The Founder of Taekwon-do🥋General Choi Hong Hi

[@dmazniuc]

Very good video! Well said and well resumed! I am one of his disciples and unfortunately he died 45 days before I could get to him in Canada. He changed my life and he is indeed a true hero! I miss him! Thank you Choi Hong Hi!

[@NoraTKD]

@@dmazniuc that is amazing, thank you for sharing!

[@dawudgt]

His legacy is around the world today !!! There are no words to express the impact he had on hundreds of thousands of people!! Long Life to General Choi Hong Hi!!!

[@NoraTKD]

It is quite amazing if you think about it. He must have known that his work will have an impact but probably could not have imagined how much! Good that he actually lived long enough to see how things worked out for Taekwon-do.

[@pv6304]

A great and informative video, and I was actually at one of the Seminars you've shown in your video. 👍

[@NoraTKD]

Awesome!

[@wesva7627]

Thank you for the video General Choi lives on in every one of us.❤

[@NoraTKD]

Thank you for watching! Taekwon!

[@vigilantcitizen5416]

I hold a fist Dan rank in ITF Teakwon-Do and I couldn’t be more proud to have that honor and privilege after watching this video.

[@vigilantcitizen5416]

First * sorry for the typo.

[@NoraTKD]

@@vigilantcitizen5416 congratulations🥋and thank you!

[@globalfitnessmartialartsin9187]

Great video, i am honoured to feature in some of the photos here 👊🏼 - Taekwon, Michael Muleta

[@NoraTKD]

That is great, thank you for letting me know! Where are you featured exactly?

[@globalfitnessmartialartsin9187]

@@NoraTKD i’m performing the pattern with General Choi and Grandmaster Choi Jung Hwa ... and also leading the class in Korea

[@NoraTKD]

@@globalfitnessmartialartsin9187 that is awesome🎉

[@globalfitnessmartialartsin9187]

Great video ... i’m honoured to appear in it a couple of times 👊🏼 - Michael Muleta

[@NoraTKD]

Oh Thank you Michael! I am glad you liked it😊

[@gheorgemotoianu2003]

Taekwon-do is my life

[@brennanroglich9886]

Awesome video about itf I trained wing Chun for 8 years and goju ryu for 4 years I learned a lot from those arts and I still practice what I learned but now I practice itf taekwondo fell in love with it I train with master Kenneth hance in Hamilton Ontario one day all reach black belt and get a strong foundation of the basics so I can get better at the strategy of the art thanks for the video😃

[@NoraTKD]

That is fantastic! I am happy to hear that you like practicing ITF Taekwon-do. It is indeed like falling in love :) Keep up the good work!

[@zealousideal]

Opposite of you. I started in TKD (and loved it) then studied many other martial arts eventually learning some WC. I love WC the best and feel it’s more practical and deadly also something you can practice and do into old age. Being older now, it’s perfect for me. But I also miss TKD, it was fun and flashy. it’s also great exercise and good for the body. I want to get back into it, but I worry about injuring myself and or not being able to practice it or use it when I’m older. I think WC is better suited for that and is also fun and addicting.

[@zealousideal]

Although you hear a lot of negativity about Gen Choi (and maybe some for good reason) I still respect him and he is still a famous part in the history and development of TKD. I wish I could have met him among many other TKD giants.

[@blaa443blaa2]

​@@zealousidealthat's interesting as I struggle all the time between wanting to start WC training, but being a loyal member of our taekwondo club . Interesting also in the sense that it has become a thing to start taekwondo at old age and ppl speak of it as excellently suited for older ppl. I'm generally sceptical about this

[@georgeunk6762]

The negativity is mostly the result of his detractors who looked to discredit him & the ITF in the race for TKD supremacy & the quest for the Olympics! The WTF, led by a brilliant & talented Dr. Kim Un-Yong was successful in co-opting a lot of the base that Gen. Choi set up through his personal efforts & that of the ITF. This resulted in TKD becoming an Olympic sport in record time. But this meant that the ITF lost this battle & was further marginalized by the WTF, backed by a rich, powerful dictatorship! The General was a highly visible & vocal opponent of the dictator. As a result he was forced to flee south Korea, seeking refuge as a political exile in Toronto 🇨🇦 Canada. The dictatorship, which pretty much ran everything in south Korea, blacklisted him & tried to write him out of history. However, thanks to the internet & the fact that south Korea 🇰🇷 is now a free, thriving democracy, the truth is coming out more & more. So please don't fall for scandalous lies fabricated by bad people to silence & destroy a true Korean Patriot, Gen. CHOI Hong-Hi. Without the General, there simply is no TKD!

