Editing Hapkido (section)

== History and major figures from Korea ==
The birth of modern hapkido can be traced to the efforts of a group of Korean nationals in the post-Japanese colonial period of Korea: [[Choi Yong-sool]] (최용술) (1904–1986) and his most prominent students; Chinil Chang, his personally chosen successor, Seo Bok-Seob, the first student of the art; [[Ji Han-jae]] (born 1936), one of the earliest promoters of the art; [[Jung Hwan Park]], a long time student of Choi; [[Kim Moo-hong]], a major innovator; [[Myung Jae-nam]], a connector between the art of hapkido and aikido; and [[Myung Kwang-sik]] the historian and ambassador, all of whom were direct students of Choi or of his immediate students.<ref name=segye>{{cite web|url=http://www.segye.com/Articles/NEWS/CULTURE/Article.asp?aid=20100216002847&subctg1=&subctg2= |title=[박정진의 무맥&#93; (24) 일본에서 다시 돌아온 화랑무예 합기도|date=16 February 2010 |publisher=[[Segye Ilbo]] |access-date=2015-10-28}}</ref><ref name="mookas1028" />

=== Choi Yong-sool ===
{{Main|Choi Yong-sool}}
[[File:Choi Yong-sool portrait 888.jpg|thumb|right|Master Choi Yong-sool (c.&nbsp;1954)]]

Choi Yong-sool (최용술)'s <ref name="Choi Yong-sul">{{cite web|title=Choi Yong-sul|url=https://www.ushapkido.com/choiyong.htm}}</ref> training in martial arts is a subject of contention. It is known that Choi was sent to [[Japan]] as a young boy and returned to [[Korea]] with techniques characteristic of [[Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu]], a forerunner of aikido.

The subsequent history is quite controversial in Daitō-ryū circles but is claimed by many contemporary hapkido-ists and is attributed to Choi in an interview that took place during a trip Choi made to the [[United States]] in 1980 to visit his direct lineage successor Chin-il Chang in New York City.<ref name="rimshapkido.com">{{cite web
 |last=Sheya 
 |first=Joseph K. 
 |title=Historical Interview: Hapkido Grandmaster Choi, Yong-sool (1904–1986) 
 |publisher=Rim's Hapkido 
 |year=1982 
 |url=http://www.rimshapkido.com/ysc.html 
 |access-date=2007-03-17 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403060400/http://www.rimshapkido.com/ysc.html 
 |archive-date=2007-04-03 
}}</ref> In the interview with Chin-il Chang, Choi claimed to have been adopted by [[Takeda Sōkaku]] when he was 11 years old and to have been given the [[Japanese language|Japanese]] name Yoshida Asao. He claims to have been taken to Takeda's home and [[dojo]] in [[Akita Prefecture|Akita]] on Shin Shu mountain where he lived and trained with the master for 30 years. The interview also asserts that he travelled with him as a teaching assistant, that he was employed to catch war deserters and that he was the only student to have a complete understanding of the system taught by Takeda.<ref name="rimshapkido.com"/>

This is contradicted by other claims asserting that Choi was simply a worker in the home of Takeda. The meticulous enrollment and fee records of Tokimune Takeda, Takeda's eldest son and Daitō-ryū's successor, do not seem to include Choi's name among them. Therefore, except for claims made by Choi himself, there is little evidence that Choi was the adopted son of Takeda. Kondo Katsuyuki (current head of the mainline Daito Ryu) has however released a page from Takeda Sokaku's eimeiroku that contains Choi Yong-sul's name.<ref name="join-usama.com">[http://www.join-usama.com/blog/confirmation-of-hapkidos-connection-to-daito-ryu Hapkido's Connection to Daito Ryu confirmed]</ref>

[[File:Takeda Sokaku.jpg|thumb|200px|Retouched photograph of the master of Daito Ryu Aiki-jujutsu [[Takeda Sōkaku]] (c.&nbsp;1888)]]

[[Stanley Pranin]], then of Aiki News and now editor of the Aikidojournal.com, asked [[Kisshomaru Ueshiba]] about Choi Yong-sool and hapkido:

{{Centered pull quote|'''On another subject, it is true that a Korean named "Choi" who founded hapkido studied aikido or Daito-ryu?'''
I don't know what art it was but I understand that there was a young Korean of about 17 or 18 who participated in a seminar of Sokaku Takeda Sensei held in [[Asahikawa|Asahikawa City]] in [[Hokkaidō]]. It seems that he studied the art together with [[Morihei Ueshiba|my father]] and would refer to him as his "senior".

'''If that's the case the art must have been Daito-ryu.'''

