Active Oh Do Kwan apart from ITF?

IcemanSK

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We know the Oh Do Kwan was one of the kwans that merged with the Kukkiwon with the other 8 original kwans. Did these folks split from General Choi's ITF, or did something else happen? Who heads up the ODK that connected to the KKW now? What else is important to know about them?
 

FieldDiscipline

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Can't help with an answer I'm afraid, but a great question.

Perhaps the Oh Do Kwan 'remained behind' in the ROK army when Gen. Choi left, and it just carried on without him in the military?

Interested to learn the answer to that one.
 

puunui

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We know the Oh Do Kwan was one of the kwans that merged with the Kukkiwon with the other 8 original kwans. Did these folks split from General Choi's ITF, or did something else happen? Who heads up the ODK that connected to the KKW now? What else is important to know about them?


I was hoping an ITF member would answer, but I guess not.

The Oh Do Kwan was never a part of the ITF, although many believe that the ITF and Oh Do Kwan were the same thing. They were not. When the ITF was formed in 1966, the Oh Do Kwan Jang was GM HYUN Jong Myung. He was very close to Chung Do Kwan Jang UHM Woon Kyu so GM Hyun kept the Oh Do Kwan with the KTA group, as opposed to the ITF. GM Hyun was also a member of the KTA ad hoc committee that created the Palgwae and Yudanja poomsae from 1967-68, which was important because then the KTA could honestly say that the Chang Hon forms that the Oh Do Kwan was using influenced and were incorporated into the new KTA forms.

Although preferring to stay in the background, GM HYUN Jong Myung was a very influential Taekwondoin. He was the one who worked out/taught GM HWANG Kee the Chung Do Kwan curriculum when both worked at Seoul Station, he was present during the Taekwondo Naming Committee meeting, served as Oh Do Kwan Jang, and was a member of the KTA ad hoc committee that created the new forms. He is also a Kukkiwon 9th Dan.

I don't know who is the Oh Do Kwan Jang at the moment, but I do believe it is still active and they have an office in Seoul, Korea.
 

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Dear All,

I am honored to say answer this question. As with the other kwans they joined to become "Kukkiwon". However, each of them maintain a certain level of autonomy. They each continue to honor their own kwans lineage while giving adherence (loosely) to the standards of Kukkiwon.

The current President of Daehan Taekwondo Ohdokwan is Han Myung Hak, Chong Kwan Jang-Nim, and as earlier stated the have offices in Seoul, and a dojang in Daegu. There are also schools internationally that still answer and honor the rule of Korea Taekwondo Ohdokwan!

TAE-KWON
Spooks
 

Traditionalitf

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We know the Oh Do Kwan was one of the kwans that merged with the Kukkiwon with the other 8 original kwans. Did these folks split from General Choi's ITF, or did something else happen? Who heads up the ODK that connected to the KKW now? What else is important to know about them?

This is in part right. However the OH Do Kwan stopped being a martial arts school in1972 and became a social group after that year. All Taekwon-Do in Korea is governed through the Kukkiwon and the Korean Taekwon-Do Association. If you know the story told by General Choi, and I do because he told me, the Oh Do Kwan and the ITF are very different. It is aquite complex story.
 

andyjeffries

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This is in part right. However the OH Do Kwan stopped being a martial arts school in1972 and became a social group after that year.

Social groups that still arrange training, competitions, dan promotion tests and dan certification. I wonder how you see that as different from a martial arts school?

All Taekwon-Do in Korea is governed through the Kukkiwon and the Korean Taekwon-Do Association.

They are, but it doesn't mean the kwans aren't active any more.

If you know the story told by General Choi, and I do because he told me, the Oh Do Kwan and the ITF are very different. It is aquite complex story.

This is true, ITF came from Ohdokwan, but when Gen Choi left Ohdokwan remained in South Korea and supports Kukkiwon (being a signatory to the Kwan Unification Proclamation). They are definitely different. I have a very good friend in South Korea that is Ohdokwan and he's one of the new Kukkiwon poomsae demonstrators.
 

