Grandmaster Yoon

[Raistlin]

Hi All,

Does anyone know of Grand Master Byung Ock Yoon or Grandmaster Ki. C. Yoon? They both live in Calgary, Alberta Canada. They are both 10th Dans in Hapkido. Their Hapkido crests are almost identical. They have both been studying Hapkido for over 60 years, both have very impressive resumes. Byung Ock Yoon is President of the World Hoshindo Federation and Ki. C. Yoon is President of the International Hapkido Federation. They don't claim any affiliation with one another. Are they brothers? It is strange to me that they have very similar backgrounds and credentials, are around the same age, live in the same city, have the same crest but don't claim any affiliation to one another. Any information anyone could provide me on this would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Flying Crane]

Maybe they are the same person with an alter-ego, one is an evil mastermind bent on world domination and the other is a benevolent mastermind bent on world domination?

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Do you live near there? If so, take a private class, and ask one of them if they know the other seems like the simplest solution.

 

[WaterGal]

The President of the International Hapkido Federation is Sung-Kwan Myung. The IHF is based out of Yongin, South Korea.

 

[WaterGal]

Okay, to follow up, I looked at Mr Ki C Yoon's website, and his website is a little light on actual information (though it does include a fictionalized history of Hapkido that says GM Choi learned it from secret monks in the mountains of Korea, which is a pet peeve of mine). However, he includes some student videos.

Based on watching a few videos, I saw some fairly nice shoulder rolls and break falls, some decent basic punches and kicks, and some very unimpressive grappling with extremely compliant partners.

 

[Raistlin]

The President of the International Hapkido Federation is Sung-Kwan Myung. The IHF is based out of Yongin, South Korea.

I should have said "was". His bio says he became the president in 1982. I'm not sure how long he was president for.

 

[WaterGal]

Hmm, I'll have to do some digging. Sung-Kwan Myung's father, Jae-nam Myung, was the founder and chairman (head) of the IHF until his death, but I can't find anything about previous presidents.

 

[Raistlin]

Do you live near there? If so, take a private class, and ask one of them if they know the other seems like the simplest solution.

I actually teach in the same city. I'm relatively new to the city and am putting together an invitation list for our first tournament when things open up due to Covid. I'm more curious than anything. I want to make sure I'm not inviting two mortal enemies to my tournament.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I actually teach in the same city. I'm relatively new to the city and am putting together an invitation list for our first tournament when things open up due to Covid. I'm more curious than anything. I want to make sure I'm not inviting two mortal enemies to my tournament.

Ah, this makes a lot of sense. Good luck with that!

 

[WaterGal]

Had a few minutes and was curious. I can't find any history of previous leadership on the IHF website. There's no mention of either of these gentlemen in Marc Tedeschi's comprehensive "Hapkido" book among his list of important HKD masters or early post-WW2 students of GM Choi. Tedeschi does passingly mention Ho Shin Do in a list of modern eclectic arts that were founded in Korea post-WW2 around the same time as HKD. However, I can't seem to find any more information about that style or any info about the World Hoshindo Federation. For what it's worth, in Korean styles at least, 10th dan is usually an honorary rank that's awarded posthumously, so I'm always skeptical if I see someone claiming that rank who's still alive.

Anyway, if you're just looking to invite them to a local tournament, go for it.

 

[Razznik]

Maybe they are the same person with an alter-ego, one is an evil mastermind bent on world domination and the other is a benevolent mastermind bent on world domination?

That might be true XD