I've heard that this man who studied Daito-ryu had some contact with my father after that. Then he returned to Korea and began teaching Daito-ryu on a modest scale. The art gradually became popular and many Koreans trained with him. Since aikido became popular in Japan he called his art hapkido [written in Korean with the same characters as aikido]. Then the art split into many schools before anyone realized it. This is what my father told me. I once received a letter from this teacher after my father's death.<ref>{{cite journal
 |last=Pranin 
 |first=Stanley 
 |title=Interview with Kisshomaru Ueshiba: The Early Days of Aikido 
 |journal=Aiki News 
 |volume=77 
 |date=April 1988 
 |url=http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=445 
 |access-date=2006-12-03 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060704102544/http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=445 
 |archive-date=2006-07-04 
}}</ref>}}

While Kondo Katsuyuki has released documentation from Takeda Sokaku's eimeiroku that confirms that Choi Yong-sul did in fact study with him for a short time, some scholars believe it is likely that Choi received most of his training in Daito Ryu from [[Kōtarō Yoshida (martial artist)|Yoshida Kotaro]].<ref name="join-usama.com"/>

Choi Yong-sool's first student, and the man whom some claim helped him develop the art of hapkido was Seo Bok-seob, a Korean [[judo]] black belt when they met. Some of Choi's other respected senior students are: Chinil Chang, Lim Hyun-soo, Ji Han-Jae, Chung Kee-tae, Kim Moo-hong, and arguably [https://lady.khan.co.kr/issue/article/5614 Suh In-hyuk] ({{Korean|서인혁}}) and Lee Joo-bang ({{Korean|이주방}}) who went on to form the arts of [[Kuk Sool Won]] and modern [[Hwa Rang Do]] respectively (though some argue that their training stems from time spent training under Kim Moo-hong).

=== Chang (Jang) In-mok  ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2024}}
[[File:Dr. Chang In Mok.png|thumb|Grand Patriarch Dr. Chang In-mok (1960)]]

Grand Patriarch Jang In-mok (born 15 August 1912) of Daegu, who also trained under Takeda Sokaku's lineage, returned to Daegu in 1945 like Grand Patriarch Choi Yong-sul. He was a doctor of Oriental medicine and taught aikijitsu as hapkido. Jang learned Dae Dong Ryu Yu Sul Hapkido from his teachers Masuta Yutaka and [[Takeda Sōkaku|Takeda Sokaku]] in Japan. Choi Yong-sool trained many students but Jang only trained a few. Jang's notable students included Han-young Choi (Chun Ki Do), Jang Seeung-ho, Song Joon-hwi, Hu Il-wong (teacher of Peter and Joseph Kim) and Song Il-hun. He introduced the Dae Don Ryu Sul system to Korea in 1960. He first learned martial arts in Japan in September 1928 with Daito-ryu Jujitsu and received his certificate in 1935 from Yutaka, a student of Sodaku.

=== Han-young Choi ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2024}}
[[File:Han-young Choi 1980.jpg|thumb|Grand Master Han-young Choi in his first gym in El Paso (1980)]]

Kwang Jang Nim Han-young Choi was born in Kyongkido, Korea December 11, 1935. He began his formal martial arts training at the age of four, instructed by his father (Chun-san Choi) and his uncle (Man-san Choi), in 1939 to learn his family's martial arts system, a system based on stepping, spinning, and jumping. The founder of [https://www.unsere-luftwaffe.com/https/-/www-chunkido-de10/ Chun Ki Do Hapkido] Grand Master Han-young Choi learned also [[Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo|Taekwondo Mudokwan]] under Grandmaster Hwang Kee [[Hwang Kee|Hwang Ki]] and was also a top student and pioneer of Taekwondo in Korea. Choi, Han-young Choi, was the first student of [https://www.unsere-luftwaffe.com/https/-/www-chunkido-de5/ Dr. Chang In-mok's] [[Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu|Dae Dong Ryu Yu Sul]] system in Seoul. His martial arts are based on stepping techniques (triangle step, cross step, skip step), turning and jumping. His early years of formal training at a Buddhist monastery in Kyongi do, where he learned meditation, breathing, and application into the physical world. Hounslow (developed into modern hapkido) – joint manipulation from Grandmaster Chang In Mok. Grandmaster Chang has the same training and lineage as Grandmaster Choi Yong-sul...both brought what is now known as hapkido to Korea from Japan, except Grandmaster Choi commercialized it and Grandmaster Chang did not. Grandmaster Chang focused on oriental medicine and acupuncture. He Choi learned acupuncture and pressure points from him. Before he founded the World Chun Ki Association, he belonged to the Daehan Hapkido association and Kuk Sool Won Association. One of his best friends was Suh In-hyuk's older brother, and he asked Grandmaster Choi to help spread Kuk Sool Won in Seoul. In the old days, they spread martial arts by fighting the owner of the neighbourhood schools. Then taking them over and changing the names and techniques. One school at a time, he went neighbourhood by neighbourhood, fighting school owners and taking over schools in the name of Kuk Sool Won. Then he moved to the U.S. and after getting fed up with the politics of Daehan and Kuk Sool Won, he quit and founded the World Chun Ki Do Association.

