This article with vidoe clip and translation in English was made by The Kukjae Newspaper issued on 5th June 2008

,Searchang for Grandmaster.

The Kuljae Newspaper had an interview with GM Kim, Jeong Seong

who is the President & Founder of United World Haedong Kumdo Federation

http://www.kookje.co.kr/news2006/asp/center.asp?gbn=v&code=2500&key=20080606.22027190748

 “Searching for Grandmaster”

“The Kum (sword) should be drawn slowly but pointed out to your opponent faster. The reason you have to draw your Kum slowly is to dominate spirit over your opponent(s) and Hanminjok’s (Korean’s) mercy to the opponent…However, the best Kumin (fencer) is who can gain a victory without drawing the Kum.”

The Headquarter of World Haedong Kumdo Federation is located at Gamman dong, Busan Namgu, Korea. As soon as you got there, there is a writing which is not understandable but catching your eyesight. It says, “the Kumin (fencer) can be the best when Kumin can win match without drawing Kum…” It is natural for you believe that the goal of match is to win it and there should be physical match. In spite of this truth, how can you believe that you win the match without physical contact? It has been answered right after the interview with Grandmaster Kim.

Here is an episode when Grandmaster Kim went to England;

After a seminar, Grandmaster Kim went to restroom and accidently, he ran into an African-American who was a kick-boxer. He was much taller than Grandmaster Kim and possibly, he wanted to challenge himself against Grandmaster Kim. Maybe, he thought Grandmaster Kim is one small Korean. That’s why he was trying to pick a quarrel without any reasons. Grandmaster Kim didn’t mention about why he did but at least, it is enough for him to fight against a small Korean as a young and big kick-boxer. It was very critical moment for both but luckily or unluckily, there was no fight. Grandmaster Kim gave him a lesson saying, “Kum and power is for training, not for fighting. The Haedong Kumdo never be involved in a fight without any reasons.” As an expert of martial arts and with instinct, he understood what Grandmaster Kim meant to.

 It is necessary for Grandmaster Kim to demonstrate and show his techniques with MokKum (wooden sword) to anyone who are trying to fight against to Grandmaster Kim. As soon as he did, it is the beginning and the end of the fight at the same time.

Haedong Kumdo is not a Sports

Haedong Kumdo is known to everyone nationally in Korea and internationally as well. There were a Korean actor who became very popular after he was known for being a Master of Haedong Kumdo. Although it is one example, it has been a struggle to find what the originality of Haedong Kumdo is. Although Grandmaster Kim knows this situation, he would like to figure out this situation with this aspect;

“Please think about Taekwondo. There are a number of branches of Taekwondo such as Chungryong Kwan, Kukil Kwan, etc.   However, we have an official game with one name, called by Taekwondo at Olympics. Haedong Kumdo is as same as Taekwondo. Everyone is making efforts to develop the Haedong Kumdo and it may be possible, we can have more branches than we may think. However, it is more important to find the best place to learn Haedong Kumdo than to learn anywhere.”

Haedong Kumdo has been redesigned and reconstructed based on the traditional training methods such as Danjeon (hypogastric) Breathing, Kumbeop (sword technique), Baeki (cutting technique), etc. However, Grandmaster Kim insists that Haedong Kumdo is not a ‘sports.’ He believes that it is ‘martial arts’ because it is different with Kumdo (fencing) which should follow the rule, and it is decided by score. Therefore, he would like to regard the Haedong Kumdo as it is, ‘martial arts.’ He believes that it is a wrong question to ask which Kumdo is better. Maybe, you must ask, “is it good for your physical and spiritual training?”

Grandmaster Kim said there is no strong or weak points for all martial arts. He believes it would depend on trainee’s attitude and behavior. He believes that all martial arts are similar. He argues that the basic principle of all martial arts is using two hands, arms, and legs. Only one difference among martial arts is that they are played in the different ways and it is shown differently. Additionally, he criticizes the trend that ‘Dan’ (level or grade of martial arts’ technique) is regarded as so important matter. “The Dan is not important as much as training process. It is an only system to motivate trainees to achieve their goal and make them improved. It would be better to train yourself than to have a higher Dan.”

Your Spirit Must Go before Kum.

The unique characteristic of Haedong Kumdo is Ssangkumbeop (method of using two swords). It is upper level than Kumbeop using a Kum. It is a very dynamic method which can create a number of motions. Simply, we can think that it would be harder to use Ssangkum than a Kum. However, Grandmaster Kim explained why it is not true. “Whether you have a Kum, Ssangkum, or nothing is not a matter. Neither is the length of Kum. Of course, it is not a matter whether left Kum is longer than right one or otherwise. Kum is the only additional outfit and movement followed by your body’s motion.” Although it is so difficult for us to understand his idea, it seems that the internal power is more important than external power. He wants to make sure it is a prejudice that Ssangkum is only for Master. If it can be learned how to use Ssangkum correctly, it is very possible for anyone to use Ssangkum.

