jungsun86 ([info]jungsun86) wrote in [info]martial_artists,
@ 2008-03-19 12:29:00
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Introduction
Hello (안녕하세요!), my name is Richard.  I grew up in Wisconsin (I'm an adoptee), but moved to New York for college.  I am currently in my final semester at NYU, and I suppose I should discuss my martial arts background.  I started Isshin-ryu Karate when I was 5.  My parents wanted to give me something to do.  I didn't like Boy Scouts, but my parent found an ad for a Karate school.  This was the beginning of my life-long journey in the martial arts.  In August, I will have been practicing Isshin-ryu Karate for 17 years.  It makes me feel quite old haha.  My instructor also holds a a 3rd degree black belt in Aikido, so it was a large part of our curriculum.  I also practiced Judo with a local man and his son to supplement my training.  I would say that I have been doing these two for about 12 years, but I have not received a formal ranking.  Currently, I am still involved and practicing Isshin-ryu Karate, but I discovered my cultural heritage in Taekwondo.  For me, Taekwondo has been a great way to express myself in the Korean realm.  It is difficult for adoptees to move into this realm, because people do not respect your lineage.  Through Taekwondo, I have been able to gain this respect for myself.  Or it feels a bit like that.  I look forward to the discussions, and I hope I can learn much from the rest of the people in the community.  I thank you in advance.


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[info]tao_gone_blue
2008-03-19 04:57 pm UTC (link)
Welcome to the fold. :)

I've been studying TSD/MDK for almost my entire life as well. I'm black, but have found that after a certain level of skill, demonstration of perseverance, and long-term dedication to the art that the 'acceptance' issues generally fade away. Good Luck.

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[info]jungsun86
2008-03-19 05:00 pm UTC (link)
Thank you. The acceptance is less in the world of martial arts and more in the real world. Koreans are very guarded about lineages and blood lines. As an adoptee you have no blood line. It is difficult for many Korean people to accept this. You are Korean by blood, but you are not Korean by family. It takes a lot for many older Korean people to accept this.

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[info]tao_gone_blue
2008-03-19 05:13 pm UTC (link)
I can understand that. In my experience, practicing martial arts (especially one specific to the nation of your origin) will actually be a positive in the eyes of those who may question your lineage/heritage/etc. It seems to show the student's desire to immerse themselves in the culture. Believe me, nothing attracts a crowd of old Asian women with food faster than a 6'3" black guy speaking Chinese..

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[info]kikiko_haru
2008-03-19 05:00 pm UTC (link)
welcome! You can call me Kiki XD!

I too, do Taekwon-do and have achived a black belt for ITF style of taekwon-do. My teacher doesn't focus very much on the background of TKD but I would love to learn more. I espically would love to get a 'Pure' version of TKD, rather then the sport version it has become in north america.

Anyway, welcome!

kiki

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[info]jungsun86
2008-03-19 05:06 pm UTC (link)
Thank you for the welcome. I believe that your teacher should give you the history and background of Taekwondo. It is very interesting, and we all must know our past to move toward the future. History is a rather difficult thing though, because accounts can be twisted, and the truth can be lost. "Pure" Taekwondo is a difficult thing to find, but I hope you can find someone to help you on your path.

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[info]kikiko_haru
2008-03-19 06:32 pm UTC (link)
I think that Teacher should focus on histroy more too. since he doesn't, when ever I teach I try to instil some more thoughtful lessons then just how to kick and punch. I think Teacher likes that I do this, since he only likes to kick and punch XD.

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[info]strang_er
2008-03-21 11:31 pm UTC (link)

I love learning about tkd history too, though i feel it's something students should research and learn about for themselves, especially with the web available as a tool. My school is Kukki (WTF) style and we teach the basic WTF-approved version of taekwondo history as part of our syllabus, but to me that's just a starting point to whet people's appetite and inspire them to do their own reading from a wider range of sources and build up a picture that gets around and beyond the propaganda of official versions.

I guess that's probably a good approach for oether things in life as well.

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Welcome!
[info]blkchrrybard
2008-03-19 06:41 pm UTC (link)
My teacher is Korean, Grandmaster Kim Pyung Soo, formerly of Seoul, SK. He came to the states in 1968 and founded the system I study: Cha Yon Ryu (A synthesis of Karate, Tae Kyon, Aiki-Jujitsu and Kung Fu), "Ryu" homages our Okinawan roots in hardstyle as our Karate comes from Sensei Toyama Kanken via Grandmaster Yoon, Byung In who brought it back to Korea after WWII. Our Chinese arts also come from GM Yoon, as he lived in Manchuria and studied there as a boy. Our system is a grandchild of the old Chang Mu Kwon school GM Yoon founded when he returned to Korea after WWII. But Grandmaster Kim also studied Yudo, Hapkido and Kendo and incorperates those arts into Chayon-Ryu (Natural Way) as well.
He's a wonderful man, and I am very lucky to be his student. This year celebrates his 50th year of teaching, and the 40th year of his teaching in the USA.

There's a lot of Korean Martial Arts history on our website, and many articles by Grandmaster Kim Soo there, which you might find of interest. www.kimsookarate.com

Glad to know you!
Black Cherry/ Mel
1st Gup Brown Belt (Black Belt Candidate)

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Re: Welcome!
[info]jungsun86
2008-03-19 07:04 pm UTC (link)
I've actually heard of this style before. I am fairly well-versed in the history of various martial arts. As I rose in the ranks of Isshin-ryu Karate, it became more necessary to be informed of a wide variety of histories. I'm also a history major, so that probably fueled my naturally inquisitive nature. You must be very proud of your master and his accomplishments. It is good to be proud of your teacher, and to know where your martial art comes from, but you must also get to know yourself. I've been doing martial arts for a very long time, and the only thing I am certain of is that every practitioner is different, and at some point in their training they will have great questions about self-worth that can't be answered by a master. Just as children grow and leave home, so must a good student. For someday he will become a teacher to someone else. It is good to know the history and grandeur of a master, but don't get too caught up in it that you choke your own growth.

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Re: Welcome!
[info]blkchrrybard
2008-03-19 07:13 pm UTC (link)
Very wise, and I agree. I am very proud of my system and my teacher and all of his accomplishments, as he's made his mark on martial arts as a whole, while maintaining great humanity and humility. But I do agree we must all walk our own path to Nam.
Enlightenment is a personal quest, and CHAYON-RYU is the route I take to seek it, but the journey is for me to make. My teachers can guide me, but my feet must take the steps. And the journey is as long and ardurous within as it is without.
Something I really dig about Grandmaster Kim's philosophy is that he does place a heavy emphasis on internal personal growth to balance out the physical skills.

I'm happy to meet you!

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