Choi, Han-young, was also a pioneer of the Taekwondo Han Moo Kwan system. He held the number one Black Belt certificate from the Han Moo Kwan. Choi, after he had studied for three years under Dr. Chang In-mok, moved to Seoul and began to teach Dae Dong Ryu Yu Sul. But he joined the Kuk Sool organization and taught Dae Dong Ryu Sul under the Kuk Sool name. One of his best friends was Suh In-hyuk's older brother, and he asked Choi to help spread Kuk Sool Won in Seoul. He also has been belonged to the Daehan Hapkido association. In 1972, Choi Han-young immigrated to the United States and moved to El Paso, Texas. He created his own system called Choi's Martial Arts, and later in the 90s, he renamed it to Chun Ki (Heavenly Power). It was his ambition to acquire do so that Chun Ki Do become accepted as a new style, and he achieves tenth-degree black belt status. Grandmaster's goal was to develop his own martial art to reach the 10th-degree black belt. So Chun Ki was born. It took a long time and a lot of work to add the long-dreamed-of Do, and Chun Ki Do gain worldwide recognition in the line of hapkido. As a new style in the colour hapkido world as its own style, Grand Master Han-young Choi was awarded the title of Grand Patriarch, the founder of Chun Ki Do Hapkido. He has trained over 50,000 students in Asia, Europe, and America and is respected by many as one of the few remaining original Hapkido Grandmasters. His belt examination program is methodical and didactically structured, all techniques are explained in simple steps and easy for everyone to understand. With his 15 hand levers, his bring techniques to the man are unique in martial arts. A few of the notable students were: His son Sam Choi, Daniel Ray Walker, and Roman Nikolaus Urban who founded the Chun Ki Do Association in [https://www.unsere-luftwaffe.com/https/-/www-chunkido-de13/ Africa] and [https://www.unsere-luftwaffe.com/https/-/www-chunkido-de21/ Europe], Jaeshin Cho his Nephew and Gregory Jump His first Top-student.

=== Seo Bok-seob ===
{{Main|Seo Bok-seob}}

Choi's first student and the first person known to have opened up a dojang under Choi was Seo Bok-seob (서복섭, also spelled Suh Bok-sup).<ref name=segye/>

In 1948, when Seo Bok-sub was still in his early 20s, he had already earned his black belt in [[judo]] and was a graduate of Korea University. After watching Choi Yong-sool successfully defend himself against a group of men when an argument erupted in the yard of the Seo Brewery Company, Seo who was son of the chairman of the company, invited Choi to begin teaching martial arts to him and some workers at the distillery where he had prepared a dojang.<ref name = "Hapkido Bible"/>

In 1951, Seo opened up the first proper dojang called the "Daehan Hapki Yukwonsool Dojang (대한합기유권술도장)". Seo also incorporated many of judo's throws and ground work techniques to the teachings of master Choi. The first symbol for hapkido was designed by Seo, which was used to denote the art was the inverted arrowhead design featured in both the modern incarnation of the KiDo Association and by Myung Kwang-Sik's World Hapkido Federation. Choi Yong-sool was also employed during this time as a bodyguard to Seo's father who was a congressman. Seo and Choi agreed to shorten the name of the art from 'hapki yu kwon sool' to 'hapkido' in 1959.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Wollmershauser|first=Mike|year=1996|title=The Beginning of Hapkido; An Interview with Hapkido Master Seo Bok-Seob|journal=[[Taekwondo Times]]|volume=16|issue=8|editor=Eric Hentz}}</ref>

===Ji Han-jae===
{{Main|Ji Han-jae}}
[[File:Ji Han Jae et Choi Young Sool.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Grand Master Ji Han-jae (left) and Hapkido founder Choi Yong-sul (right).]]

Ji Han-jae (지한재) was undoubtedly the prime mover in the art of Korean hapkido. It is due to his physical skills, technical contributions, promotional efforts and political connections as head hapkido instructor to the presidential body guard under Korean President [[Park Chung Hee|Park Chung-hee]] that hapkido became popularized, first within Korea and then internationally.

