Training in Korea

[ben spain]

I am looking to go to Korea next year for a long holiday (and to buy my Bougu) and as such would be grateful for any advice about practising Kendo in Korea!

I will prob. fly into Seoul and then work my way down to Pusan (or is that Busan?) and back again.

[plotty]

Hi Ben,

thank god someone has raised this question. I'm looking to go to Korea next year aswell. I'll be going for about 2 months during the summer.
It would be great to hear about other peoples expereinces of training in Korea and what kind of a Kendo/ Kumdo culture Korea has.
BTW, at which Dojo do you train Ben?

[rainmaker]

Korea in summer is very very hot and muggy.. I don't recommend to go there in summer time. I am just concerned you will have bad experience while you are there.

[ben spain]

rainmaker, you are correct. I think I will go very late summer - about august/september next year. apparently the maple trees look very pretty then! Would that be more comfortable?

[ben spain]

I train at the reading dojo in woodley under Sensei Sullivan. I am however looking to also train in Mytchett.

[ben spain]

how about you?

[plotty]

I've lived half of my life in South-East Asia and Korea (mixed blood), so the heat/ humidity wont really bother me. The only thing I'm abit worried about is, that people might take offence, that a half korean has started with Kendo and not Kumdo, like a good son of Korea should.
That's why I'd like more information about the Kumdo/ Kendo culture in Korea. Maybe abit of info from other Korean's in Korea would be helpfull.

[rainmaker]

rainmaker, you are correct. I think I will go very late summer - about august/september next year. apparently the maple trees look very pretty then! Would that be more comfortable?
That is mid October to late October. August and September is still hot and warm I believe.

[ben spain]

So about now then..........!

[ben spain]

Where do you train plotty?

[plotty]

I train at Hizen and Wakaba in London, under Jeff Humm Sensei (Hizen) and Fujisawa Sensei (Wakaba).

[rainmaker]

So about now then..........!
Very nice indeed. Nice and cool... You might miss the color change of leaves...

[DanDan]

yea...korea is rainy and humid and hot in the summer(i couldn't buy pama, kuma, tuna, chima, dama, punk, etc shirts bcuz the markets closed bcuz of the rain...:() i think the best time to go is early summer bcuz it's not as hot as july and august(mayb june?). and keep in mind that electricity is really expensive in seoul so the dojang might not have AC...(but mine did :-D)

but kumdo is basically the same as kendo. i mean, if you were deaf, you couldn't really tell the difference...unless u looked @ the flag hanging on the wall...

when i was in korea, i noticed that the sabumnim(sensei) emphasised teaching the beginners more than @ the dojo i attend now here in VA...i mean i learned like all the basics in 10 days (putting on the uniform, footwork, fumikomi, basic striking, proper stance, hyasuburi,...uhh...what else...) They looooooooooove hyasuburi lol.

and if ur going to korea, stock up on shinai!! they are so cheap there! i got 1 for about 13 USD.

[soapdish]

I haven't personally trained in Korea but have read websites about their training routines in Korea.

Also I have had friends who trained their.

Basically I'm not sure if its as going hard as Japan but Im sure its up there.

As for the professionals, well like their Japanese counterparts the Korean team live together and just train 9-5 or more...?

Anyway I think your missing the point if you think a Korean Dojang is going to care that you learnt 'Kendo'. I mean Kendo is just the Japanese pronounciation of the two characters meaning sword and path/way. Kumdo is the Korean pronounciation.

The only thing I recommend is switching to Korean vocab?
Men = Mouri
Kote = Son Mok.
Tsuki = Jjileggi.

Their exercises are pretty damn crazy from what I was told.

They have strict regiments which means training everyday for at least 2 hours. However if you really want I think they have training in the mornings from 5-6 or 6-7:15am.

The only difference I can really see sticking out is how you take care of your uniforms. In Korea everyone who I has met has told me they just hang using a hanger rather than folding.

On Sat I think most Dojangs train for a bit longer.

On Sunday they have training or Shiap (Korean for Shiai!)

Ok just msg me if u wanna know more!!!

Most dojangs are privately run and hence ull probably have to pay a set amount!

Be prepared to work like a dog!!!!!

I know alot of dojangs do 1000 hayasuburi as a warmup!?!?!? and this means son mok, mouri = 1 haya suburi thus this equals 2000 hayasuburi!!!

[Taek]

Here is a couple of useful sites for you to find some kumdo dojangs in Korea.
Click on the map where you plan to travel and it should show dojangs' info.

http://www.kumdos.org/home/board/dojang_search.htm

And also you might post some threads in Q&A section and see if someone can offer you help. I wrote few questions in English before and I had very useful responses.

http://www.kumdos.org/home/

This dojang is where I trained kumdo before I came to Australia.

http://www.kumdo.org/gym/gym3.php?no=185&p=1&sido=±§¡÷&keyfield=&key=

Good luck

[taiwnezboi]

yea...korea is rainy and humid and hot in the summer(i couldn't buy pama, kuma, tuna, chima, dama, punk, etc shirts bcuz the markets closed bcuz of the rain...:() i think the best time to go is early summer bcuz it's not as hot as july and august(mayb june?). and keep in mind that electricity is really expensive in seoul so the dojang might not have AC...(but mine did :-D)

but kumdo is basically the same as kendo. i mean, if you were deaf, you couldn't really tell the difference...unless u looked @ the flag hanging on the wall...

when i was in korea, i noticed that the sabumnim(sensei) emphasised teaching the beginners more than @ the dojo i attend now here in VA...i mean i learned like all the basics in 10 days (putting on the uniform, footwork, fumikomi, basic striking, proper stance, hyasuburi,...uhh...what else...) They looooooooooove hyasuburi lol.

and if ur going to korea, stock up on shinai!! they are so cheap there! i got 1 for about 13 USD.

does VA mean the state of Virginia in the U.S.? maybe you practice at the same dojang as me?

[DanDan]

yes, VA means the state of virginia. and no, i don't practice @ the same dojang as u...:(
i want to practice @ your dojang but it's 2 hrs from where i live (Richmond). so i gave up on kumdo and started w/ kendo since there's a kendo dojo about 1/2 hr away from my house. if i'm ever in NoVA i might just visit your dojang tho :D

[DanDan]

o and by the way....
this is where i trained in korea--> http://www.kumdo.org/gym/gym3.php?no=590&p=9&sido=서울&keyfield=&key=

[taiwnezboi]

yes, VA means the state of virginia. and no, i don't practice @ the same dojang as u...:(
i want to practice @ your dojang but it's 2 hrs from where i live (Richmond). so i gave up on kumdo and started w/ kendo since there's a kendo dojo about 1/2 hr away from my house. if i'm ever in NoVA i might just visit your dojang tho :D

Are you from Koryo then? One of the people from our dojang practiced there recently for a few months.

[DanDan]

^yes! i've only been @ koryo for about...2 months now...come visit sometime :)