Hapkido in Chicago

**trodriguez** · 04-23-2005, 09:21

Hello

I am looking for the best Hapkido school I can go to in Chicago, perferrably the south suburbs. I think a more combat orientated curriculim is what im looking for.
I also would like to study Kumdo.

Any help would be appreciated.

**ushankido** · 04-25-2005, 13:49

What do you mean by the best HKD school? Best in terms of?

**trodriguez** · 04-25-2005, 19:20

I mean the best for realistic street combat, ground standing,sitting, etc.
I am looking for a complete curriculum.
And some recommendations from the seasoned Hapkidoists, who can tell way better than I could.
I just want to avoid, the disreputable or more sports orientated types.
Im such a newbie, I am looking for Hapkido Vets to help guide me.

Thanks again.

Oh and is Kumdo the same as Japanese Kendo/Iaijutsu????

**ushankido** · 04-26-2005, 01:54

I would recommend doing a search on Google for a school in your area. Once you find a few of them, you should visit them and see what they have to offer and whether they suit your needs.

**modern hapkido** · 04-26-2005, 06:42

Take a look at GM K.S. Hyun's school

http://hapkido.ws/southschool.html

**iron_ox** · 04-26-2005, 09:02

Hello,

I have a dojang in Chicago, PM me if you like and I can help you find the others in the area - my opinion being probably a bit biased.

**dchakrab** · 05-08-2005, 22:23

My experience with Hapkido is limited, since I just started (I'm bartering website design work in exchange for classes), but the school I'm taking classes at seems to be top-notch. Classes are taught by Grandmaster Kyung Kim Shin, who's an absolutely world-class competitor and martial arts instructor (he's won a million awards, including 20th century warrior, etc). Classes are also taught sometimes by Master Steve (sorry, don't remember his last name), who's really, *really* big on practical combat hapkido. No tournament or sport applications...just practical self-defense, including defense against weapons.

The school's located on the North side of Chicago, so it may be a bit of a trip for you, though there are a few students who commute in from the suburbs (mostly serious tournament competitors for taekwondo or judo). Visit the site for more information (under construction, but there's enough there to give you contact information, travel options, etc).

Chicago Hapkido

Hope that helps. Incidentally, Korean Kumdo, as I understand it, is identical to Japanese Kendo, but I always thought Kendo and Iado / Iajutsu were very distinct.

-Dave.

**mateo** · 05-25-2005, 05:02

Many years ago I heard good things about an old school Korea Hapkido Association teacher named Jung, Won Sung teaching at what was then the Illinois Martial Arts Institute.

If I were in Chicago I would try to see if that school still existed. There was also an article about him back in the very first edition of the Taekwondo Times back in the 1980s, I believe.

**iron_ox** · 05-25-2005, 09:43

Hello all,

Master Jung is in Rockford IL, about 80 miles from Chicago. I met him on many occasions from my time there starting in 1989. He was an early, but short training student of the Founder of Hapkido, Dojunim Choi, Yong Sul. He was also a Taekwondo high rank, and this was his bread and butter style.

Recently dropped in to see him and he reported that he no longer taught Hapkido at all, he used to tell me that Americans couldn't take the toughness of the training - so he never had a very big group in his Hapkido classes.

His Taekwondo dojang remains active, but small. Got into a territorial squabble a few years ago when he opened a new dojang within 100 yards of his competition.

For Hapkido in Chicago, try www.chicagohapkido.com