If the martial art education of Choi Yong-sool is unconfirmed, the same must be said for martial art history of Ji Han-jae's training, apart from his time as a student of Choi. Ji was an early student (Dan #14) of Choi. He details that prior to opening his martial art school in [[Seoul]], the Sung Moo Kwan (성무관), he also supposedly studied from a man known as 'Taoist Lee' and an old woman he knew as 'Grandma'.<ref name=segye/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://taekwondo.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/01/12/2010011201527.html |title=태권도조선 – 태권도 전문 온라인 미디어 |publisher=Taekwondo.chosun.com |access-date=2015-10-28}}</ref>

As a teacher of hapkido, Ji incorporated traditional Korean kicking techniques (from Taoist Lee and the art Sam Rang Do Tek Gi) and [[Punch (strike)|punching]] techniques into the system and gave the resulting synthesis the name hapkido in 1957.

Although a founding member of the Korea Kido Association (대한기도회) in 1963 with Choi Yong-sool as titular chairman and Kim Jeong-yoon as Secretary General and Head Instructor for the association, Ji found himself not able to exert as much control over the organization as he might have wished. To this end and with the support of the Head of the Security Forces, Park Jong-kyu, Ji founded the very successful [[Korea Hapkido Association]] (대한 합기도 협회) in 1965.<ref name="Hapkido Bible"/>

Later, when this organization combined with the organizations founded by Myung Jae-nam (Korea Hapki Association/한국 합기회) and Kim Moo-Hong (Korean Hapkido Association/한국 합기도 협회) in 1973, they became the very extensive and influential organization known as the Republic of Korea Hapkido Association (대한민국 합기도 협회).

In 1984, after being released from prison for fraud, Ji moved first to [[Germany]] and then to the [[United States]], and founded [[Sin Moo Hapkido]] (신무 합기도), which incorporates philosophical tenets, a specific series of techniques (including kicks) and healing techniques into the art. Three of Ji Han-jae's notable students in Korea were [[Kwon Tae-man]] (권태만), [[Myung Jae-nam]] (명재남) and Chang Young-shil (장영실) who is the current president of the International Hapkido Federation. Ji can be seen in the films ''[[Hapkido (film)|Lady Kung-fu]]'' and ''[[Game of Death]]'' in which he takes part in a long fight scene against [[Bruce Lee]].

After the death of Choi Yong-sool in 1986, Ji came forward with the assertion that it was he who founded the Korean art of hapkido, asserting that Choi Yong-sool taught only [[yawara]] based skills and that it was he who added much of the kicking and weapon techniques we now associate with modern hapkido. The reality being that Grandmaster Choi Yong-sool taught him little of the original art and higher level techniques so he fabricated a new system on his own terms.<ref>Corcoran, John. ''Inside Taekwondo''. Vol.1, No.1. Feb. 1992. Article by James Dolmage ''Hapkido Grandmaster Ji Han-Jae Reveals the Truth; The Beauty and the Benefits of Hapkido'' CFW Enterprises. Burbank, USA. 1991.</ref> He also asserted that it was he who first used the term 'hapkido' to refer to the art. While both claims are contested by some of the other senior teachers of the art,<ref>According to published works by Seo Bok-Seob, [[Han Bong-Soo]], [[Myung Kwang-Sik]], Kim Jong-Seong, Jeong Kee-Tae, Spear, Robert K., etc.</ref> what is not contested is the undeniably huge contributions made by Ji to the art, its systematization and its promotion worldwide.

===Chang Chin-il===
{{Gallery
|title=Chang Chinil Hapkido 2nd Doju Ceremony
|width=250
|height=320
|align=center
|File:Hapkido 2nd Doju Chang, Chin Il and JUNGKIKWAN GM Lim, Hyun Soo.jpg|Photos courtesy of cchapkido.com
|File:Hapkido 2nd Doju Chang, Chin Il and JUNGKIKWAN GM Lim, Hyun Soo 2.jpg| 
|File:Hapkido 2nd Doju Chang, Chin Il and JUNGKIKWAN GM Lim, Hyun Soo 3.jpg|
}}

A direct student of Choi, '''Chin-il Chang''' (장진일) inherited the title of Doju in Choi's personal and complete system of hapkido on January 15, 1985, becoming the second direct lineage Grandmaster.<ref name="Hidden Masters of the Martial Arts">{{cite book|last1=Giordano|first1=Vincent|title=Hidden Masters of the Martial Arts|date=2003|publisher=Unpublished manuscript|location=New York City}}</ref>

On April 5, 1985, Choi personally awarded Chang with the title of Doju (Keeper of the way).<ref name="Hidden Masters of the Martial Arts" /><ref name="Interview with Doju Chin-il Chang" /> Chang also had the privilege and honor of being the first hapkido master awarded the 9th Dan certificate by Choi in 1980.<ref name="Hidden Masters of the Martial Arts" />

