Kwon Jae-Hwa: The Pioneer Who Preserved Traditional Taekwon-Do in Europe
Today, Taekwon-Do is widely known as a dynamic Olympic sport with an emphasis on impressive kicks and full-contact matches. However, behind its modern athletic form lies a deep, traditional martial art that focuses on spiritual cultivation, absolute physical discipline, and effective self-defense. One of the most important guardians of this traditional philosophy in Europe was Grandmaster Kwon Jae-Hwa (9th Dan).
Kwon Jae-Hwa was not just an instructor; he was a member of the historic first demonstration team that brought Taekwon-Do to the West, the founder of the German Taekwon-Do Federation, and the man who refused to sacrifice the traditional character of the art on the altar of commercial sports.
Early Years and Apprenticeship under the Founders
Born in 1937 in Busan, Korea, Kwon Jae-Hwa showed an exceptional talent for martial arts from an early age. At a time when Taekwon-Do was still in the stage of unifying the various Korean schools (Kwans), Kwon studied under the guidance of top masters, most notably General Choi Hong Hi (founder of the Oh Do Kwan school and later the ITF, who contributed decisively to the development of the art) as well as Grandmaster Hae Sup Um (Moodukkwan).
His dedication and technical excellence quickly set him apart. At just 21 years old, he took over the leadership of the Yonmu-Kwan school, and in 1964, he became the technical director of the Busan Taekwon-Do Association.
The Historic 1965 Mission and Arrival in Europe
The turning point for Kwon Jae-Hwa's international career – and for the history of Taekwon-Do in Europe – came in 1965. General Choi Hong Hi formed an elite five-member Goodwill Mission team to introduce the Korean art to the West. The team consisted of:
Choi Hong Hi (Leader)
Han Cha Kyo
Kim Jong Chan
Park Jong Soo
Kwon Jae-Hwa
Their tour through Europe, the Middle East, and Africa was a massive success. Their demonstrations, which included breaking objects (Kyokpa) and sparring without protective gear, mesmerized the Western public.
After the mission ended, Kwon Jae-Hwa made the major decision to remain in Europe to plant the roots of the art. He settled in Munich, Germany, where in 1965 he founded the German Taekwon-Do Federation (Deutscher Taekwon-Do Bund - DTB), serving as its official chief head coach.
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| Σύνδεσμος Πηγής: https://www.kang-center.de/taekwon-do/meister-kwon-jae-hwa/ |
The Philosophy of "Traditional Taekwon-Do"
During the 1970s, Taekwon-Do began to split politically and organizationally (with the founding of the ITF and later the WTF), with the trend shifting heavily toward the competitive/athletic side. Kwon Jae-Hwa distanced himself completely from this direction.
He expressed deep concern that turning Taekwon-Do into a point-based sport would alter its combat effectiveness and degrade its spiritual value. Thus, he founded his own system, known as Traditional Taekwon-Do, which is based on the following principles:
No Contact to the Head / No Protective Gear in Sparring: In his system, controlling the strike is the ultimate proof of mastership. Students execute strikes with full power and speed, stopping just millimeters away from the target. This requires far greater self-restraint and neuromuscular coordination than wearing pads and striking without control.
Emphasis on Tul (Hyong / Forms): Traditional forms are the foundation of practice, as they embody the geometry of combat, balance, and proper power generation.
Kyokpa (Breaking): Kwon Jae-Hwa became world-famous for his incredible breaking demonstrations with bare hands and feet (breaking river stones, thick wooden planks, etc.). For him, breaking was not a display of brute force, but the physical proof of correct technique, speed, and concentration of energy (Ki).
Moral Principles: Courtesy (Ye Ui), Integrity (Yom Chi), Perseverance (In Nae), Self-Control (Guk Gi), and Indomitable Spirit (Baekjul Boolgool) are not just words, but prerequisites for daily training.
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| Σύνδεσμος Πηγής: https://taekwondo.fandom.com/wiki/Jae_Hwa_Kwon |
His Legacy
In 2003, Kwon Jae-Hwa founded the international Federation of Traditional Taekwon-Do, headquartered in the USA (where he lived and taught for several years, mainly in New York, before returning to Germany). Through his organization, he established hundreds of schools across Europe and America, keeping the lineage of the Hyong (forms) he was taught in his youth completely unadulterated.
Grandmaster Kwon Jae-Hwa passed away in 2020, leaving behind a massive legacy. He was one of the few great masters who proved that Taekwon-Do, in its traditional form, remains a tough, realistic, and deeply spiritual martial art, capable of forging strong characters.
Bibliography & Sources
Choi, H. H. (1972). Taekwon-Do: The Korean Art of Self-Defence. International Taekwon-Do Federation. (Historical context of the 1965 mission).
Deutscher Taekwon-Do Bund (DTB). Die Geschichte des traditionellen Taekwon-Do in Deutschland. Available in the official archive of the German Federation of Traditional Taekwon-Do.
Arndt, Α. (2005). Grandmaster Kwon Jae-Hwa: 40 Years of Taekwon-Do in Europe. Budo International Magazine, Issue 142.
Image Information and Source Links:
First Photo (Left/Top): Comes from the official archive of the Kang Center in Germany, directed by Master Kang (a student of the traditional Taekwon-Do lineage). It shows Kwon Jae-Hwa in one of his most famous classic portraits.
Source Link:
Cover Photo: The official emblem of the Traditional Taekwon-Do system, copyrighted by Grandmaster Kwon Jae-Hwa's Federation of Traditional Taekwon-Do.
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