[@reginaldofulgar6004]

Very grateful for your in-depth presentation!!! Taekwon!!!

[@NoraTKD]

Thank you very much Reginaldo!

[@wolfgang4368x]

Really!❤

[@RaMeNsTarKYZ]

Thanks you . THis documentary means alot to me I love tae kwon do and learning more about its arts and origin . THank you

[@NoraTKD]

You are welcome😊keep up the Taekwon-do practice!

[@godandchristpillisraelites4993]

THIS WAS MY GRANDMASTER IN ITF TAEKWONDO

[@NoraTKD]

That is interesting, thank you for letting us know!

[@fernandobazo6369]

Excellent video Nora!,

[@NoraTKD]

@@fernandobazo6369 thank you very much!

[@nickeldime1691]

I wish there was more ITF Taekwondo Federation schools. Its more traditional because it was developed from Shotokan Karate. I love ITF taekwondo way more than WTF no offense to WTF. Just more traditional. ITF to me seems to be more an all around game. And does not known all for its kicks because the system is pretty balanced. But the WTF athletes are better kickers. But as mentioned ITF is not bad and its balanced with kicks and punches, self defense, and especially the sine wave motions.

[@NoraTKD]

The original/traditional Taekwon-do is ITF. General Choi wanted to be an all-rounded martial arts for all kinds of people for all ages, not surprising that it is so popular! Balance is key. Anyone can practice it and find parts of it that makes them feel good and accomplished. The sine wave motion is a very ITF style indeed!

[@rodneypiper1066]

Well said. Problem with WTF, it is a system based on youthful flexibility. It does not allow for fast mobility beyond 30 years old, and it's very hard on the knees due to hyper extension impact

[@JuanMTossi]

TaekwonDo is NOT Karate. It is a martial art that includes techniques from several martial arts. The fact that Choi learned Shotokan Karate, was merely a circumstancial fact because of the japanese occupation of Korea at the time (they didn't allow any korean martial art to be practiced). It surely had an impact in the final form of Taekwon-Do ITF, as well as other techniques that we train such as Aikido, Kendo, JiuJitsu ones, and so on that are included in the in-depth study. Martial arts are forms of defense that evolve and change, or interleave. It's defense and attack with hands and feet...there are combinations and postures common and/or similar to more than one combat style. One should not be fooled by the first impression, SPECIALLY if you don't know it or study it. That way we only spread ignorance.

[@seanhiatt6736]

​@@JuanMTossiI have studied both TKD (itf) and Tang soo Do, as well has Karate. They are all forms of the same thing. Unfortunately Korean Nationalism gets I the way of facts, TKD is simply a form of Korean Karate. The plain fact is if Karate had not been introduced to Korea TKD and Tang soo do would not exist.

[@JuanMTossi]

@@seanhiatt6736 ​​⁠that can be said of every martial art, ever. Thing is: japanese occupied korean territory and supressed korean way of expression. Ppl formed in karate on those days were obviously permeated by it. That being said, if you trained both (assuming by competent masters), I fail to see how you can ignore the nuances and important distinctions between them. But hey, to each It’s own. Bests.

[@jabrillvoid2276]

Taking my yellow stripe test real soon I needed to learn more about Choi Hong Hi thank you. Sorry if I spelled it wrong.

[@NoraTKD]

Good luck with your exam!

[@jabrillvoid2276]

@@NoraTKD thank you 🙏

[@wolfgang4368x]

Greets feom Germany!❤ Livingroomwarrior, 67, handicapped, hold the white belt with yellow stripe, TKD, Ruhrarea.😂

[@NoraTKD]

Hello there😊keep up the good work and practice! It is great to hear that you are passionate!

[@ridgerover8347]

Of course General Choi deserves both respect and admiration. However, he is only one element/person of the development of Korean martial arts. He is responsible for the words "Tae Kwon Do," however TKD is much more than words. There are other notable people whom also where major influences before and after the Korean war................. His style is often called "Army style." A talented army style black belt with his black belt wife, came to our school back in the day, which was Moo Duk Kwan/WTF. He had tested for his black belt at General Choi's house in Canada. His influence was treasured. To his credit, he submitted to our master instructor and our master allowed him to teach us some of his knowledge which I still treasure to this day. When he finished schooling at Vanderbilt, he returned home...........