A large inauguration ceremony followed on April 11, 1985. The historic event was covered and documented by Korea Sports News and MBC Korean Television. Choi Young-sool, Chang, and Choi's son, the late Choi Bok-yeol, were in attendance.<ref name="Interview with Doju Chin-il Chang">{{cite book|last1=Giordano|first1=Vincent|title=Interview with Doju Chin-il Chang|date=May 12, 2006|publisher=Personal interview|location=New York City}}</ref><ref name="Chang Interview 02/02/13">{{cite book|last1=Giordano|first1=Vincent|title=Interview with Doju Chin-il Chang|date=February 1, 2013|publisher=Personal interview|location=New York City}}</ref> Choi left the full documentation and recordings of the system to Chang, who continued to research and document the full history and development of hapkido.<ref name="Interview with Doju Chinil Chang">{{cite book|last1=Giordano|first1=Vincent|title=Interview with Doju Chinil Chang|date=May 12, 2006|publisher=Personal interview|location=New York City}}</ref>

Furthermore, the future Grandmaster, who was a personally trained, closed-door disciple of Choi, was given Letter of Appointment certificates, the second dated December 1, 1977, and the third dated March 5, 1980. This gave Chang more progressive power and authority in Choi's Hapkido Association.<ref name="Chang Interview 02/02/13" /> These specific certificates, along with his 9th Dan ranking in 1980, and Doju title in 1985, amply demonstrate that Choi was grooming Chang to be the future Grandmaster of Hapkido.<ref name="Hidden Masters of the Martial Arts" />

Chang's intimate video interview(one of several over decades) with his teacher Doju Choi during his visit to New York City has been abused through numerous interpretations and translations.<ref>{{cite web|title=Posthumously Released Interview with Choi Yong-sool |url=http://www.mynextbelt.com/historical-interview-with-choi-yong-sul/ |publisher=Mynextbelt.com |access-date=2015-10-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218005211/http://www.mynextbelt.com/historical-interview-with-choi-yong-sul/ |archive-date=2015-02-18 }}</ref> Some have even claimed erroneously to have conducted the interview themselves, further clouding and distorting the truth and gravity inherent in the interview.<ref name="Birth of Hapkido">{{cite journal|last1=Jong bae|first1=Rim|last2=Sheya|first2=Joe|last3=Burke|first3=Mike|date=June 1999|title=Birth of Hapkido: Founder Choi Yong-sul Reveals the Truth About the Art's Origin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rs8DAAAAMBAJ|journal=[[Black Belt Magazine]]|publisher=[[Active Interest Media]]|pages=130–139}}</ref> These endless distortions were generally rebutted in various media each time they appeared.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Giordano|first1=Vincent|date=August 1999|title=Hapkido History Heresy?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t84DAAAAMBAJ|journal=[[Black Belt Magazine]]|publisher=Active Interest Media|page=43}}</ref>

Doju Chang continues to teach in New York City after decades of maintaining a commercial school, as well as a stint teaching hapkido at the United Nations. He currently teaches a small group in NYC dedicated to the preservation of hapkido.<ref name="Chang Interview 02/02/13" /> Many detractors have spread endless conjecture about him. One lineage created further controversy by stating Choi passed the system to his only son, Choi Bok-yeol, which is incorrect, misleading, and insulting to the legacy and wishes of Choi.<ref name="The late Choi Bok-yoel as second successor of Hapkido">{{cite web|title=The late Choi Bok-yoel as second successor of Hapkido|url=http://www.hapkiyusul.com/eng/m2.htm|publisher=Hapkiyusul.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628154815/http://www.hapkiyusul.com/eng/m2.htm|archive-date=June 28, 2017|access-date=2015-10-28}}</ref><ref name="Kim Yung-sang as third successor of Hapkido">{{cite web|title=Kim Yung-sang as third successor of Hapkido|url=http://www.hapkiyusul.com/eng/m3.htm|publisher=Hapkiyusul.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628153903/http://www.hapkiyusul.com/eng/m3.htm|archive-date=June 28, 2017|access-date=2015-10-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Restall|first1=Barry|title=Young Sul Kwan: History of the Korean Hapkido Hapkiyusul Headquarters|journal=Tae Kwon Do Times|date=November 2006|pages=24–28}}</ref> [[Black Belt Magazine]], respecting Chin-il Chang as the second lineage successor, asked him to write a brief obituary on Choi that appeared in the April 1987 issue.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Chang|first1=Chinil|date=April 1987|title=Hapkido Founder Choi Passes On|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5NoDAAAAMBAJ|journal=Black Belt Magazine|page=16}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Young|first1=Robert|date=January 1994|title=Jujutsu vs. Hapkido|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EdIDAAAAMBAJ|journal=Black Belt Magazine|publisher=Active Interest Media|pages=26–31}}</ref>

Doju Chang died peacefully in his sleep on February 23, 2018, at the age of 77 as a result of hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

