Reporter Lee Chung-won – The Korea Hapkido Federation announced on the 8th that Ji Han-jae, who systematized “Korean-style Hapkido” by adding kicking techniques to Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, passed away on the 28th of last month at his home in Tucson, Arizona, USA. He was 89 years old.
Born in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do in 1936, the deceased learned from Choi Yong-sul (1899–1986), who had mastered Aiki-jūjutsu in Japan. By adding kicking techniques from traditional martial arts, he established his own martial arts system and opened a Hapkido dojo in Andong in 1955. The Korea Hapkido Federation considers this the first time the name “Hapkido” was used.
Oh Se-rim, president of the Korea Hapkido Federation, stated, “While Japanese Aikido subdues opponents with hand techniques, Master Ji Han-jae developed Hapkido into a comprehensive martial art by adding kicking techniques”. He added, “The use of the Korean name ‘Hapkido’ was initially intended to emphasize that it was a different martial art from the Japanese one”.
The deceased opened the Hapkido Sung Moo Kwan in Seoul in 1957 and served as a security officer and Hapkido instructor at the Blue House Presidential Security Service in the 1960s. After performing a Hapkido demonstration at the U.S. White House in 1969, he met Bruce Lee (1940–1973) through an introduction from Jhoon Rhee (1932–2018), the “Father of American Taekwondo,” and appeared in films such as Game of Death.
In 1984, he moved to the United States and promoted Hapkido under the name “Sin Moo Hapkido”. President Oh Se-rim, a junior from his hometown who served with him at the Blue House, remarked, “While there were Taekwondo, Judo, Kumdo, and Hapkido instructors at the Blue House in the 1960s and 70s, the Hapkido taught by the deceased was the most outstanding for self-defense and arrest techniques”. He also noted, “Hapkido’s kicking techniques influenced Taekwondo and Teukgong Moosul”.
President Oh expressed regret that personal circumstances led the deceased to live in the United States. A memorial service led by President Oh was held on the 7th at Room 101 of the National Medical Center Funeral Hall.