[@NoraTKD]

Must have been amazing to have General Choi's army style black belts come and teach your at you club!

[@georgeunk6762]

Yes & the others were Tang Soo Do, Kong Su Do, Kwon Bup, Hapkido, Yudo, Su Bak Do, etc. Gen. Choi was Taekwon-Do. Please remember that the WTF began as Tae SOO Do, a new compromise name that they made up in 1961, so they weren't mistaken for Gen. Choi's TKD. They only reluctantly accepted his TKD name on August 5, 1965, by a single, 1-vote margin, at the General's insistence! NO Gen. CHOI = NO TKD!

[@LincolnJamesHeathrowIII]

@@georgeunk6762 I'm grateful you know the history as I do.... peace my brother

[@Kevtribal]

That was a great insight

[@NoraTKD]

Thank you Kevin!

[@LomilomiHealing]

Excellent video on General Choi Hong Hi, great work!

[@NoraTKD]

Thank you! He had such an interesting life!

[@wesva7627]

I studied in Canada Under Grandmaster Cleve Bryan I received my first Dan in 1993.My teacher trained under Master Lee Sukhi a first generation master.I have met and had the honour of his seminars with Master Park Jung Taek.Legendary men and memories.

[@NoraTKD]

That is awesome!

[@georgeunk6762]

Grandmaster Lee Suk-Hi was a beloved student of Gen. Choi. He was very, very senior. In the 1980s he was the Vice President of the ITF & President of the North American Taekwon-Do Federation, under the General & the ITF. He left Taekwon-Do when he became a CHRISTian ✝️ Minister & eventually moved to California in the 🇺🇸 USA.

[@barakobamadubai]

Thank you Nora.

[@NoraTKD]

Thank you for watching!

[@antoniomudadu-w8t]

Ricordi di quando ero giovane in palestra a Roma

[@taeharte7501]

I really enjoyed your video. I practiced Tae Kwon Do ITF-style in the Netherlands. Years later I emigrated to Aruba (DC = Dutch Caribbean) where I, years later, began again with Tae Kwon Do, now WTF-style. Unfortunately there are no ITF-schools here. I agree with Nickel Dime that ITF is much more traditional and personally, I like it a lot more. Finally I learned a loty about the founder of Tae Kwon Do, thank you very much Nora!

[@NoraTKD]

You are welcome😊I am glad that you liked the video! I hope that you will enjoy practicing Taekwon-do, even if it is WT style right now. Keep up the good work!

[@blaa443blaa2]

Aren't you relieved that you don't have to do that weird breathing technique and sine wave anymore? At least WT taekwondo is based on solid scientific principles instead of some make belief stuff invented by Choi.

[@irmasil3]

ITF has changed so much since his death....It was sad living it through that era...Still I would not choose to have taken any other MA...Tae Kwon.

[@jgamhpang5249]

Great respect

[@NoraTKD]

Thank you for watching! Taekwon!

[@blaa443blaa2]

No matter how much I study the history of taekwondo, I still can't find the solution to the question, what makes it stand out from other arts like muay thai, various kung fu styles and various styles of karate, which have much more solid lineage and longer history than taekwondo. It looks like a more superficial version of both karate and kung fu which has lost a lot of meaning It didn't form organically, but was formed as a nationalistic project. Korean karate This is a crucial question for me cause I'm on road to be taekwondo instructor

[@NeilAnderson123]

Could it be that this being a more simplified and very structured martial art is the appeal that resonates with modern lifestyles and made it so popular. Asking these kinds of questions is wise. Having trained extensively in several different Asian MA including TKD and several styles of Traditional Chinese MA I have found learning about other systems offers a lot of insight through training and comparison. When you have only trained one it is harder to see outside of it.

[@eastcoasttaekwondo330]

I attended the final ceremony for GM Kim Bok Man and have started to learn some history on him. I would love to see some information researched and shared to make sure i'm (we all) are on the right page of history. I have heard he had created about half of our forms from ITF.

[@NoraTKD]

@@eastcoasttaekwondo330 oh that must have been interesting! I know some about the history of Taekwon-do but others probably know more and most of it is written in Korean which needs proper translation.