=== Kim Moo-hong ===
{{Main|Kim Moo-hong}}

Kim Moo-hong (김무홍; alternately rendered as Kim Moo-woong or Kim Mu-hyun)<ref name=segye/> was a student from the Choi and Seo's Daehan Hapki Yukwonsool Dojang, who later taught at Seo's main dojang in [[Daegu|Taegu]]. Seo, who promoted Kim to 4th degree, credits Kim with the development of many kicks which are still used in hapkido today. Kim apparentally took the concepts from very basic kicks he had learned from Choi and went to a temple to work on developing them to a much greater degree. Later, in 1961, Kim travelled to Seoul and while staying at Ji Han-jae's Sung Moo Kwan dojang they finalized the kicking curriculum.<ref name = "Hapkido Bible"/>

Kim went on to found his Shin Moo Kwan dojang (신무관) in the [[Jongmyo (Seoul)|Jongmyo]] section of Seoul, also in 1961. [[Won Kwang-hwa]] (원광화) and Kim Jung-soo(김정수) also served as instructors at this dojang. Kim's notable students were Lee Han-cheol (이한철), Kim Woo-tak (김우탁; who founded the Kuk Sool Kwan Hapkido dojang), Huh Il-woong (허일웅), Lee Joo-bang (이주방; who founded modern [[Hwa Rang Do]]), Na In-dong (나인동), Shin Dong-ki (신동기) and Seo In-hyuk (서인혁; who founded [[Kuk Sool Won]]).<ref name = "Hapkido Bible"/>

Originally a member of the Korea Kido Association, the organization sent Kim to teach hapkido in the United States in 1969. Upon returning to Korea in 1970, Kim looked to Ji Han-Jae's move to set up his own organization and with the encouragement of his students followed suit and founded the Korean Hapkido Association in 1971. Later he combined this organization with the groups led by Ji Han-Jae and Myung Jae-nam to form the Republic of Korea Hapkido Association.<ref name = "Hapkido Bible"/>

=== Lim Hyun-soo ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2024}}

Lim Hyun-soo was born in Geochang County, South Gyeongsang Province, of Korea on Sept. 7, 1944.  In 1965 he visited hapkido founder Choi Yong-sool and experienced the martial art for the first time. In 1965, Lim began his training in hapkido under Kim Yeung-jae, the chief instructor at Choi's studio. From 1978, Lim attained all of his ranks and training directly from Choi. During his training, Lim endured strict and intense training. With Choi's blessing, he launched ''jungkigwan'' on October 24, 1974. In 1976, Choi retired and closed his studio and joined ''jungkigwan'', though he retired from public teaching. Choi privately taught Lim during his visits and also spent his days at the studio playing baduk (Go) with Lim.  During these times, Lim asked Choi about Hapkido techniques.  

Lim based ''jungkigwan'' in Daegu and was promoted to 9th dan by Choi. Lim is an accomplished swordsman and created Chung Suk Kuhapdo after studying sword styles in Japan and Korea. Choi told Lim that learning swordsmanship would be an essential component to his hapkido training. Lim attends his studio daily to teach students from home and abroad. Since 1996, he has visited the U.S. many times for seminars. In addition, he has hosted Hapkido and Chung Suk Kuhapdo seminars in European countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands.

{{Gallery
|title=Doju Choi Yong-sool & GM Lim Hyun-soo at the JUNGKIKWAN
|width=200
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|File:Hapkido doju Choi, Yong Sul & GM Lim, Hyun Soo at the JUNGKIKWAN 4.jpg| 
|File:Hapkido doju & GM Lim at Jungkikwan.png|
|File:Hapkido doju Choi, Yong Sul & GM Lim, Hyun Soo at the JUNGKIKWAN 2.jpg|
}}
{{Gallery
|title=Doju Choi Yong-sool & GM Lim Hyun-soo at the JUNGKIKWAN 2
|width=200
|height=200
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|File:Hapkido doju Choi, Yong Sul & GM Lim, Hyun Soo at the JUNGKIKWAN 6.jpg| 
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=== Han Bong-soo ===
{{Main|Han Bong-soo}}
{{BLP sources section|date=December 2014}}

Han Bong-soo (한봉수; alternately rendered as Bong-soo Han) began his training in hapkido after seeing a demonstration put on by the founder, Yong-sul Choi. From then on, he committed himself to hapkido training under Choi and other teachers, but never received any direct high ranking from Choi himself. Han was one of the world's foremost practitioners of hapkido, and is referred to as the Father of his own offshoot of modern hapkido in the Western World. He led a dedicated effort in the development of his own version of hapkido. He taught thousands of loyal students throughout his life with many becoming masters themselves. Other masters across all styles have sought out his wisdom and teachings.

