On Saturday, December 17th, 2022, six students were tested and promoted to their next rank in Kukki Taekwondo. Alicia Bigby-Smart and Tauren Wendt passed their test and were promoted to 9th Geup Yellow Belt. Aneliz Mendoza and Alex Kyaw were both promoted to 8th Geup Orange Belt while Natalia Morales was promoted to 6th Geup Blue Belt and Angel Miller was promoted to 1st Geup Red Belt. We are very proud of all of these students and congratulate them on this achievement.
Gunsan is a hidden gem amongst the rice fields of the Jeollabuk province. Its status as a major port city dates back to the Joseon dynasty and it continues to serve as a major shipping and transportation hub to this day. Its rich history, historical sites, and natural and manmade wonders are what make this city worth visiting.
Gunsan is home to more Japanese style buildings than anywhere else in Korea. In fact, around 1919, Japanese residents in Gunsan outnumbered Koreans. Following liberation from Japan, most Imperial-era structures in South Korea were destroyed including all but three Japanese Buddhist temples in the entire country. Of the three temples which still exist in South Korea, only Dongguksa in Gunsan remains in operation today.
The inner harbor also boasts an impressive collection of Japanese structures including the Hirotsu House, the Gunsan Customs House, Bank of Joseon, Nagasaki 18 Bank, and numerous smaller Japanese style houses. From the Belgian red bricks of the Customs House, to the tatami mats of the wooden yashiki known as the Hirotsu House, to the steep roof of the old Bank of Joseon which resembles a samurai’s helmet, these structures are truly unique sights in a country that has gone to great lengths to destroy any remnants of the Japanese occupation. Once viewed as painful reminders of Korea’s colonial past, these sites are now well maintained and preserved by the local government so that they may be cherished for their architectural beauty as well as their historical and educational value.
The Gunsan Museum of Modern History and Jinpo Maritime Park are located along the waterfront. The museum’s most interesting exhibit is a nearly full scale replica of a small section of Gunsan from the early 1900s. This exhibit includes stores, a school, a movie theatre, and numerous other imperial-era structures, within which you are free to roam around, providing you with a truly unique view into the city’s colonial history.
On Saturday, November 19th, 2022, three students were tested and promoted to their next rank in Kukki Taekwondo. Akilah Smart, Amelie Smart, and Nicholas Bass all passed their tests and were promoted to 9th Geup Yellow Belt in Taekwondo. We are very proud of all of these students and congratulate them on this achievement.
On Saturday, October 22nd, 2022, seven students were tested and promoted to their next rank in Kukki Taekwondo. J.J. Collins, John Gasca, and Jaime Gasca all passed their tests and were promoted to 8th Geup Orange Belt in Taekwondo. Euan Cable, Van Piang, Milan Mawi, and Sofia Nieves also passed their tests and were promoted to 9th Geup Yellow Belt in Taekwondo.
In addition, Maverick Martinez tested on Monday, October 24th and was promoted to 8th Geup Orange Belt in Taekwondo. We are very proud of all of these students and congratulate them on this achievement.
Between the bustling Gangnam Station area and the shopping mecca known as COEX, you can find a small, yet beautiful park that is truly a hidden gem. Located in the Gangnam-gu district of Seoul, Seonjeongneung is the home of the royal Joseon tombs referred to as Seolleung and Jeonneung (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Here, King Seongjong, who ruled from 1469 to 1494, is buried along with his wife, Queen Jeonghyeon, and his son, King Jungjong, who also ruled from 1506 to 1544.
The tombs are characterized by massive, grass covered mounds topped with stone fences and statues of military guards with horses who keep watch over the burial sites. There are also a few other structures in the park which served as shrines and storage rooms along with a couple of beautiful gates and stone walkways leading to each tomb. While it may seem strange to find such a place amidst all the tall modern buildings and bright lights of Gangnam, this park is truly worth visiting. It is particularly nice in the springtime when the flowers are in bloom and in the summer when the grass on the tombs themselves is a brilliant green.
On Saturday, September 24th, 2022, two students were tested and promoted to their next rank in Kukki Taekwondo. Donovan Williams passed his test and was promoted to 8th Geup Orange Belt in Taekwondo. Natalia Morales also passed her test and was promoted to 7th Geup Green Belt in Taekwondo. We are very proud of both students and congratulate them on this achievement.
