Choi Yong Sool (최용술)

Birth & Death: November 9, 1904 – June 15, 1986
Other Names: Choi Yong-Sul, Yoshida Asao, Yoshida Tatujutsu
Instructor: Takeda Sōkaku (Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu)

Choi lost his mother (2 years old) and his father at a very young age. He was kidnapped and taken to Japan. It is a controversial story of how Choi learned martial arts from Takeda, but it is believed by hapkidoist that Choi lived with Takeda in the mountains for 30 years; training and learning Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu.

In 1951, with the help of his first student, Seo, they opened up the Daehan Hapki Yo Kwon Sool Dojang (대한 합기 유권술 도장), the first school. In 1958, Choi opened up his own school under the name of Hapkido. Both of these schools were located in Daegu, South Korea.

  • Chinil Chang (the second direct lineage Grandmaster was awarded the only 10th Dan in Hapkido and the title of second direct lineage Doju by Dojunim Choi on January 15, 1985.)
  • Seo Bok-Seob (Hangul: 서복섭; Choi’s first student in 1946)
  • Ji Han-Jae (Hangul: 지한재; student #14 of Choi in 1955, Founder of the Korea Hapkido Association and Sin Moo Hapkido, and Sung Moo Kwan in Andong)
  • Kwon Tae-Man (Hangul: 권태만; First founder of a hapkido dojang in Incheon)
  • Kim Yong-Jin (Hangul: 김용진; Founder of the Ulchi Kwan)
  • Myung Jae-Nam (Hangul: 명재남; Founder of Hankido and Hankumdo)
  • Oh Se-Lim (Hangul: 오세림; former president of Korea Hapkido Federation)
  • Myung Kwang-Sik (Hangul: 명광식; Founder of the World Hapkido Federation)
  • Kim Moo-Hong (Hangul: 김무홍; Choi’s student in 1955, Founder of the Korean Hapkido Association and Shin Moo Kwan in Daegu)
  • Kim Jeong-Soo (Hangul: 김정수; still teaching in Daegu)
  • Won Kwang-Hwa (Hangul: 원광화; Founder of the Moo Sool Kwan)
  • Moon Jong-Won (Hangul: 문종원; Choi’s student in 1955, Founder of Won Moo Kwan in Busan)
  • Kim Jeong-Yoon (Hangul: 김정윤; Secretary General of the Kido Association and founder of Han Pul)
  • Seo In-Sun(Hangul: 서인혁)
  • Yoo Byung-Don (Hangul: 유병돈; Han Kuk Jeong Dong Hapkido, Orthodox Hapkido)
  • Han Bong-soo; (author, notable movie consultant and actor)