In 1967, Han emigrated to the United States of America, first staying with and teaching at his friend S. O. Choi's hapkido school in California. Han later opened his own school in Los Angeles in 1968. His early years were difficult and he worked in a factory during the day while he taught at a struggling hapkido school in the evening located in an economically depressed area. Later, he relocated his school to the Pacific Palisades area in an effort to be closer to Hollywood and the movie industry.

On July 4, 1969, Han Bong-soo was giving a demonstration of hapkido at a park in [[Pacific Palisades, California]]. In the audience was [[Tom Laughlin]]. After a spectacular demonstration, Laughlin approached Han about being involved in a movie project called ''[[Billy Jack]]''. Han gained critical acclaim for staging and performing some of the most realistic martial arts fight sequences in a film. Before ''Billy Jack'', movies contained at most brief references to martial arts, with fights portrayed by actors who had little training. With ''Billy Jack'', Han introduced authentic hapkido techniques to Western audiences. In its sequel, ''[[The Trial of Billy Jack]]'', he received a co-starring part where he spoke about and demonstrated the art, mentioning the art by name for the first time.

Han studied and refined this Korean martial art for more than 60 years. He was not a direct high level student of Grandmaster Yong-sul Choi but created and crafted his own limited version from various other teachers that he expanded and taught throughout the world.

===Kim Jung-soo===
Kim Jung-soo (김정수) was born and raised in the [[Daegu|Taegu]] area, Korea, and started training Hapkido directly under Choi Yong-sool (최용술) in 1957. He was one of the earlier students of Hapkido, and one source puts him as the eight original student of Choi Yong-sool.<ref name="Hapkido Family Three">{{cite web |url=http://www.sinmoohapkido.be/Hapkido%20Family%20Tree.htm |title=Hapkido Family Tree |publisher=Koti.mbnet.fi |access-date=2015-10-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924102023/http://www.sinmoohapkido.be/Hapkido%20Family%20Tree.htm |archive-date=2015-09-24 }}</ref> Kim Jung-soo trained sporadically under Choi Yong-sool (최용술) along with his primary teachers and influencers Kim Moo-hong (김무홍) and Won Kwang-wha (원광화) from 1957 until  1986.

In 1961, Kim Moo-hong (김무홍) moved to Seoul to open a dojang, and Kim Jung-soo (김정수) and Won Kwang-wha (원광화) went with him and became his dojang's primary instructors. Together, they developed the Shin Moo Kwan (신무관) branch of Hapkido. In 1963 Kim Jung-soo (김정수) decided to go his own way and opened his own dojang in [[Daegu|Taegu]] under the banner of Yun Bee Kwan (윤비관). Later, his students began opening branch schools throughout the greater [[Daegu|Taegu]] aerea, under various names, but still considered to be part of the Yun Bee Kwan (윤비관) family. These schools are known to hold tightly to the original teachings of Choi, Yong-sool (김정수), while also including most of the refinements done by Kim Moo-hong (김무홍) in terms of kicking methods.

Kim Jung-soo (김정수) is mostly known for being the founder and president of the Korea-based World Hapkido General Federation, also known as World Hapkido Federation, collecting most of the schools under the Yun Bee Kwan (윤비관) linage in one federation.<ref name="World Hapkido General Federation.">{{cite web|url=http://www.hapkimudo.co.kr/index1.asp|title=사단법인 세계합기도총연맹|publisher=Hapkimudo.co.kr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404002331/http://www.hapkimudo.co.kr/index1.asp|archive-date=April 4, 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=2015-10-28}}</ref> This organization has since expanded worldwide. While having a similar name, this organization is not to be confused with the U.S. based World Hapkido Federation<ref name="Martialtalk.com, April 9th, 2015. World Hapkido Federation(s).">{{cite web|url=http://www.martialtalk.com/threads/world-hapkido-federation-s.118043/ |title=World Hapkido Federation(s) &#124; MartialTalk.Com – Friendly Martial Arts Forum Community |date=29 April 2015 |publisher=MartialTalk.Com |access-date=2015-10-28}}</ref> founded by Kwang Sik Myung (광시숭).

Kim Jung-soo is currently{{When|date=July 2024}} teaching from his dojang in [[Daegu|Taegu City]], South Korea.<ref name="World Hapkido General Federation."/>

=== Myung Jae-nam ===
In 1972, Myung Jae-nam (명재남) was one of the original members of the Korea Hapkido Association (대한 합기도 협회), which was formed in 1965 at the request of the South Korean President [[Park Chung Hee|Park Jeong-hee]]. The Korea Hapkido Association was formed with the assistance of Park Jong-kyu, who was the head of the Presidential Protective Forces and one of the most powerful men in Korea at the time.<ref name="Hapkido Bible">{{cite book
| last = Kimm
| first = He-young
| title = The Hapkido Bible
| publisher = Andrew Jackson Press
| year = 1991
| location = Baton Rouge, Louisiana
}}</ref>

Myung Jae-nam exchanged martial art techniques and information with an Aikido practitioner named Hirata in 1965, for a period of about four years and included many aikido-like techniques into his version of hapkido. He has produced Several books and videos on the subject of hapkido self-defense. Later Myung Jae-nam broke away from all the other organizations and started to focus on promoting a new style, [[hankido]]. Until his death in 1999 he was the leader of the International Hapkido Federation.