The equation, ‘Ssangkumbeop = Master’ never exist. Although you have never learned how to use a Kum, you can learn Ssangkumbeop. But, why has it been known only for Master to use Ssangkum? Grandmaster Kim said, “it is because there was no system for public to learn Ssangkumbeop. Although some experts knew how to use it, they did not know how to teach it. Therefore, it was so difficult for the public to learn how to do it except experts in Ssangkumbeop.

It is said there are a lot of experts in Ssangkumbeop but it is hard to find a systemic theory or concept of Ssangkumbeop. Idoreuw (one branch of using two swords in Japan) is the only one theory which was introduced in Korea. Many studies of Idoreuw have been done in Japan. For this reason, Grandmaster Kim has begun to investigate about Haedong Kumdo. He has published two training manual textbooks about Haedong Kumdo. He is planning to publish three more training manuals. He is so proud of himself because he believes he is a pioneer to systematize the theory of Ssangkumbeop to the public.

Ssangkum Cut the Wind into Two Pieces

Grandmaster Kim is standing with Ssangkum. He looks like a knight right before a battle. Two Kums are beginning to dance as soon as he draws each Kum. The movements of his two Kums are just like a crane wings’ flapping. Although opponents have better and stronger weapons, it seems that there is no chance for opponents to find his unguarded points.

      Grandmaster Kim demonstrates his techniques. He starts with Bamboo Baeki. The plastic bamboo is cut into piece by piece. What a beautiful Baeki is! The fodder cannot be sharper than his Baeki. Again, he shows paper Baeki. They are cut into two pieces by one Baeki. It is even hard for an expert to cut the paper in the air. It requires high technique to cut papers into two pieces because papers do not have a certain point to cut through in the air. His Baeki technique with thrown subjects is even better. With a single stroke of his Ssangkum, three pieces of wood, which is as small as tennis ball, were hit accurately by his Ssangkum. It is not possible if he does not have an excellent technique, called by Dongchae (moving object) – SeeRuck (sight or vision); the ability to see objects which are moving separately. “You must concentrate your spirit on your Ssangkum when you are trying to cut soft object like paper. And then, you should accelerate your Ssangkum’s speed. Ssangkum should make circle feeling like pulling Ssangkum. This is the most different point between hitting and Baeki. Deonjeo Baeki (throwing objects and cutting) requires the best concentration and ability to recognize the distance and space.”

Haedong Kumdo, Unique Marketing Product for Korean Martial Arts!

      His life of martial arts began with his learning of Hapkido (one of Korean martial arts) when he was 5th grade student. He decided to learn martial art because he wanted to protect himself from his classmate’s violent behavior. He learned and experienced Judo, Taekwondo, and Kickboxing through his school days from middle school to college. He made a smile when he was asked what happened to him who was very picking on him when he was 5th grader.

     Now, Haedong Kumdo is more popular internationally than in Korea. There are about forty branches in the world including U.S.A. He spends more than six months out of the country to achieve his goal, ‘Make Haedong Kumdo globalized.’ Needless to say, he can lecture in English without an interpreter. He is always busy. He is going to visit Philippines and U.S.A. during this month and he is planning to visit Puerto Rico for next month. There are always many visitors from foreign countries to see him. It is true that Haedong Kumdo is very unfamiliar with them. But, why is world so excited over Haedong Kumdo? Grandmaster Kim said, “I’ve never thought about it. But I think it is a main reason that Haedong Kumdo comes from Korea where Taekwondo comes from. Secondly, the effect of web-marketing of Haedong Kumdo is the other reason. And finally, it would be my contribution, I guess” with a smile.

     He strongly believes that Haedong Kumdo is one of the best martial arts which Korean can be proud of and have to inform to the world as one of the resource to introducing Korean culture. That is why we introduced Haedong Kumdo for the first time at the Busan Cultural Center in 2001. It is necessary to motivate trainee and introduce to the public to develop Haedong Kumdo. It has been scheduled to have a next event at the Eulsukdo Cultural Center, Korea on September, 2008. Additionally, 1th World Haedong Kumdo Championship will be held in July, 2009. Grandmaster Kim is expecting that there will be about more than 40 countries to participate in this competition.

     “I will try to inform Haedong Kumdo as we did for Taekwondo to the world. Within two or three years, I hope we have more than one hundred branches in the world. It is not only to introduce Haedong Kumdo to the world but also inform Korean culture to the world by Haedong Kumdo.”

Reported By Changhyun Yeom,
haorem@kookje.co.kr
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Translated By Young H. Kim,
ykim@olemiss.edu
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Translated in English by HK Rep of New York, USA ,Master Yang, Il-nam

Kookje Newspaper (2008). Searching for the Master. Retrieved August 12, 2008, from

http://www.kookje.co.kr/news2006/asp/center.asp?gbn=v&code=2500&key=20080606.22027190748