Gongkwon Yusul

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Gongkwon Yusul
FocusHybrid
HardnessFull Contact
Country of origin South Korea
CreatorKang Jun
Famous practitionersYoon Jun Lee, Ye Ji Lee
ParenthoodHapkido, Hakkō-ryū Jūjutsu, Judo, Kumdo, Taekwondo, Taekkyon, Teukgong Moosool, Kickboxing, and Kyeok Too Ki
Olympic sportno
Official websitewww.gongkwon.com
Korean name
Hangul
공권유술
Hanja
空拳柔術
Revised RomanizationGongkwonyusul
McCune–ReischauerKongkwonyusul

Gongkwon Yusul is a modern Korean martial art system founded by Kang Jun in 1996. Its main influences include Hapkido, Hakkō-ryū Jūjutsu, Judo, Kumdo, Taekkyon, Taekwondo, Teukgong Moosool (Korean military martial art), Kickboxing, and Kyeok Too Ki.[note 1][1] Currently, this martial art exists in the form of an amateur-level combat sport.[2]

Gongkwon Yusul is a martial art distinct from other styles, such as Hapkido. It emphasises the application of striking, locking, and throwing techniques in practical, free-flowing fighting situations, rather than the static applications more common in traditional styles of Hapkido. It also differs from Hapkido in that many of its hand techniques are strongly influenced by kickboxing styles (as mentioned above), and that a significant part of Gongkwon Yusul training is in grappling/ground fighting, applying techniques more akin to Judo than most Hapkido styles. Like many other modern hybrid martial arts and combat sports, Gongkwon Yusul combines the aspects and techniques often seen in combat sport styles such as Kickboxing and Judo, while still retaining many traditional martial art attributes, such as uniforms, terminology, and ranking structure.

Gongkwon Yusul was founded during the era prior to the popularization of Mixed Martial Arts and Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Korea, and its hybrid nature and emphasis on real fighting brought backlash from the mainstream Korean martial arts community where they at the time believed that, while grappling and striking are both accepted forms of combat, they must be trained separately. Gongkwon Yusul was accepted by the mainstream in the country only after when Mixed Martial Arts, along with Brazilian jiu-jitsu, became well known in Korea and effectively changed the views of the country's mainstream and martial artists.[3]

Since its acceptance by the mainstream in South Korea, the art has grown rapidly in its home country of Korea with many dojangs around Seoul and also some regional areas of the country.[4] On the contrary, this martial art is not widely known outside of Korea. However, there have been dojangs opened in other countries. The first was established in Brazil in 2006, the second in Melbourne in 2007, the third in Launceston, Australia in 2008, the fourth in Gold Coast, Australia in 2008, the fifth in Spain in 2009,[5] the sixth in Brisbane, Australia in 2009,[6] and the seventh in Austin, Texas in 2011, where country music singer/songwriter Willie Nelson earned his fifth degree black belt on April 28, 2014.[7]

Ranks

GongKwon Yusul belt ranks are:

  1. White  
  2. Yellow (5th gup)  
  3. Green (4th gup)  
  4. Blue (3rd gup)  
  5. Red (2nd gup)  
  6. Brown (1st gup)  
  7. Black   

References

  1. "::Welcome! GongKwon::". www.gongkwon.com. Archived from the original on 2011-08-12. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
  2. "코리안 주짓수 인기는 점입가경". m.blog.naver.com/Recommendation.naver. 2022-12-19.
  3. "도장이 힘들다고? 당신이 가장 잘 하는 것은 무엇?". mookas.com. 2011-11-22.
  4. "GongwonYusul". gongkwon.com. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
  5. http://www.gongkwonspain.com
  6. http://www.gongkwon.com.au/ Archived 29 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Country legend Willie Nelson is now a 5th-degree black belt". The Week. 2014-04-29. Retrieved 2016-07-26.

Notes

  1. Also known as KTK, Kyuk Too Ki, or Gyeok Tu Gi