A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do (Hardcover)

by Alex Gillis (Author)
Key Phrases: martial arts leaders, kisaeng house, hwarang warriors, South Korea, North Korea, Kim Un-yong (more...)

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Product Description

Obscure documents, Korean-language books, and in-depth interviews with tae kwon do pioneers tell the tale of the origin of the most popular martial art. In 1938, tae kwon do began at the end of a poker game in a tiny village in a remote corner of what is now North Korea by Choi Hong-Hi, who began the martial art, and his nemesis, Kim Un-Yong, who developed the Olympic style and became one of the most powerful, controversial men in sports. The story follows Choi from the 1938 poker game where he fought for his life, through high-class geisha houses where the art was named, and into the Vietnam War where the martial art evolved into a killing art. The techniques cut across all realms—from the late 1960s when tae kwon do-trained Korean CIA agents kidnapped people in the U.S. and Europe, to the 1970s when Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and other Hollywood stars master the art’s new kicks. Tae kwon do is also a martial art for the 21st century, one of merciless techniques, indomitable men, and justice pumped on steroids.

About the Author

Alex Gillis is a university writing instructor and a professional journalist specializing in literary nonfiction and investigative research. He has trained in tae kwon do for 25 years and is a third-degree black belt. His instructors were some of the pioneers of the martial art, and he had rare access to these men and their families and disciples. He lives in Toronto.

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Product Details Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Ecw Press; illustrated edition edition (November 20, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 1550228250 ISBN-13: 978-1550228250 Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #35,474 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in these categories: (What's this?) #1 in  Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Martial Arts > Tae Kwon Do #48 in  Books > Sports > Miscellaneous > History of Sports

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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
martial arts leaders, kisaeng house, hwarang warriors, branch trimming, killing art, martial arts gyms, other martial artists, ioc members

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
South Korea, North Korea, Kim Un-yong, United States, General Choi, Choi Hong-hi, Tae Kwon Do, Second World War, Kim Dae-jung, Jong-Soo Park, Jhoon Rhee, Nam Tae-hi, Pistol Park, West Germany, Cold War, International Olympic Committee, Mickey Kim, Korean Karate, Korean War, San Francisco, Viet Cong, Han Cha-gyo, World Taekwondo Federation, Michael Cormack, Blue House

