JUN SA HAPKIDO

History

Hapkido's origins trace back to the early 20th century, amid Japan's occupation of Korea (1910–1945), a period of cultural suppression that banned indigenous martial arts and forced many Koreans into servitude abroad. Born in 1904 in Korea's Taegu province, Choi Yong Sool was taken to Japan at age eight as an indentured servant. Circumstances led him to the household of Takeda Sokaku, master of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu—a proprietary Japanese system blending grappling, joint locks, and throws. Despite historical debates over his formal enrollment (likely omitted due to anti-Korean bias), Choi trained rigorously for over three decades, adopting the Japanese name Asao Yoshida.

Returning to Korea in 1943 after Takeda's death, Choi revitalized suppressed Korean traditions during the post-war independence era. He fused Daitō-ryū's techniques with indigenous elements like kicks from Taekkyon (a precursor to Taekwondo) and T'ang Hand striking methods, creating Hapkido—"the way of coordinated power"—by 1963. Collaborating with Ji Han-jae, Choi taught military, police, and elite units worldwide, spreading the art to North America before his passing in 1986. This evolution reflects Korea's resilient martial arts heritage, as Master Edgardo Perez likes to say, Hapkido was the world’s first MMA.

Theory

At its core, Hapkido harmonizes opposing forces, as encoded in its name: "hap" (harmony/coordination), "ki" (internal energy/spirit), and "do" (way/path). Distinct from Aikido's spiritual focus, Hapkido emphasizes combative utility, blending Japanese aiki-jūjutsu with Korean efficiency. Three principles guide every technique:

• Hwa (Non-Resistance/Harmony): Perhaps more easily understood via the concept of yin/yang, "Hwa" at once envelopes, transforms, and returns—like seamlessly absorbing a strike, moving with it, and returning into a push.

• Won (Circle Principle): Employ circular motions to amplify power; a punch is curved into a elipse, merging attacker and defender energies for supplant control.

• Yū (Water/Flexible Principle): Adapt like flowing water—soft yet penetrating—deflecting strikes to envelop and consume, re-directing energy into optimum outcomes.

  
  

These tenets view opponents as "energy entities," where the greater the aggressive energy being perpetrated (speed, velocity, momentum), the greater the potential for ease in deflection and counter attack.

Application

Jun Sa Hapkido views self-defense as an extension of self-control. True mastery begins with composure: the ability to assess, de-escalate, and avoid conflict whenever possible. Students are trained to remain calm under pressure, reading intent and creating distance before physical engagement becomes necessary. Confidence is built not through aggression, but through disciplined awareness and the quiet certainty that one can respond decisively if required.

When de-escalation fails, efficiency defines the response. Techniques are direct and purposeful—joint locks, pressure points, and throws neutralize threats quickly and with minimum force required. Students learn to disarm weapons, control multiple attackers, and transition smoothly to escape or, if needed, submission of the opponent. Every technique is tailored to the individual’s body type and strength, ensuring that smaller or less physically dominant practitioners can effectively perform to their strengths.

Training emphasizes realistic attacks: grabs from behind, strikes in tight spaces, or aggressive behavior in everyday environments. Through progressive partner drills and controlled pressure testing (randori), students develop instinctive reactions grounded in the core principles of balance, redirection, and coordinated power. The goal is never prolonged combat, but rapid resolution—returning to safety with control intact. This approach transforms self-defense into a practice of inner focus, where the greatest victory is preventing harm through presence, preparation, and precise, principled action.