Moo Yea Sin Moon - January 2006
Moo Yea Sinmoon is the leading martial arts newspaper in Korea which distributes to over 15,000 dojangs. This newspaper will be running multi-part feature series on GM In Sun Seo.

Making the decision for a profession

When I graduated from Dae Gu Commerce High Scool in 1960, I was torn between pursuing martial arts and starting a career. The high school I graduated from was the best business high school in Korea at that time.

During this time, Korea was a very poor country with the GDP per capital being less than $100. Because of my education, getting a good job for me was not a problem but I struggled with my life’s direction. After much thought, I decided to direct my life to martial arts, i.e. Hapkido. In order to become the best in my chosen path, I trained more than 10 hours a day, everyday to perfect my Hapkido skill and knowledge.

In December of 1964, few months before I was to be honorably discharged from the Korean Army, I was chosen to go to Vietnam.(with the first Korean deployment) I served in Vietnam and I returned to Korea in 1965 and completed my duty, had many job offers. I passed the entrance exam for a commerce bank, received approval for governmental jobs, and was recommended for the Korean Intelligence Agency. However I pledge to dedicate my life to Hapkido and help grow it as the best Korean Martial Art. In 1965, I was appointed a Master of Kuk Sool Won-Hapkido.

The training methods of 1960’s Kuk Sool Won-Hapkido

My daily training schedule was to practice striking, kicking and self defense techniques for 6 hours, forms for 4 hours. For self defense techniques training I practiced with the students and used that time to hone my skills in realistic fighting situations. Because of this, all of our students were excellent in sparring and self defense techniques and this in turn help them realize the full strength of Hapkido.

My favorite kick is the spin kick and as recent as last February, I demonstrated this kick at my seminar in the United States. Back in the 60’s, I used to practice 3000 spin kicks a day in order to perfect the kick to be used in actual fighting situations. Thinking back now, it was indeed a very difficult training schedule. However I wanted to make sure my kicks were applicable in real life situations and only way to do that was to patiently practice. I think because of all those kicks I did back then, I am still able to execute the spin kick at my age now. At the time I was appointed a Master in 1965, I weighed 71 kg. But after I implemented my training schedule of 10 hours a day for three years, I dropped to 51 kg. At this weight my body was all muscle and I had lost nearly all my body fat . I believe this was due to the severity of my training in addition to not having enough nutritious foods available.

In the 60’s, most dojangs were very poor and hardly any of them had mats and other equipment. Most masters lived in their dojangs. Korea back then was so poor that when you opened a dojang, there were two dozen students who lived in the dojang to train. Many times it was difficult to deal with all the expenses of having so many students live with you but it also allowed you to teach excellent techniques and martial arts spirit to them and produce very capable instructors in a short period of time. This enabled for Kuk Sool Won- Hapkido in the 1960’s to spread to all of Korea very quickly.

I trained with and trained many key masters who were instrumental in spreading Hapkido throughout Korea. Some key individuals and the schools that they established are: 1963-Master Lee, Han Chul (Suh Dae Moon Dojang, Seoul), 1964-Master Kim, Woo Tak (Ul Ji Ryo Dojang, Seoul), 1964- Master Lee, Joo Bang (Jong Ryo 5 Ga Dojang, Seoul), 1963- Master Pak, In Suk, Master Cho, Chang Hyung (Kyong Ju Dojang), 1963- Master Seo, In Suk, Master Chung, Jin Sook (Yeo Soo Dojang), 1964- Master Seo, In Suk, Master Jang, Myong Ho, Master Kim, Sae Joon (Mok Poe Dojang), 1965- Master Lee, Jong Oh (Seo Myun, Busan Dojang), 1966- Master Seo, In Suk, Master Lim Hee Ee, Instructor Kim, Yong Bong, Instructor Lee, Yoon Woo (Kun San Dojang), 1966- Master Byun, Jong Won (Dan Shin Dong, Busan Dojang), 1966- Master Kim, Chang Soo (Kim Je Dojang), 1966- Master Oh, Soo Bok (Wool San Dojang), 1967- Master Cho, Jae Soo (Dong San Dong, Busan Dojang), 1967- Master Kang, Kang Jung, Master Cho, Ja Rong (Young Doong Pyo, Seoul Dojang), 1967- Master Kim Seong Jin (Sa Dang Dong, Seoul Dojang), 1968- Master Byun, Sae Ki, Master Pak, Jung Kyu (Ma San Dojang), 1968- Master Lim Kyu Uk (Mil Yang Dojang).

There were some others who were instrumental in proliferation of Hapkido during those early days that I may have inadvertently omitted and I ask for understanding in such cases.

At this point, I want to reiterate that those were difficult times and starting a Hapkido Dojang was extremely difficult endeavor. And this is a fact that I am hoping later generations of Hapkido Masters understand and respect.