Yong-Sool Choi (1904-1986), one of the most influential people in the
development of modern Korean martial arts, was born in Chung Buk province in
Korea. Choi's parents died when he was very young, and when he was eight or
nine years old he was taken to Japan from Korea by a Japanese candymaker.
Choi eventually became very homesick and was ultimately abandoned by the
candymaker. He began to wander the streets as a beggar and was regularly
assulted by other children. A Japanese man took notice of Choi because of
the unique situation he is in - being so young and having to beg for food
and money. This man took Choi in and eventually adoped him. Before the
adoptive father sent Choi to school to get an education, his name was
changed to Tatujutu Yoshida. The attempt at education was not a successful
one because Yoshida (Choi) did not speak enough Japanese to understand the
teachers. He became disinterested in school work and often wound up in
fights with the other school-children. Consequently, he was asked if he
wanted to get a regular education or learn to fight. He chose fighting, and
was enrolled in a Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jutsu (pronounced Dae-Dong-Ryu Hap-Ki-Sool
in Korean) dojo with Sokaku Takeda (1860-1943), where he trained for almost
30 years. Sensing that Japan was loosing WWII, Yoshida (Choi) began to make
plans to return home to Korea -- and did so in the winter of 1945. Upon his
return home, he changed his name back to Yong-Sool Choi.
Somehow during the trip home, Choi lost a piece of his luggage, which
unfortunately contained his money and the certificates which were proof of
his training with Takeda Sensei. Because of a lack of money, choi decided to
stay in Tae Gu rather than to return to his home in Chung-Buk. After a year
of working as a bread salesman on the street, Choi managed to save enough
money to begin raising pigs. In order to feed his pigs, he would get up
early every morning and travel to the Suh Brewery Company to obtain free
leftover grain chaff.
In 1947, Bok-Sub Suh, who was a black belt in Yudo and the president of the
Suh Brewery Company, witnessed a fight from his second floor office window,
where he watched in amazement as one man defended himself against several
attackers, with little effort. He was very impressed and curious about what
he had observed and sent his office clerk to bring this man to his office.
The man turned out to be Yong-Sool Choi. Suh asked Choi what kind of martial
arts he practiced. Without really answering the question, he asked Suh to
grab him by the lapel. When Suh grabbed the lapel, Choi easily executed an
elbow lock and threw Suh to the floor. Suh immediately grabbed Choi's lapel
again, and he was simply thrown to the floor a second time. After being
defeated twice, Suh begged for Choi to teach him, promising him more free
chaff, as well as paying him money for lessons. When Choi agreed, Suh
prepared a dojang at the brewery where Choi then had the opportunity to
teach what he had studied for so many years in Japan.
It was during the next few years that Choi would begin to establish himself
as an outstanding and well respected martial arts instructor. He called his
art Yoo Sool (Korean pronunciation of Ju-Jutsu). A few minor modifications
were made, but for the most part, he was teaching exactly what he had
learned from Takeda Sensei. He did, however, slowly begin to add techniques,
including some kicks and weapon techniques.
In 1954, Bok-Sub Suh was involved in an incident where he defended his
father, Dong-Jin Suh, who was up for election to the National Assembly. A
fight ensued against a few gangsters, and using kicks learned through his
training in Yoo Sool, Suh defeated the gangsters. After some thought, Suh
decided to suggest to Choi that the name Yoo Sool be changed to Yoo Kwon
Sool, to represent the fact that besides joint locks and throwing
techniques, they were also practicing strikes and kicks.
After the end of the Korean war, while Choi was still teaching Bok-Sub Suh,
he opened his own provate school at his house and began to teach a few other
students. This was in 1953. Some of the students during this period had
already founded, or have gone on to found their own martial art styles.
These include, Hwang-Kee (Tang-Soo-Do), In-Hyuk Suh (Kuk Sool Won), Joo-Bang
Lee (Hwa Rang Do), and Han-Jae Ji (Hapkido).