=== Lee Chong-min ===
Chong-min Lee was born and raised in Seoul, Korea. He began his study of hapkido as a teenager and continued studying hapkido throughout his life though not a direct student of the late Grandmaster Yong-sool Choi. He is a self-promoted 9th Degree Black Belt, the Master Instructor of Hapkido Center, President of The World Hapkido Association.

Lee served as an Instructor with the 1st Special Forces Group in the Korean Army, and has taught martial arts to the Police Departments in Seoul as well as Plainfield, New Jersey. He has also served as the director of Hapkido demonstrations for such dignitaries as Hubert H. Humphrey and the Chancellor of the Republic of China, Mr. Chang, during their visits to Seoul, Korea. Lee came to the United States in June 1980. He currently operates a Hapkido Center in Warren, New Jersey, and is also a member of the Law Enforcement Officers Association New Jersey State. He has been instructing students for over 42 years in hapkido.

=== Kim Myung-Yong ===
Kim Myung-yong was born in Korea in 1942. He started at the age of 17 training at Seung Moo Kwan School under Grandmaster Ji Han-jae.  He was a hapkido instructor in the military camp of Wang Shim Ri. His style of Hapkido Jin Jung Kwan has locations all over the world and is one of the largest hapkido styles practiced.

===Kim Yun-sik===
{{Main|Kim Yun-sik}}

Kim Yun-sik (김윤식) was born in [[Seoul]] in 1943. He is the founder of Bum Moo Kwan Hapkido.<ref name="Kim Yun-sik">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbhkd.com.br/?page_id=36 |title=Yun-sik Kim – |publisher=Cbhkd.com.br |access-date=2015-10-28}}</ref> He began his [[martial arts]] training in 1954 under the direction of [[Choi Yong-sool]], and received the black belt from Choi in 1957. That same year, he received the black belt in [[Tang Soo Do]] from Grandmaster [[Hwang Kee]].<ref name="Kim Yun-sik"/>

Kim is the founder of the Bum Moo Kwan style, in which the practitioner is instructed to finish the encounter quickly, using any available material as weapon or any part of his body, aiming the opponent's pressure or vital points. Bum Moo is one of the three original and government regulated Hapkido Kwans.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rjG-BAAAQBAJ&q=bum+moo+kwan&pg=PA99|title=WHFSC Grandmaster's Council: a compendium of the world's leading Grandmasters|last=Frank|first=Bram|date=May 2013|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=9781300575672}}{{self-published source|date=February 2020}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=February 2020}}

Residing, teaching and training in [[Brazil]] since 1977, Kim was the master of several Hapkido World Champions, such as Norberto Serrano Jr., Rafael Tercarolli and Leandro Heck Gemeo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bioconexao.com.br/site/o-mestre/|title=LEANDRO HECK GEMEO {{!}} BIOCONEXÃO|language=pt-BR|access-date=2019-09-12}}</ref>

=== Lim Chae-kwan===
Grandmaster Lim Chae-kwan is the founder of Jin Mu Kwan. The Jin Mu Kwan (''Jin'': "authentic, true"; ''Mu'': "martial"; ''Kwan'': "school or training hall") is a traditional art of hapkido. 

This school was founded by Grandmaster Lim Chae-kwan in 2007 after many years of research and study into the Hapkido of Founder Choi Young-sul.  As a high school student, Lim, Chea-kwan began his Hapkido training under Grand Master Lim, Hyun-soo. Through the courtesy of his teacher at that time Grand Master Lim, Hyun-soo, president of the Jung Ki-kwan, he obtained a 4th dan certificate signed by Founder Choi Yong-sul. Since Choi's death in 1986 GM Lim studied with the top students of Founder Choi.  Some of these Grandmasters were GM Jun Jeong-pil (kicking), GM Lee Jae-young (advanced wrist technology), GM Lee Young-hee (clothing grab defense), GM Chae Hung-jun (special offensive techniques for joint locking and throwing), GM Kim Yeong-jae (special self-protection techniques).

GM Lim Chae-kwan after studying Founder Choi's Hapkido style and feeling his very high level martial arts has studied diligently his whole life to become a skilled craftsman in Hapkido.