10/14/2025
Taekwon-Do History: The Dae Han Taekwon-Do Oh Do Kwan Jung Ang Bon Kwan plays a significant, though sometimes overshadowed, role in Taekwondo history. Its context is rooted in the early unification efforts of Korean martial arts.
Historical Context
The name translates roughly to:
* Dae Han Taekwon-Do (Great Korean Taekwon-Do)
* Oh Do Kwan (Gym of My Way / School of My Way)
* Jung Ang Bon Kwan (Central Headquarters)
This civilian dojang served as the Seoul Headquarters for the Oh Do Kwan, making it the most visible part of the school to the general public outside of the military bases.
1. The Civilian Face of a Military Powerhouse
* Oh Do Kwan (The Core): The Oh Do Kwan itself was co-founded by General Choi Hong Hi and Nam Tae Hi in 1953 (formally established in 1955) as a martial arts training program for the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA). Its primary base was at a military post, such as Yong Dae Ri.
* The Jung Ang Bon Kwan's Role: Since the military gym was restricted to soldiers, the Dae Han Taekwon-Do Oh Do Kwan Jung Ang Bon Kwan in Seoul was established as the civilian annex or central school. This location was crucial for bringing the style developed in the military—the Chang Hon style—to the public and cementing the Oh Do Kwan as one of the nine key Kwans (founding schools) of modern Taekwondo.
2. Birthplace of ITF-Style Taekwondo
* The Oh Do Kwan, through its various locations including the Seoul Headquarters, was the breeding ground for the first uniquely Korean patterns, the Chang Hon Tuls. These forms were a key effort by General Choi Hong Hi and his chief instructors (like Nam Tae Hi) to separate their martial art from its Japanese Karate roots (specifically Shotokan).
* The curriculum and philosophy taught at this Bon Kwan became the eventual foundation for the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), which General Choi founded in 1966.
3. Chung Do Kwan Influence
The Oh Do Kwan, including its Seoul headquarters, was largely populated by a mass migration of members from the Chung Do Kwan (Blue Wave School), one of the oldest and most influential of the original Kwans.
* Many of the key instructors at Oh Do Kwan, including co-founder Nam Tae Hi, were senior members of the Chung Do Kwan, which explains the deep interconnectedness of the early Taekwondo masters.
* This migration led to political friction, as the Chung Do Kwan eventually expelled members for their involvement in establishing a competing Kwan.
In short, the Dae Han Taekwon-Do Oh Do Kwan Jung Ang Bon Kwan was the Civilian Hub in Seoul that disseminated the innovative military training style, thereby playing a direct role in the global spread of what would become ITF Taekwondo.
Style of Grandmaster Duk An Yun