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7 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.4 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic and In-Depth Look At the Real History of Tae Kwon Do, November 4, 2008 By  Shawn Kovacich "Author of the Achieving Kicki... (The Greatest Little City in the World) - See all my reviews    Well, I guess the best way to start off this particular review is to list what my particular qualifications are in relation to this particular review, and why that is relevant to writing a review about this particular book. I am currently a 4th Dan black belt in the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do and I am certified by the WTF (World Tae Kwon Do Federation) out of Seoul, South Korea. I am also a 4th degree black belt in Japanese Karate (basically Shotokan/Kyokushin) and certified through one of my original instructors, Shihan Dennis Dallas. Now before I go any further, I feel that I must emphatically state that I was fortunate enough to learn the actual martial art of Tae Kwon Do, and not the sport version which is so prevalent today, although in my original school we did often compete in numerous tournaments throughout the year. However, the primary emphasis on what we learned and practiced was the practical and realistic use of the techniques, not just how to "score a point" with a particular punch or kick. My original instructor, who was Japanese, taught me and numerous others the arts of Korean Tae Kwon Do and Japanese Karate, and if you know anything about the relationship between the Koreans and the Japanese, you can see the significance of this and how difficult things were at times, not only for my original instructor, but also his students. And it is with this background and train of thought that I write the following review. I have been eagerly anticipating the release of this book for quite some time now, and imagine my surprise when it arrived in the mail yesterday when the release date was listed as November 20th, 2008. I just couldn't wait to start reading it. Well here it is approximately 10 hours later and I not only have read it through in its entirety once, but also went back over several different chapters and read them a second time. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed at all in this book. As a matter of fact, this book was like a breath of fresh air, and some of the material that is in this book I had heard years ago by various instructors who had told me even then that there was a lot more to the art than what was known by most instructors, let alone the general public that were currently taking lessons in Tae Kwon Do. Now this book is definitely going to stir the pot of controversy and there is no doubt in my mind that there are going to be a lot of Tae Kwon Do practitioners on both sides of the equation that are going to scream and holler and try and dispel the author and the material in this book as trying to mislead the reader, or even out and out call him a fraud. Well let me assure you that the author is anything but, and in fact, is actually shedding a lot of light on an art that although it may be the most popular martial art currently practiced throughout the world, still gets a bad rap from many in the martial arts community for its focus on Olympic sport instead of following its true heritage of being a very deadly and effective martial art, which is what the true art really is. The author has obviously done his research on the subject and has been fortunate enough to gain the trust of men who were either directly involved in the formation of the art of Tae Kwon Do, and/or those who were close to those very same men. The history is not always pretty, and as a matter of fact, is rarely so, and in some cases is downright ugly and repulsive, but therein lies the beauty of it. The author doesn't "sugarcoat" the events and people that created the art, he is straightforward, blunt, and to the point in relating the various stories and events that created the men that in turn created the art. This book is very well presented and the material in it has been well researched and laid out for the reader to follow and understand. The author had included a lot of very significant historical photographs that really added to the overall appeal of this book and the incredible history that it conveys. I can not recommend this book highly enough and I only ask that each reader approach this book with an open mind and an empty cup in order to read the material presented without any preconceived notions or biases towards Tae Kwon Do, and/or a particular branch or style. If you can do that, then you will truly realize the significance that this book has not only in the history of Tae Kwon Do, but also all of the martial arts. Shawn Kovacich Martial Artist/Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series. 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars I was skeptical, but this is a good read., January 7, 2009 By  Aaron Brown (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews I've been doing TKD for over 20 years. My background is actually much like the authors and I could immediately relate to him as I read. What I was worried about was that this book would repeat so many of the foundation myths (ancient Hwarang warriors and the like) that have been dismissed long ago. But this is a well researched and informative book. Most of it fit in with rumors I'd heard over the years, but instead of hearsay you had interviews, etc from the actual participants. If you have an interest in TKD, particularly in the ITF variety, this is a must have. I recommend it to my students all the time. 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating book, November 22, 2008 By  Mark Lynn - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This book is not a how to do Tae Kown Do book, nor is it a book that protrays martial art grandmasters in a god like status. No this is a book that takes the founders of one of (if not) the fastest growing martial art across the globe down off of the pedestal and shows them for what they where/are very talented, driven, and often crooked men. But along the way you are treated to a detailed account of how TKD developed, how it got it's name, it's use during war time, life as viewed by koreans, the creation of the ITF and the WTF, the creation of a olympic sport etc. etc. The sanitized version probably all TKD martial artists are semi aware of, but this isn't the sanatized version this is the untold story of the founding and development of TKD as is practiced today. The story includes war, prisons, politics, bribes, personal vendettas, kidnappings, family struggles, dealings with North and South Korea, how high men can climb and how low they can fall, and the creation of a martial art that has spread around the whole today. Best of all it isn't a made up story but one based on current events. Very well documented. This book sheds light on the creation of TKD and the persons involved who molded and formed the TKD that many students practice today. I recommend it for anyone studying TKD, karate, or anyone in the martial arts that is interested in reading about martial art history. It is well written and I found it interesting so I completed it in a couple of days.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 3.0 out of 5 stars A Killing Art Informative and helpful in rounding out my black belt education. Author, however, seems openly biased for or against certain characters. Read more Published 1 month ago by sbn 4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but limited. An interesting, and highly readable, contribution to the modern history of Taekwondo as a martial arts style, particularly in North America. Read more Published 5 months ago by Broadway Family Karate 4.0 out of 5 stars Don't Read this Book. For years I have heard the "Ancient History" of Taekwondo and found it suspect. From time to time interviews with various Grandmasters and people, who were there, crop up and... Read more Published 5 months ago by Richard D. H. Holt 5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for all Taekwon-do students This book is amazing for anyone who enjoys martial arts, it is incredibly well researched and charts TKD for both ITF and WTF and reveals some amazing stuff regarding both the art... Read more Published 6 months ago by S. Anslow Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Ecw Press; illustrated edition edition (November 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550228250
• ISBN-13: 978-1550228250
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #35,474 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Martial Arts > Tae Kwon Do
  #48 in	Books > Sports > Miscellaneous > History of Sports

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic and In-Depth Look At the Real History of Tae Kwon Do, November 4, 2008

By	Shawn Kovacich "Author of the Achieving Kicki... (The Greatest Little City in the World) - See all my reviews

Well, I guess the best way to start off this particular review is to list what my particular qualifications are in relation to this particular review, and why that is relevant to writing a review about this particular book.

I am currently a 4th Dan black belt in the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do and I am certified by the WTF (World Tae Kwon Do Federation) out of Seoul, South Korea. I am also a 4th degree black belt in Japanese Karate (basically Shotokan/Kyokushin) and certified through one of my original instructors, Shihan Dennis Dallas.