Located in northwestern Seoul, Seodaemun Independence Park pays tribute to those who fought for Korea’s independence from Japan (1910 – 1945). The focal point of the park is the Seodaemun Prison History Hall. Opened in 1908 under the name Gyeongseong Prison, the name was changed in 1923 to Seodaemun Prison. It was here that the Japanese incarcerated, tortured, and executed Korean activists who spoke out and fought against Japanese colonial rule. Pictures of former inmates line the walls and the cells have been left just as they were. There are also a number of exhibits displaying the torture and abuse inflicted on the inmates by the Japanese guards. Most areas of the prison are open to the public and serve as a chilling reminder of Korea’s colonial past prior to independence.
The prison also has a post-liberation history as well. Following independence from Japan, the South Korean government used this prison to incarcerate individuals until 1987. Today, half of the original fifteen buildings of the prison complex still stand and are open to the public as part of the museum.
At the entrance to the park, you will also find the Independence Gate. This massive stone gate is of European design and stands in the place where the Yeongeunmun Gate once stood during the Joseon era. The Yeongeunmun Gate was destroyed in 1895 by the Japanese and the new Independence Gate was erected a year later. In addition to the gate, there are a number of monuments in the park with the most prominent one being the statue of Seo Jae-pil, a journalist and political activist during the colonial period who was instrumental in the construction of the Independence Gate. On weekends, the park is a popular destination for locals wanting to relax and tourists seeking to better understand Korea’s complex history. The best way to reach the park is by taking exits 4 or 5 from Dongnimmun Subway Station on Line 3.
On Saturday, August 27th, 2022, three students were tested and promoted to their next rank in Kukki Taekwondo. Alex Kyaw and Aneliz Mendoza passed their test and were promoted to 9th Geup Yellow Belt in Taekwondo. Naomi Dorsey also passed her test and was promoted to Junior 9th Geup Yellow Belt in Taekwondo. We are very proud of all the students who tested and we congratulate them on this achievement.
Just 40 minutes south-west of Jeonju sits one of Korea’s largest and most impressive temples, Geumsansa. Located next to Moak Mountain in the rural countryside of Jeollabuk-do, this temple showcases both natural beauty and man-made wonders. Founded in 599 AD, Geumsansa grew into a major Buddhist monastery until most of the temple was destroyed by war with the Japanese in 1592, at which time the temple was being used as a training grounds and headquarters for over a thousand monks involved in the resistance against the Japanese invaders. The temple was however rebuilt, and most of the current structures date back to around 1635.
This massive temple includes over 30 buildings, half a dozen stone pagodas and lanterns, a stream, a waterfall, and countless Buddha statues including three of the largest indoor Buddha statues in all of Korea. The largest statue stands at nearly 40 feet tall and is situated between two 30 feet tall Buddhas, all housed inside the equally impressive three-story Mireukjeon Hall. One of the best features of this temple however, is the fact that it is off the beaten path, nestled in the mountains of Jeollabuk-do, offering a much quieter, more peaceful, and far less crowded experience than other famous temples like Bulguksa in Gyeongju.
Geumsansa also offers a temple stay program which allows visitors to stay overnight at the temple and learn about Buddhist and Korean history and culture. To reach Geumsansa, take Bus 79 from Jeonju Express Bus Terminal or Bus 5 from Gimje Intercity Bus Terminal or Gimje Station.
References:
Geumsansa Temple: http://www.geumsansa.org/
Geumsansa Temple Stay Program: http://geumsansa.com/eng/
Visit Korea: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=824869
Korean: Palgup Pyojeok Chigi
This is one of the most common elbow strikes in Taekwondo poomsae. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most overlooked and misunderstood elbow strikes. Although similar to the round elbow strike in the way that it is delivered, this elbow strike is typically only executed with the rear elbow and makes contact with the palm of the opposite hand as if the palm were a target, which lends to this strike’s name. This palm-to-elbow connection is the main reason that this elbow strike is so misunderstood.
As for the generation of power for this technique, it is essentially the same as that of the round elbow strike. The only difference is that the lead hand is also used to pull a target inward as the elbow is thrust forward. One mistake that many practitioners make with this elbow strike is that they stop the technique at a position in which the upper body is squared off and the forearms are parallel with the chest. For an effective and powerful strike, the hips should rotate just as they would with a round elbow strike and the tip of the elbow should be pointing straight ahead. The elbow strike itself should be executed exactly as you would with a round elbow strike.
