Oh Do Kwan

From Karate, Kungfu, Wrestling, Mixed Fighting Information Source

General Choi Hong Hi, Nam Tae Hee and Han Cha Kyo founded the Oh Do Kwan in the mid 1950's as part of the ROK Army's Physical Training Program. The first persons to instruct the ROK Army in "Tang Soo Do" (as Taekwondo was called in the early 1950's) were Nam Tae Hi, Woo Jong Lim, Ko Jae Chun, Kim Suk Kyu, Baek Joon Ki, Kwak Keun Sik, Kim Bong Sik, all originally Chung Do Kwan senior members.

Originally the Oh Do Kwan was made up of mostly Chung Do Kwan members brought in by senior Chung Do Kwan members Nam Tae Hee and Han Cha Kyo. Gen. Choi was the political power in the kwan, and Master Nam was the head instructor. The Chang Hon Hyungs (or, more properlly, tuls) developed by the Oh Do Kwan were adopted by all persons in the military, no matter what kwan they were originally from. Today, the Chang Hon Hyungs of the Oh Do Kwan are still practiced by members of the ITF, as well as by many other Taekwon-Doin, both "independents" and those who have Kukkiwon certification.

Oh Do Kwan representative Hyun Jong Myung was one of the eight people from various kwans who created the Palgwe and Dan Poomsae (patterns) for the Korea Taekwondo Association in 1965, and was also on that same committee when the Palgwe Poomsae was replaced with the Taegeuk Poomsae, and some Dan Poomsae was revised in 1971-72. Today the Taegeuk and Dan Poomsae (Plagwe has been eliminated) are the Official Poomsae of the Kukkiwon and used to compete in the WTF World Poomsae Championships.

Today the Oh Do Kwan still exist in Korea as a social friendship club and has an annual celebration every year in Seoul. Oh Do Kwan endorses the Kukkiwon system, which it helped create, as the official Oh Do Kwan curriculum, and, support the WTF.