History of Hapkido

The history of Hapkido does not reach very far back in time, although it does have links with Korea's Buldo moo sool (Buddhist martial arts). The modern resurrection of the art is due to a man named Yong Shul Choi. In 1910 Choi went to Japan to study Daito ryu aiki-jitsu under Master Shokaku Ching Takeda. When he returned to his homeland 40 years later, he brought with him his style of Hapkido. At first the style …

…a perpetual and liquid rhythm as well as constant mobility, the hallmarks of Hapkido. Hapkido's development on a worldwide scale is largely due to a man named Bang Soo Han. He introduced the art to United States special service groups while he was an unarmed combat instructor in Vietnam. Because Hapkido has not been around long, none of its techniques have lost their effectiveness. It remains as it was intended, a self-defense oriented martial art.