ken is a very gifted Martial Artist and He is exceptionally giving with his knowledge.



C. G. Lopez

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Michigan TKD:

"....Something that really grinds me is when someone posts a thread saying "This guy is really good. You should check him out" and conveniently has a link to some yahoo's website who just happens to have modeling photos of himself, questionable history, and biography including "wants to pursue acting."......."

I think you worded it a little better (clearer?) than did I. The original question for this string seems to be getting answered by folks who have a lot of positive things to say about this particular individual and thats all to the good. Thanks for the assist.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[shesulsa]

Dear Michigan TKD:

"....Something that really grinds me is when someone posts a thread saying "This guy is really good. You should check him out" and conveniently has a link to some yahoo's website who just happens to have modeling photos of himself, questionable history, and biography including "wants to pursue acting."......."

I think you worded it a little better (clearer?) than did I. The original question for this string seems to be getting answered by folks who have a lot of positive things to say about this particular individual and thats all to the good. Thanks for the assist.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

Frankly, I still don't see how the very original question of this post has anything to do with promotion at all - the question that started the thread was:

Has anyone here heard of / worked with / learned from Ken Corona in Arizona?

To be clear: Neither Master Corona nor any of his students asked me nor urged me nor even suggested that I post this question to the board.

I have not once stated that everyone should just quit their style and flock to Arizona, and I didn't even state my opinion of him as a martial artist or teacher. As I stated before, my opinion of Master Corona is what counts to me and his ability speaks for itself - there is no need to promote him here. Others have done so and that's fine - I'm glad to know a couple of people I have met post to the board here which was one reason the original question was posted in the first place.

The original intent was also to discuss what's going on with his schools and other martial arts in Arizona, however, I no longer believe I wish to discuss this on this board due to the negative reaction I received simply by posting a name and receiving the accusation of promotion or self-promotion or whatever.

Not to be rude, but - jeez.

Thank you to Mr. Lopez for posting and to Mr. Donnelly for the same and for the watchful eye.

Regards

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear She-sulsa:

Its quite possible that you may not have been keeping up on current events. In that outside chance please allow me to share a bit of information you have missed.

The Korean MA, for not a few generations has suffered, in the most real sense, defamation by Japanese nationalists, exploitation by commercial entities, corruption by their own leadership, misrepresentation by instructors, dereliction by practitioners, apathy by the Korean people and not a little mean-spiritedness and small-mindedness by people who should know better. From the tone of your post its readily apparent that you recognize over-reaction when you see it and just like you I don't care for it much myself. However I think I can be forgiven for being a little protective of the KMA given my investment of time and energy to a system which has brought me much and which I will never fully repay.

While I am at this please let me also say that whenever these issues crop up, whether it is self-promotion, blatant self-agrandizement, fraud or misrepresentation I have yet to see anyone own, up-front, that is what they are doing. The behaviors I am identifying are usually recognized, but typically only as something that "the other guy" is doing.

Lastly, please let me say that as a researcher and teacher I do my best to sit quietly while one newbie after another asks the same questions, posits the same opinions and raises the same issues for the umpteenth time. I bite my lip when more interesting or challenging material is ignored in favor of yet one more discussion of Bruce Lee, Van Damme or Jackie Chan. I wince quietly while yet one more unsubstantiated oral tradition is represented as truth while basic history stands in flat contradiction.

Now, if you can appreciate half of what I have just pressed into these last three paragraphes perhaps you might understand that actually Ken Corona is most probably #93 on my list of the "85 Most IMportant People To Give a Care About" and that people like me suffer quietly while strings like this represent standard fare on Nets such as this. Having said that I would politiely ask you to do you best to offer some finer material for discussion in the better interests of KMA or accept that when my "lame-ometer" gets pegged I will do something to raise the quality of the exchange myself. Fair enough?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[Bob D.]

Ken Corona is most probably #93 on my list of the "85 Most IMportant People To Give a Care About" and that people like me suffer quietly while strings like this represent standard fare on Nets such as this. Having said that I would politiely ask you to do you best to offer some finer material for discussion in the better interests of KMA or accept that when my "lame-ometer" gets pegged I will do something to raise the quality of the exchange myself. Fair enough?

Bruce, What the hell are you blathering about? I don't see "moderator" next to your name and who elected you to police KMA's? Your in a pea size town NW of Chicago, what do you know about what's going on in Korean MA's in the rest of the country? In Southern California there are Korean MA schools within spitting distance of each other with every Korean owned one telling thier own story!
KJN Corona may not be on you "list" but he very well should be. He's more knowledgable and skillfull then 80% of the Korean "Masters" I run into. If people want to talk about him on this site thats great. People should be able to talk about anything they want in regards to MA's on a MA forum no?
Bob

 

[Bob D.]