[@normanwrigley6379]

@@NoraTKD or if you need to avoid links, search for Master Hodson's "Black Belt Interviews" and look for Master Bok Man Kim

[@smithtkd1]

As a 7th dan Blackbelt and student of one of Gen Choi's first-generation students, yes, I enjoyed, thank you

[@NoraTKD]

Thank you for watching! Taekwon!

[@deadend494]

Would you happen to have a source on general choi's children being kidnapped? It is difficult finding that information online and I would like to back it up.

[@jillturnbull8633]

I'm a blue belt in Tae Kwon Do 🥋

[@NoraTKD]

Great Job!

[@kpgamarn4450]

I am a taekondo palyar

[@gamer_x7639]

thx 👌

[@NoraTKD]

You are welcome!

[@TenThousandMethod]

8:00 Nora what do you think of WTF tkd? That's the tkd that I practiced (but no longer and never again).

[@NoraTKD]

WTF is kind of an offspring of ITF, although many things are the same or similar, they have different patterns (they call them poomsae) and some other differences but their PR is somehow more about TKD being a sport rather than a traditional martial art (they are part of the Olympics). According to their Wikipedia: "World Taekwondo was established on May 28, 1973 at the inaugural meeting held at the Kukkiwon with participation of 35 representatives from the world after it separated from the International Taekwon-Do Federation because of political reasons." So I think I need to learn more about this.

[@TenThousandMethod]

@@NoraTKD the WTF style, in mechanical/technical terms, appears quite different to ITF. WTF chambering is very shallow for example. But yeah, i just don't like it. The people are probably lovely, but WTF as a martial art is not like ITF.

[@NoraTKD]

Well, here on my channel you will learn all about ITF :)

[@Liquidcadmus]

@@TenThousandMethod after my time in Korea and training with WTF Taekwondoin I realized that in fact the two styles are very very different. the technical base is extremely different, but it's not so evident at plain sight. the execution and application of all the strikes (kicks, punches, knees, etc.) is actually very different. they are in short, two different styles.

[@TenThousandMethod]

​@@Liquidcadmus yup i agree. i would say that I'm more impressed with ITF. It seems much more comprehensive than WTF.

[@thanhthichthien8366]

NGUYỄN QUAN TƯỜNG - THÍCH THIỆN THÀNH (26/10/1992).

[@larryfoley7602]

Great video, of particular interest because I was taught Duk Sung Son was the father of Tae Kwon Do and the man who named the practice and trained the Korean Special forces (White Tigers). A bit confusing.... Do you know if they associated at all?

[@NoraTKD]

Very interesting! They might know of each other but I am not sure if they are associated in any official way.

[@georgeunk6762]

Yes, they were friends & colleagues in the 1950s. GM Son Duk-Sung was the chief instructor of the Chung Do Kwan & Gen. Choi was their honorary Director. In 1957, they formed an ill-fated Taekwon-Do Association of Korea. A politician friend of GM Son served as the president figure head, with the General serving as the VP. They departed ways in 1959, when Gen. Choi was instrumental in having him replaced by GM Lee Won-Kuk, the founder of the Chung Do Kwan, who was now living in exile in Japan. This led to very bad blood between them, as GM Son was marginalized & then moved to NYC in the USA. 🇺🇸 GM Son was said to have hated the General and they never reconciled. The falling out was over the General not allowing GM Son to be on the historic, first ever Taikwon Do Demonstration Team to perform outside of Korea, (1959 to S. Vietnam & Taiwan). The General said this was not possible, as it was a Military Team, sponsored by the ROK Army & government. And also apparently the General was forcing more of his influence in the Chung Do Kwan & using their instructors to spread his Taekwon-Do. But make no doubt about it, Gen. Choi is the principle/principal founder of the original TKD. He conceived the name well before GM Son ever heard it. Plus, it takes a deep understanding of the Chinese classics, which Gen. Choi had, to come up with the vary rare, Chinese HanJa character TAE. GM Son simply was not an educated man. Sadly he was the product of a brutally occupied country, where access to education was limited, at best, for Koreans.

[@moominpic]

​@@georgeunk6762 Does this have anything to do with Gen Choi and Col. Nam being expelled from CDK?

[@georgeunk6762]

@moominpic yes. And technically, as I understand it, Gen. Choi was not expelled. His honorary rank was canceled & he was removed as honorary director. GM Son tried to expell 3 fellow students. But actually GM Son had already been removed a few days earlier by the actual founder of the Chung Do Kwan, Son's teacher, GM Lee Won-Kuk. GM Lee replaced GM Son with GM Uhm Woon-Gyu, who became the 3rd Chung Do Kwan Jang Nim, serving in that capacity for many decades, until his passing a few years ago.

