An Experience of Taekwondo in Korea

An Experience of Taekwondo in Korea

By Professor Daniel J. H. Rogers, MS, 2nd Dan

Kyungnam University

An-nyeong-ha-se-yo! (That's hello in Korean.) As a former taekwondoist from Iowa, and currently an expatriate working in Korea, I would like to share with you some of my taekwondo experiences.

My experience in martial arts began with my first class at Iowa State University under the expert tutelage of Master Yong-Chin Pak. At ISU I practiced taekwondo for three and a half years, earning my 1st degree black belt in 1995 while completing an academic graduate degree. Those experiences were a great benefit to my educational career and continue to greatly influence my life today.

After graduating in the spring of 1996, I had found a teaching position in the spectacular city of Seoul, South Korea at a private English school (called a `hogwon' in Korean). After arriving in Seoul and getting settled in, I immediately asked assistance in finding a taekwondo dojang (exercise hall) in the propinquity of my new home. This was not very difficult, for the Korean I asked took me to the window and pointed to the building across the street. I asked where several times, and he kept trying to explain in his broken English when I finally picked out the sign in Korean. It was among all the other signs. While I knew the Korean letters for taekwondo before I came to Korea, they all tend to look the same when they are intermixed with dozens of others. (I am glad to say that after nearly two years, I don't have that problem so much anymore). So after work that day, a newly found Korean friend accompanied me to the dojang to talk to the Master instructor, his name was Master Lee.

Master Lee was a very friendly person. He spoke almost no English, but my Korean friend explained everything to him in Korean, and I just smiled and nodded often. The price of the lessons were 90,000 won a month for five, one hour classes per week. At the time that was about $110/month. The dojang was about 30 feet square and it was always a little crowded. I quickly learned that there were no students my age, the oldest ones were in about 9th grade. This is very common in the majority of the dojangs in Korea. After that age most students have to spend all their time in school and hogwons, such as the English school where I taught, in order to prepare for college. However, the experience was quite unique since previously I had only practiced in a university club with adult students. I also learned that in many dojangs more then just taekwondo is practiced. At least once every week we practiced o-shin-su, (self defense techniques). These were more similar to the techniques I learned in hapkido. Additionally, we often did tumbling and jumping exercises. After about six months of training with Master Lee, I met with Master Chang-Young Jang.

I had met Master Jang in the United States a couple of years earlier when he had visited ISU with several members of the Korean Tigers National Demonstration team. His dojang was about an hour ride on the subway across town. However, he insisted that I come practice with him every night when I finished work. So for the next several months I traveled to his dojang several times each week to practice with him and one or two other people. I greatly appreciated the effort he was putting forth to educate me about the modern style of taekwondo in Korea. He added a special class later in the evening so that I could attend. During these sessions I had a lot of intense personalized instruction. Either himself or a friend of his, who was also a previous member of the national team, would assist in my instruction. During this time I learned and re-learned many things. Perfection was very important, on anything that was not perfect we spent lots of time making it so. Being that Master Jang was on the taekwondo technical committee at the Kukkiwon, (the World Taekwondo Headquarters), every modification in the way things were to be done in style were also passed on to me. Compared with the style I had previously learned in America, there were an overwhelmingly large number of changes that I had to make in my technique. However, with hard work I have learned the majority of them. The time I spent practicing with Master Jang and his assistants was a very valuable time in my taekwondo development. I am sincerely grateful for all of their help and patience.

Towards the end of spring 1996, it was time for me to return to the USA. I had finished a year contract working at a hogwon, which in itself is a major accomplishment, but that is a whole different story. I had decided that I was in need of more time in Korea, so I secured a contract teaching in Masan, South Korea at Kyungnam University for the following fall. After my much needed eight week vacation in the States, I returned to the southern tip of Korea and started a new taekwondo experience at the university at which I work.

Here at Kyungnam University I have joined the taekwondo club. It consists of about 40 members. Practices here have been very similar to the ones I experienced at Iowa State. The notable exceptions are that we practice every day rather than three times a week. We practice outside in a little court in front of a building, the obvious downfall of which is that it gets rather cold in the winter months. Fortunately, the college is on winter vacation during all of January and February so there is no practice.

Usually practices are organized in groups, but our practice area is again very small, so often the designated practice only has about ten people attending. Many of the members practice throughout the day, whenever their class schedules permit them to. Since many of the members have previously reached the level of 3rd or 4th degrees, many of them do individualized practices. Throughout the day it is common to see a few of them practicing something new or sparring together.

After this additional semester of practitioning with the university club, I was encouraged to test for my 2nd degree black belt. I had previously observed several testings at the Kukkiwon in Seoul, so I knew precisely what to expect. The testing for 1st through 3rd degrees are relatively short since there are usually several thousand people who are testing in a single day. The testings for the first three levels of black belt involve more waiting then anything else. They are organized to be very efficient though. Every person is issued a number in advance. The testing starts with children and then by the lowest ranks first. Those tested, first demonstrate two forms, and then their sparring abilities in a single, two minute round. That's the summation of the testing. This may seem like very little to determine the readiness of the practitioner, however, the real determination of whether a practitioner is ready for advancement rests on their Master instructor, who informs them when he feels they are ready for advancement. Belts awarded before the black belt level are often given to students by their instructor completely by surprise during any practice. Other Masters hold their own promotional testing sessions. The method varies from dojang to dojang. The importance of the Master's reputation insists that they be certain of the readiness of their student to be promoted to the next level. No Master wants to be embarrassed by promoting students whom are not adequately prepared.

I am please to say that after this hard work and dedication, I managed to be recommended to test in Korea, and received my 2nd dan, (dan means degree black belt), this past November. Living in Korea has been an important experience. I am certain it is one I will never forget and one which will continue to influence my life. Taekwondo is one sport (unlike many others) in which the things you learn last a lifetime. Kam-sa-ham-ni-da, An-nyeong-he kye-sae-yo. (Thank you and good-bye.)

Published in the "USTU Taekwondo Journal" Vol. 17(1) Page 36. (1998).

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