BTW Bruce, You failed miserably "to raise the quality of the exchange myself"!
Bob

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Bob:

Yes, of course you are very right. And since this is the second time that you have found it necessary to be affrontive while I was careful not to be affrontive perhaps it would be much better if we terminated this exchange. I am not sure what the size of the town I teach in has to do with anything, nor am I all that convinced that Ken Corona is all that better or worse than anyone else. And you are very right, noone died and left me to police the Korean Martial Arts. If I gauge my internal environment at all correctly I think I was exercizing my right to express my concern over the nature and themes of this particular string. I am very sorry my view does not coincide with yours. I also apologize for disrupting "business as usual" by expressing an opinion at odds with what the majority apparently is comfortable enjoying. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[shesulsa]

Dear Bruce,

Thanks for your reply. I would like for you to know that, although I am still rather green I am not unaware of the state of opinion on KMA and how they have suffered. I appreciate your willingness to protect and nurture KMA and it would be very nice, in my opinion if the KMA community could come together rather than continuing the in-fighting saga it is so well-known for. However, that lofty idea may never come to pass if we each treat KMA as our baby and no one else's.

Further, if a thread is much too basic to tickle your grey matter, then with all due respect, feel free to do as I do - leave it alone. I love my right to simply pass over all the discussion on Van Damme and Chan or to scan the threads and refrain from reply or contribution unless I REALLY think I MIGHT be able to contribute something constructive to the thread. Now, I don't ALWAYS achieve that, but I try to.

That said, if this thread hits your "lame-ometer" then that's too bad and it's a pity that my attempt at opening conversation on KMA in Arizona and, specifically, Master Corona's schools is squashed due to your lack of interest.

And I still fail to see any self-aggrandizement here except for - well - nevermind.

Regards

 

[Bob D.]

Bruce, You still insist there is some sort of "promotion" going on. Please show me! And yes I'm being "affrontive", you just got through basically saying you don't give a rats *** about someone I care about immensely and you don't think it OK to discuss him.
Walk on by my friend. Don't look. Switch the channel.
Don't tell me what subject you think is OK to post or not.
I did not ask that your opinion coincide with mine, just that you don't interject an issue that is not on this thread. You are still implying there is some sort of evil conspiracy on this thread....WTF!!!
Bob

 

[HRD MA]

While I do not agree with the teaching of HRD outside of our organization, it is true that Ken Corona is a talented MA, and instructor. Unfortunately, any rank obtained from his school is not recognized except from within his school. Which maybe enough for some. It certainly doesnt diminish the technique and or skill level of the instructor or student.

AZ is also getting over loaded with MA Schools. There is now one on every corner. Fortunately (not for the students), most fail. Everywhere you look there is "Toms TKD" or "Jims Kung Fu."

I drove by the Corona MA School yesterday and it looks like everything is well. Hopefully Ken can make a go of it at this location.

 

[Bob D.]

QUOTE:"While I do not agree with the teaching of HRD outside of our organization".....
"Unfortunately, any rank obtained from his school is not recognized except from within his school"

Patrick, Recognized by whom? Why don't you visit Mr. Lopez's school down in Mesa and tell him how you don't recognize his rank, then let me know if you think he cares. You say wisely that "It certainly doesnt diminish the technique and or skill level of the instructor or student" and then you spout off cultish rhetoric. HRD is about 75% Choi Hapkido or whatever you want to call it. JBL and his contemporaries all left their "Master" and started their own styles. Why was it OK for them? "....Teaching outside of our organization"? Thats just silly.
There are probably less WHRDA schools in the country then you have fingers. Take away GM Yum's schools on the East coast and you could count them on one hand. Thirty or so years ago, Suh, In hyuk invented his Kook Sul Won around the same time Lee, Joo Bang invented his HRD. Suh has hundreds of Kook Sul won schools under him. What that means I'll leave for you to figure out. I know why it is.
It's the art that matters. Whether you choose Tim, Joe or whoever it's the art, not the man or club.
JMHO, Bob

 

[HRD MA]

Thats Correct Bob. I would not recognize any HRD rank that is not approved by our organization. But like you said, I'm sure very few would care.

Taking in account my background you will find that I will always show loyalty to the organization I choose to be a part of. I was a US Marine and Police Officer. Both of which I show fierce loyalty. Is the US Marine Corps a cult because they expect a certain behavior? Without any questions asked? Dont think so.

The WHRD organization demands certain loyalties and it is a choice to adhere to or not, that simple. I choose to honor those loyalties. The word "cult" is an exaggeration by those who did not agree with those loyalties and decided to drop out. No biggie

I'm sure there are other systems that have organizations that could be considered "cults" by those that dont agree with that organization.

Sorry Bob, there is no talent throwing the word "cult" around. Its a very "attention getting" word.

If Mr. Lopez trained under Ken, I'm sure he is a talented martial artist.

 

[shesulsa]

I just wanted to state that this thread was not intended to begin a loyalty war nor to discuss WHRDA and non-WHRDA politics, and that I will refrain from discussing these types of things on this thread as they are none of my business.

Regards

 

[Bob D.]

Websters: Cult, .......2. devoted attachment to a person, principle, etc.

It's an accurate word, like it or not.
I hope your not comparing WHRDA to the US Marines?
Loyalty is not the issue. But this is not the place to carry on this conversation.
Regards, Bob