16 December 2011

Taekkyeon

The end of the semester always keeps me busy, this year more so than most, so I don't have the chance to add posts as regularly as I'd like. In any case, I saw this little insert about Taekkyeon, one of the main martial styles from which Taekwon-Do developed, on Arirang, a television station dedicated to promoting Korea and Korean culture.



The insert on Taekkyeon is a little skewed as it might imply that there is only one master dedicated to the survival of Taekkyeon, when in fact there are three main branches of Taekkyeon, also stemming from the late Teacher Song Duk-ki whom is credited for resuscitating Taekkyeon after its suppression during the Japanese occupation.

The three branches are the Korea Taekkyon Association (KTA), the Korea Traditional Taekgyeon Association (KTTA), and the Kyulyun Taekyun Association (KTA). Personally I think the KTA (Kyulyun Taekyun Association) is the form of Taekkyeon that follows most closely the teachings of Teacher Song Duk-gi, and is therefore technically the most traditional Taekkyeon system. (Although I'm sure each of the three groups will claim the same.)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sir, you are right the Unesco Taekkyeon video is slanted to one teacher/stle in Korea. . .There is another teacher of Taekkyeon. He lives in LA and inherited the complete system from Song Deok-Gi. He is my teacher and all I know is when I watch videos of Taekkyeon from the styles in Korea today, i don't see %15 of what I learn in class. Taekkyeon is alive, in America. If you honestly want to study Taekkyeon it is open to you.

Skryfblok said...

Thanks for the response, Anonymous. Be sure to send me information about your instructor, I'd be keen to learn more about his history.

I doubt, however, that I'll be moving to America any time soon. I'm happy living in Korea for now.

Best wishes,
S

Aarak said...

If, you are serious about what you are saying, I would love to see a movie from the LA teachers class. D you think you could send me one?