The Styles of Tang Soo Do – Part I: From Hwang Kee to the Birth of a Korean Martial Art

When Korea Was Searching for Its Own Martial Identity

Today, Tang Soo Do is regarded as one of the most important Korean martial arts of the twentieth century. To some people, it is simply an older system that existed before Taekwondo. To others, it is a Korean martial art that closely resembles Japanese Karate. There are also those who view it as the ancestor of several modern Korean martial arts schools.

The reality is far more complex.

The history of Tang Soo Do cannot be understood without examining the turbulent history of Korea during the first half of the twentieth century. The art emerged during a period of political upheaval, cultural conflict, and national self-discovery. Through this process, a system developed that combined Korean influences, Japanese martial traditions, and Chinese concepts, eventually becoming one of the most widely practiced martial arts in Korea.

Korea Under Japanese Occupation

From 1910 to 1945, Korea was under Japanese rule. During this period, Japan attempted to assimilate the Korean population culturally and politically.

The Korean language was restricted in many areas of public life, traditional elements of Korean identity were suppressed, and young Koreans were educated within a system heavily influenced by Japan.

It was in this environment that many Koreans were introduced to Japanese martial arts such as Judo, Kendo, and especially Karate.

This is one of the most important historical facts for understanding the development of Tang Soo Do.

Despite later claims that attempted to portray certain Korean martial arts as entirely independent from Karate, historical research indicates that Japanese Karate played a major role in the formation of many early Korean schools.

Hwang Kee and the Early Years

At the center of the Tang Soo Do story stands the man most closely associated with the art: Hwang Kee.

Born in Korea in 1914, Hwang Kee developed an interest in martial arts from an early age. Later, he worked in the railway system, a position that allowed him to travel and encounter different people, ideas, and cultures.

Hwang Kee's life has been the subject of considerable discussion among martial arts historians.

Some accounts present a nearly legendary image of him, claiming that he received extensive training in traditional Korean martial arts from childhood. However, many researchers point out that several of these claims are difficult to verify through independent historical sources.

What is generally accepted is that Hwang Kee studied martial arts through books, personal practice, observation, and various contacts throughout his life.

Particularly important was his study of Karate manuals that had become available in Korea through Japanese influence. Many researchers believe that a significant portion of the early Tang Soo Do curriculum was directly influenced by the Shotokan Karate of Gichin Funakoshi.

The Creation of Moo Duk Kwan

Following the end of Japanese occupation and the liberation of Korea in 1945, new martial arts schools began to emerge throughout the country.

One of the most significant was Moo Duk Kwan, founded by Hwang Kee.

Moo Duk Kwan was more than simply a training hall. Over time, it became one of the largest and most influential martial arts organizations in Korea.

The name is often translated as “School of Martial Virtue.”

During its early years, the curriculum displayed clear similarities to Shotokan Karate. The stances, basic techniques, and many forms shared obvious connections with the Japanese system.

This is neither a rumor nor a criticism of Tang Soo Do. Rather, it is a historical fact recognized today by many Korean and international researchers.


What Does the Name Tang Soo Do Mean?

The name Tang Soo Do carries significant historical meaning.

The characters are commonly translated as “The Way of the Tang Hand” or “The Way of the Chinese Hand.”

This bears a striking resemblance to the older method of writing the word Karate in Okinawa and Japan before linguistic reforms during the twentieth century.

This similarity is not accidental.

Many historians believe the name reflected a connection to the older traditions that influenced Karate as well as a respect for Chinese martial culture.

Later, as Korea sought a stronger national identity, new names and alternative historical interpretations began to appear throughout the martial arts community.

Chinese Influences and the Debate Surrounding Them

One of the most discussed subjects in Tang Soo Do history concerns Chinese influence.

Throughout different periods of his life, Hwang Kee stated that he had studied Chinese martial arts and had been influenced by them.

The exact extent of that influence remains a matter of debate.

Historical evidence suggests that Hwang Kee was deeply interested in Chinese martial arts literature and philosophy. However, there is limited independent evidence confirming long-term formal training in a specific Chinese system in the manner sometimes described in later narratives.

This does not mean Chinese influences were absent.

On the contrary, several technical concepts, philosophical ideas, and some of the forms introduced later in Tang Soo Do suggest that Hwang Kee sought to expand the art beyond its original Karate foundation.

The Forms of Tang Soo Do

The forms, or hyung, provide perhaps the clearest example of the system's historical development.

The early Moo Duk Kwan curriculum included forms such as Pyung Ahn and Naihanchi, which were directly derived from Okinawan and Japanese Karate traditions.

The similarities are so evident that experienced Karate practitioners can often recognize the common roots immediately.

As the years passed, Hwang Kee introduced additional forms such as Chil Sung and Yuk Ro.

These forms are widely regarded as some of the most distinctive creations within the Tang Soo Do tradition and helped establish a unique identity for the system.

The Philosophy Behind the Art

Although technical origins often dominate discussions, the philosophical side of Tang Soo Do is equally important.

The system places strong emphasis on discipline, self-control, respect, humility, and continuous self-improvement.

Training is viewed not merely as preparation for combat but as a lifelong process of character development.

This approach reflects both traditional Korean cultural values and broader concepts found throughout Asian martial arts traditions.

The Search for a Korean Identity

Following the Korean War, the nation entered a period of reconstruction and national rebuilding.

During this time, there was a strong desire to establish a distinctly Korean national martial art.

This effort eventually contributed to the development of Taekwondo and attempts to unify various martial arts schools under a common identity.

Hwang Kee did not fully agree with all of these developments.

His position became one of the reasons why Moo Duk Kwan followed a path that was, in many respects, different from schools that became fully integrated into the emerging Taekwondo movement.

Myths and Reality

The history of Tang Soo Do is surrounded by numerous myths.

One of the most common claims is that the system derives exclusively from ancient Korean martial arts with little or no foreign influence.

Historical research does not support this conclusion.

Instead, the available evidence indicates that Tang Soo Do developed through a combination of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese influences.

Another common misconception is that Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo were always entirely separate systems.

In reality, many early instructors shared common roots and often possessed very similar technical backgrounds.

The differences became more pronounced over time as each art continued to evolve in its own direction.

From Moo Duk Kwan to the Major Schools

The history of Tang Soo Do is the story of a nation trying to redefine its identity after decades of occupation and war.

It is also the story of one man, Hwang Kee, who succeeded in creating one of Korea’s most influential martial arts schools.

Above all, however, it is the story of an art that did not emerge from a single source, but from the meeting of different traditions and cultures. Influences from Korean society, Japanese Karate, and Chinese martial traditions helped shape a system with its own distinct character, one that continues to be practiced throughout the world today.

Yet the story of Tang Soo Do did not end with Moo Duk Kwan. The decades that followed brought disagreements, organizational changes, new schools, and different interpretations of Hwang Kee’s legacy. From these developments emerged the various modern branches of Tang Soo Do that exist today.

In Part Two, we will take a closer look at the major Tang Soo Do schools and organizations, their differences, their relationship with Soo Bahk Do, Taekwondo, and Chun Kuk Do, and the way they evolved from the mid-twentieth century to the present day.


Sources
Hwang Kee, The History of Moo Duk Kwan
Robert W. Young, Traditional Korean Martial Arts
Udo Moenig, Taekwondo: From a Martial Art to a Martial Sport
Alex Gillis, A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do
Kang Won Sik and Lee Kyong Myong, A Modern History of Taekwondo
World Moo Duk Kwan Organization Archives
Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation Historical Publications
Journal of Asian Martial Arts
Black Belt Magazine Historical Archives