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All Taekwon-Do in Korea is governed through the Kukkiwon and the Korean Taekwon-Do Association.

While the vast majority of Tae Kwon Do in SOUTH Korea (the situation is quite different in North Korea) is governed by the KKW, it is incorrect to claim they govern all of TKD.
 

andyjeffries

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While the vast majority of Tae Kwon Do in SOUTH Korea (the situation is quite different in North Korea) is governed by the KKW, it is incorrect to claim they govern all of TKD.

Very true, I'd missed mentioning that because I was so focused on the kwans-perspective.

The homepage for ITF South Korea is http://itfkorea.com (although it always appears knackered for me).

The Facebook page is ITF-Korea - #INO462 국제태권도연맹 대한민국협회 and if you can speak Korean, the owner/president is quite friendly.
 

TSDTexan

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I was hoping an ITF member would answer, but I guess not.

The Oh Do Kwan was never a part of the ITF, although many believe that the ITF and Oh Do Kwan were the same thing. They were not. When the ITF was formed in 1966, the Oh Do Kwan Jang was GM HYUN Jong Myung. He was very close to Chung Do Kwan Jang UHM Woon Kyu so GM Hyun kept the Oh Do Kwan with the KTA group, as opposed to the ITF. GM Hyun was also a member of the KTA ad hoc committee that created the Palgwae and Yudanja poomsae from 1967-68, which was important because then the KTA could honestly say that the Chang Hon forms that the Oh Do Kwan was using influenced and were incorporated into the new KTA forms.

...GM HYUN Jong Myung was a very influential Taekwondoin. He was the one who worked out/taught GM HWANG Kee the Chung Do Kwan curriculum when both worked at Seoul Station, he was present during the Taekwondo Naming Committee meeting, served as Oh Do Kwan Jang...He is also a Kukkiwon 9th Dan.

any sources for that bit about Him teaching GM Hwang Ki the ChungDoKwan curriculum?
 

andyjeffries

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We know the Oh Do Kwan was one of the kwans that merged with the Kukkiwon with the other 8 original kwans. Did these folks split from General Choi's ITF, or did something else happen? Who heads up the ODK that connected to the KKW now? What else is important to know about them?

They're still active in Korea. One of my very good friends was their international director for a while. I can get the contact details for them if you like?

Other than that, they promote Kukkiwon syllabus, Kukkiwon forms the same as the other kwans.
 

Dirty Dog

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They're still active in Korea. One of my very good friends was their international director for a while. I can get the contact details for them if you like?

Other than that, they promote Kukkiwon syllabus, Kukkiwon forms the same as the other kwans.

So like our branch of the MDK, they're the part of the Kwan that split off when the founder left the unification. Makes sense, given how unlikely it is that 100% of the Kwan would agree to the split, but I have to admit I'd never hear that the Oh Do Kwan was still active at all.
 

TSDTexan

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So like our branch of the MDK, they're the part of the Kwan that split off when the founder left the unification. Makes sense, given how unlikely it is that 100% of the Kwan would agree to the split, but I have to admit I'd never hear that the Oh Do Kwan was still active at all.

Hey Dirty Dog, have you ever come across anything about GM Oh Seh Jun? He went MDK TKD at the split. The SBD MDK side of the family says little to nothing about him.
 

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Hey Dirty Dog, have you ever come across anything about GM Oh Seh Jun? He went MDK TKD at the split. The SBD MDK side of the family says little to nothing about him.

I have not, but I'd be happy to ask GM Kim about him, next time we chat.
SBD MDK doesn't officially recognize any other MDK branch as even being real. As far as their dogma goes, they are the One and Only True MDK. So they're not likely to say anything about him.
 

TSDTexan

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I have not, but I'd be happy to ask GM Kim about him, next time we chat.
SBD MDK doesn't officially recognize any other MDK branch as even being real. As far as their dogma goes, they are the One and Only True MDK. So they're not likely to say anything about him.

Thank you very much regarding the matter.
 

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