[@georgeunk6762]

@moominpic so GM Son Duk-Sung, who was bitter & seeking retribution for being kicked out of his position at the CDK by his own teacher, was angry when he posted the announcement in a newspaper. It had no impact at all, ashe was already out of power. In fact, it was GM Son, who became mostly irrelevant in Korea after this happened in 1959. So by the early 1960s, he moved to the USA, settling near me in NYC.

[@flaigaid7402]

Do you know that choi hong hi break a wall with his hand..

[@NoraTKD]

I did not know that but he could have done it I am sure!

[@juujoo207]

🥋🥋

[@ivanfreire3468]

Do the history of tang Soo do

[@NoraTKD]

I don't know much about that so I have to look into it first, thank you for the suggestion!

[@ivanfreire3468]

I wanted to tell you are beautiful ❤️❤️ looking woman I made you should try modeling for martial arts clothes oh and question do you study other Korean arts ? I study taekwondo only white belt I put the white belt moves in a Hollywood TV shows and movies

[@ivanfreire3468]

I want to see more of your self defense 🤩😉

[@NoraTKD]

@@ivanfreire3468I would like to make some TKD self defense videos and some more realistic scenarios but I need a partner who would be okay to be feature in my video.

[@shythephotoguy]

Nice video, great to see some old photos of General Choi Hong Hi. But why didn't you mentioned UTI (United Taekwondo International)?

[@NoraTKD]

Thank you! I don't know much about the UTI so I only mentioned things that I know for sure.

[@georgeunk6762]

Because the UTI has virtually nothing to do with the General & is not really a major player in the world of TKD.

[@shythephotoguy]

United Taekwondo International is indeed a tiny organisation compared to the far bigger itf and wtf. However the first Dan-bong tul we learn is a tribute to general Choi Hong Hi of our grandmaster so I can't imagine UTI doesn't have anything to do with general Choi.

[@georgeunk6762]

I wouldn't look at it that way. Rather the way I see it, is the UTI honored the General. While that is a really wonderful thing, it doesn't really make a difference in the history of the man, what he did, when he did it & who helped him. But I find it really kool that the UTI has bestowed that honor on him.

[@oglickmarak2290]

👍

[@kimaponte8114]

And master Mario

[@KaptainCanuck]

His surname is pronounced Chay, not Choy, with a slightly softer ch-sound than English uses

[@NoraTKD]

Oh really, I did not know that, I have always heard Choy! Thank you for the correction!

[@KaptainCanuck]

@@NoraTKD it is kind of closer to ch-way but the w-sound is lost a lot of the time in fast speech but enunciated in per syllable speech. I could make a whole bunch of corrections, such as tay kwone do (not tie kwawn do) ;-) ), on pronunciation but I will refrain. Pretty good video overall.

[@georgeunk6762]

Correct! Koreans, when they read the Korean HanGul characters of the Korean alphabet, they will phonetically pronounce it as ChAY. However, I met Gen. Choi in 1986 & traveled the world with him, attending ITF events. I also visited his home in Canada. He always pronounced it as ChOY. So did my Korean Grandmaster, who turned me onto the General in 1974!

[@irmasil3]

lol...NO.I met the man, and his name when he introduced himself was pretty much Choi.

[@gilbertosantana8286]

FUNDO EL NOMBRE NO EL TAE KWON DO YA EXISTIAN LOS KWANES ORGANISADOS LA ASOCIACION KTA DE COREA Y YA WANG KEE ABIA ORGANISADO EL SOOBAHK DO EL TANG SOO DO Y EL MOODOKWAN 1946 Y LA ITF SALE EN EL 1966 HISTORIA

[@daveydarko5026]

Thank you very much for this video. As a newcomer to Taekwondo, I found it to be very very interesting and informative. Kindest regards.

[@NoraTKD]

You are welcome! I am glad you liked the video and that you are learning Taekwon-do😊

[@daveydarko5026]

@@NoraTKD loved the video! and love Taekwondo! just wish I had started it 20 years ago. We have started training as a family about 3 months ago, which has been really good for us all. please keep making your videos, we very much appreciate them. Kind regards 🙂

[@NoraTKD]

@@daveydarko5026 that is wonderful! Keep up the training! 😊👊🏻🥋