What is Kuk Sool Won?

I want to take some time this week to talk about the martial art system that we teach at Kuk Sool Won™ of Muncie. These are questions that I frequently get when talking to potential students. If I missed yours, let me know in the comment section.

What does Kuk Sool Won™ mean?

Kuk Sool Won literally means Korean National Martial Art Association. It is the only martial art taught in East Central Indiana that is recognized by the Korean government as a traditional Korean martial art. There are other martial art styles but according to the Korean government, they either have foreign influence or are technically “sports” rather than “arts”.

Where does Kuk Sool Won come from?

As mentioned, it comes from Korea. There are three roots to our system: Tribal or Family Martial Arts, Royal Court or Military Martial Arts, and Buddhist or Temple Martial Arts. Kuk Sool Won™ is truly an eclectic system made up of many styles, all indigenous¹ to the Korean peninsula.

Who invented it?

There was no single inventor per se. Our grandmaster, In Hyuk Suh (we call him Kuk Sa Nim {Korean National Martial Art Teacher}), compiled the curriculum and established the system in the 1960’s based on his experience with his Grandfather, one of the last Royal Court instructors before the Japanese occupation, and other traditional teachers in his youth.

How did it get to Muncie?

Like most martial arts in the area, through the military. During and after the Korean War, servicemen stationed in Korea spent time learning martial arts from local teachers. In the 1970’s a serviceman came back after earning a Black Belt in Kuk Sool Won™. He started a school in Galesburg, IL, and from there it has spread through the Midwest. Kuk Sa Nim eventually emigrated to the U.S. and lives now near Houston, TX. From there, the Wold Kuk Sool Association has spread over the globe and is the fastest growing martial art in the world.

Why should I learn Kuk Sool Won™ instead of Karate or Tae Kwon Do?

Maybe you should and maybe you shouldn’t. Kuk Sool Won™ isn’t for everyone. It’s hard and requires dedication and hard practice to be able to learn and apply the principles taught. Of course, it is physically challenging but students find themselves growing mentally and spiritually² as well. People who are primarily interested in winning fights should apply elsewhere.

Did I answer your question? Feel free to email me at Info@KukSoolWonOfMuncie.com if you have other questions. Or use the comment section if you want to share your questions (and the answers) with the world.

^{1. Can we say that there was never any influence on indigenous Korean martial arts from countries like China, Mongolia, or Japan? Obviously not. What we can say is that the curriculum in Kuk Sool Won™ covers arts that the Korean Government has declared to be traditionally Korean.↩}

^{2. We absolutely do not teach any form of religion or worship. Any ceremonial bowing is strictly secular. The hierarchy common to traditional martial art schools is in place to help the student learn humility and provide fertile ground for learning. Even though some of the curriculum comes from the Buddhist martial arts, there are no religious teachings involved.↩}