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.
| Won Kwang-hwa | |
| Hangul | 원광화 |
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization | Won Gwanghwa |
| McCune–Reischauer | Wŏn Kwanghwa |
Life
editWon Kwang-hwa was born in what is now South Korea.
Accomplishments
editWon Kwang-hwa also served as a personal secretary and body guard to Seo Bok-seob's father, congressman Suh Dong-jin. Having first learned hapkido from Suh he later studied directly from Choi Yong-sool. In 1962, when Kim Moo-hong opened up his Shin Moo Kwan dojang in Seoul he became one the instructors there. Shortly thereafter Won opened his own school the Moo Sul Kwan.[1]
Being an older practitioner when he started his training, and having pragmatic reasons for studying the art, Won's Moo Sul Kwan emphasized what he believed constituted practical self-defense techniques. Moo Sul Kwan emphasizes powerful and direct techniques and a greater emphasis on strength in responses rather than ki power. There is also a preference towards whole body throws than wrist centered joint locking throws.[1]
Some of his notable students were Park Lee-hyun, Kimm He-young, Won Hyung-dae
Park Lee-Hyun brought Moo Sul Kwan Hapkido to the United States in 1969. He opened a private school in Cape Girardeau Missouri and taught as a physical education professor at Southeast Missouri State University. He was one of the two highest ranked Moo Sul Kwan Hapkido practitioners in the world.
Won Hyung-dae, his son, took over the management of the kwan upon his father's death.
References and further reading
edit- Kimm, He-Young. Hapkido II. Andrew Jackson Press, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1994.