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2024-05-03
In a martial art known as
Originating in ancient India, this martial art was introduced to Korea during the Three Kingdoms period via the Tang Dynasty of China. It spread to Japan in the 14th century, and became known as Karate in the 1920s when it was widely practiced in Japan.
‘Geukjin Gongsudo,’ or ‘Kyokushin Karate’ in Japanese, features more fatal attack skills, compared to standard Gongsudo. Currently, this particular style is practiced by 14 million people in 130 martial arts schools around the world.
It was founded by Korean martial arts master Choi Yeong-eui who is more commonly known as Choi Baedal(최배달).
Enjoying Martial Arts from Childhood
Choi Yeong-eui was born in 1923 in Gimje, North Jeolla Province. He showed interest in martial arts from childhood. When he was nine years old, he mastered a martial arts style called ‘chabi.’
At 16, he entered military school in Japan and began to learn ‘Gongsudo.’ Choi made his name known in 1948 when he won the Karate Championships in Japan. He adopted the Japanese name Oyama Masutatsu. Masutatsu is a transliteration of Baedal, which is the name of a mythical ancient Korean kingdom. That’s why he is also known as Choi Baedal, and his Japanese name contained his determination to not forget his Korean origin even though he lived in Japan.
In 1952, Choi traveled to the United States and gave martial arts demonstrations and training for 11 months. He displayed the astonishing power of Gongsudo by ripping off the horns of a bull with his bare hands and killing the ferocious animal with a single stroke.
In Japanese Karate, the practitioner is supposed to stop his attack in front of the opponent’s body. Choi was bored with the rule and developed a new style called Geukjin Gongsudo or ‘Kyokushin Karate,’ which allows all types of attack, except attacking the face with a hand.
After matches with judo and kendo players in Tokyo in March 1951, Choi traveled around the world to play against martial arts masters in different countries. He held more than a hundred matches with players of French savate, boxing, Thai boxing, wrestling and Capoeira. There is a famous story about his bouts against 100 judokas. Choi was undefeated in all his fights and became a legend.
Afterwards, Choi began to introduce his ‘Geukjin Gongsudo’ to the world. He opened a martial arts school named after him in Tokyo to teach and spread it in earnest.
‘Geukjin Gongsudo’ first spread to the United States. Choi demonstrated this martial art in some 30 U.S. cities, including Chicago, in March 1953. He also taught it at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1958.
From 1959, practitioners began to participate in regional championships in Hawaii, North America, Israel, Australia, South America, Southeast Asia, Pakistan and Hungary. 120 players from 36 different countries took part in the first World Championships in 1975, reflecting keen interest in this martial art.
Known as the “Godhand” in the martial arts community, Choi often said that when one masters martial arts, his character is completed. He also believed that all martial arts styles will develop in coexistence and no martial arts are in confrontational relations. It’s been said when Choi taught, he instructed his students to keep their heads low, place their eyes high, make their mouths narrow, broaden their hearts and do good to others based on filial duty. This suggests that Geukjin Gongsudo is not a simple martial art, but advocates the value and courtesy that a true martial artist should pursue.
Choi demonstrated amazing power solely with his body and spirit, never using other tools. The founder and propagator of Geukjin Gongsudo died of lung cancer in April 1994. He was 71 years old.
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