Now before I go any further, I feel that I must emphatically state that I was fortunate enough to learn the actual martial art of Tae Kwon Do, and not the sport version which is so prevalent today, although in my original school we did often compete in numerous tournaments throughout the year. However, the primary emphasis on what we learned and practiced was the practical and realistic use of the techniques, not just how to "score a point" with a particular punch or kick. My original instructor, who was Japanese, taught me and numerous others the arts of Korean Tae Kwon Do and Japanese Karate, and if you know anything about the relationship between the Koreans and the Japanese, you can see the significance of this and how difficult things were at times, not only for my original instructor, but also his students.

And it is with this background and train of thought that I write the following review.

I have been eagerly anticipating the release of this book for quite some time now, and imagine my surprise when it arrived in the mail yesterday when the release date was listed as November 20th, 2008. I just couldn't wait to start reading it. Well here it is approximately 10 hours later and I not only have read it through in its entirety once, but also went back over several different chapters and read them a second time.

Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed at all in this book. As a matter of fact, this book was like a breath of fresh air, and some of the material that is in this book I had heard years ago by various instructors who had told me even then that there was a lot more to the art than what was known by most instructors, let alone the general public that were currently taking lessons in Tae Kwon Do.

Now this book is definitely going to stir the pot of controversy and there is no doubt in my mind that there are going to be a lot of Tae Kwon Do practitioners on both sides of the equation that are going to scream and holler and try and dispel the author and the material in this book as trying to mislead the reader, or even out and out call him a fraud.

Well let me assure you that the author is anything but, and in fact, is actually shedding a lot of light on an art that although it may be the most popular martial art currently practiced throughout the world, still gets a bad rap from many in the martial arts community for its focus on Olympic sport instead of following its true heritage of being a very deadly and effective martial art, which is what the true art really is.

The author has obviously done his research on the subject and has been fortunate enough to gain the trust of men who were either directly involved in the formation of the art of Tae Kwon Do, and/or those who were close to those very same men. The history is not always pretty, and as a matter of fact, is rarely so, and in some cases is downright ugly and repulsive, but therein lies the beauty of it. The author doesn't "sugarcoat" the events and people that created the art, he is straightforward, blunt, and to the point in relating the various stories and events that created the men that in turn created the art.

This book is very well presented and the material in it has been well researched and laid out for the reader to follow and understand. The author had included a lot of very significant historical photographs that really added to the overall appeal of this book and the incredible history that it conveys.

I can not recommend this book highly enough and I only ask that each reader approach this book with an open mind and an empty cup in order to read the material presented without any preconceived notions or biases towards Tae Kwon Do, and/or a particular branch or style. If you can do that, then you will truly realize the significance that this book has not only in the history of Tae Kwon Do, but also all of the martial arts.

Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was skeptical, but this is a good read., January 7, 2009

By	Aaron Brown (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

I've been doing TKD for over 20 years. My background is actually much like the authors and I could immediately relate to him as I read. What I was worried about was that this book would repeat so many of the foundation myths (ancient Hwarang warriors and the like) that have been dismissed long ago.

But this is a well researched and informative book. Most of it fit in with rumors I'd heard over the years, but instead of hearsay you had interviews, etc from the actual participants.

If you have an interest in TKD, particularly in the ITF variety, this is a must have. I recommend it to my students all the time.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating book, November 22, 2008

By	Mark Lynn - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is not a how to do Tae Kown Do book, nor is it a book that protrays martial art grandmasters in a god like status. No this is a book that takes the founders of one of (if not) the fastest growing martial art across the globe down off of the pedestal and shows them for what they where/are very talented, driven, and often crooked men.

But along the way you are treated to a detailed account of how TKD developed, how it got it's name, it's use during war time, life as viewed by koreans, the creation of the ITF and the WTF, the creation of a olympic sport etc. etc. The sanitized version probably all TKD martial artists are semi aware of, but this isn't the sanatized version this is the untold story of the founding and development of TKD as is practiced today.

The story includes war, prisons, politics, bribes, personal vendettas, kidnappings, family struggles, dealings with North and South Korea, how high men can climb and how low they can fall, and the creation of a martial art that has spread around the whole today. Best of all it isn't a made up story but one based on current events. Very well documented.

This book sheds light on the creation of TKD and the persons involved who molded and formed the TKD that many students practice today. I recommend it for anyone studying TKD, karate, or anyone in the martial arts that is interested in reading about martial art history. It is well written and I found it interesting so I completed it in a couple of days.