Hapkido is a hybrid Korean martial art. It is a form of self-defense that employs joint locks, grappling, throwing techniques, kicks, punches, and other striking attacks. It also teaches the use of traditional weapons, including knife, sword, rope, nunchaku, cane, short stick, and middle-length staff, gun, and bō (Japanese), which vary in emphasis depending on the particular tradition examined.
The Korea Hapkido Federation is the largest, wholly hapkido, governing body for the Korean martial art of hapkido in the world. It is made up of predominantly Korean born students and instructors or those individuals who have directly trained in South Korea. This organization is based in Seoul, South Korea and its president is Oh Se-Lim.
Sin Moo Hapkido is a martial art that combines "hard" and "soft" techniques. From a purely technical perspective, it is very closely related to its parent art, Traditional Hapkido, though it places more emphasis on meditative, philosophical, and Ki development training. Hapkido is often translated as “the way of coordinating power,” which places emphasis on the physical techniques that Hapkido is often known for. However, the founder of Sin Moo Hapkido, Ji Han-jae, has landed on a different understanding of the term. Hap means bringing together, gathering, or harmonizing. “Ki” is the energy or breath in the body that connects the mind and the body, and "Do" is the process or way this happens. Thus, his definition of Hapkido is, “The way of harmonizing the mind and body through the utilization of ki.” Sin means "higher mind or higher spirit," and "Moo" means "martial art."
Ji Han-jae is a South Korean hapkido instructor known as the founder of Sin Moo Hapkido. He appeared in the 1972 film Game of Death starring Bruce Lee.
Choi Yong-sool, alternative spelling Choi Yong-sul, was the founder of the martial art Hapkido. He was born in today's Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea, and was taken to Japan during the Japanese occupation of Korea when he was eight years old. Choi later stated that he became a student of Takeda Sōkaku, and studied a form of jujutsu known as Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu (大東流合気柔術) while in Japan. Choi returned to Korea after the end of World War II and in 1948 began teaching his art at a brewery owned by the father of his first student Seo Bok-seob. He first called his art "Yu Sul (Korean: 유술)" or "Yawara " later changing it to "Yu Kwon Sool " and "Hap Ki Yu Kwon Sool " and eventually Hapkido.
Han Bong-soo, also known as Bong-soo Han, was a Korean martial artist, author, and the founder of the International Hapkido Federation. He was one of the foremost and recognized practitioners of hapkido through his participation in books, magazine articles, and popular films featuring the martial art. He is often referred to as the "Father of Hapkido" in America.
Chung Do Kwan, created by Won Kuk Lee in 1944, is one of the first of nine schools or kwan teaching Tang Soo Do. Later, the school began to teach what came to be known as taekwondo. This style of Tang Soo Do is known for its overall power and emphasis on kicks to the head.
Kwan in Korean literally means building or hall, but when used in martial arts it can also refer to a school or clan of martial artists who follow the same style and/or leader.
Hwang In-shik is a Korean actor and hapkido teacher. He is known for his work in various Hong Kong martial arts films such as Bruce Lee's Way of the Dragon, Jackie Chan's The Young Master and Angela Mao's Hapkido. He was awarded a 10th degree black belt, the highest rank possible in the art, by the World Hapkido Association.
Myung Kwang-sik was an early Korean hapkido practitioner and a pioneer of the art, first in Korea and then in the United States. He was the second student of Ji Han Jae's school in Ma Jang Dong, Seoul. He formed the first worldwide organization for hapkido, the World Hapkido Federation, and wrote comprehensive books on the art.
Kim Yoon-sang (Korean: 김윤상; was the most senior of students of the founder of hapkido, Choi Yong-sool, from the hapkido founder's latter years. He is the notable Korean martial artist as the founder of Hapki yusul.
Kwon Tae-man was an early Korean hapkido practitioner and a pioneer of the art, first in Korea and then in the United States. He formed one of the earliest dojang's for hapkido in the United States in Torrance, California, and has been featured in many magazine articles promoting the art.
Oh Se-Lim (Korean: 오세림) was an early Korean hapkido practitioner and a pioneer of the art. He had been the president of the Korea Hapkido Federation for 18 years.
Won Kwang-hwa was one of the earliest students of Korean hapkido under the founder of the art Choi Yong-sool and Seo Bok-seob. He was a pioneer of the art opening one of the first schools for the art in Seoul, the Moo Sul Kwan.
Seo Bok-seob was the first student to study under hapkido founder Choi Yong-sool, with whom he founded the art's first school, the Daehan Hapki Yu Kwon Sool dojang in Daegu, Korea. Moving to Seoul he later became a professor of East Asian medicine and worked for a time at Kyung Hee University.
Hapkidowon (Hangul:합기도원),also known as World Hapkido Headquarters, and Foundation of the World Hapkido, was founded by Hong Sik Myung in 1981 in the US state of Michigan. Hapkidowon is the center of Hapkido instructor education, issues official instructor Dan and certifications, provides seminars and leads and guides the Hapkido organization and school. Hapkidowon trains leaders of the art on sound mind, body and spirit in accordance with the principles of Hapkido. Hapkidowon focuses on unity and the interests of Hapkido artists. Hapkidowon rewards those who contribute to the improvement of the art, the community and Hapkidowon itself.
Son Duk-sung was a martial artist, Grand Master, 9th degree black belt, co-founder of the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do, successor of Lee Won-kuk and leader of the Chung Do Kwan school (1950–1959). He was also the chief Instructor of the South Korean Army and the Eighth U.S. Army, founder and president of the World Tae Kwon Do Association and author of the books "Korean Karate, the Art of Tae Kwon Do” and “Black Belt Korean Karate ".
Lee Won-kuk was a South Korean martial artist, who founded Chung Do Kwan. He introduced karate to Korea in 1944, creating his own style known as Tang Soo Do Chung Do Kwan style, which became Taekwondo as of 1955; instilling a profound influence in this martial art through teaching future masters and authoring the book “Tae Kwon Do handbook“ in 1968.
Sun-hwan Chung, also known as James Sun-hwan Chung, is one of the highest-ranking Tang Soo Do, Hapkido, and taekwondo grandmasters in the world. He is founder of the Moo Sool Do form of martial arts and is president of the World Academy of Martial Arts, LLC.
Kim Yun-sik is a South Korean hapkido and taekwondo instructor. He was born in Seoul, Korea in 1943. He is one of the highest ranking hapkido and taekwondo instructors in the world and founder of Bum Moo Kwan Hapkido.