Social media often posts information, opinions and beliefs that do not, for the most part, match with the reality of the subject they allude to.

Although everyone has the right to have an opinion, it is necessary to be able to differentiate between opinion and information. On several occasions, many people tend to believe what is being said just because they confuse opinion with information. The first is closely related to personal or general belief (opinion) and the second to what it really is (information).

In the case of Taekwon-Do, the legacy of Gen. Choi Hong Hi has become widespread. It is repeated tirelessly: I continue with the legacy,…. I do this to continue the legacy, etc. Everyone talks about this but most without authority. Using the initials of the Federation that he founded doesn’t mean continuing the legacy; does not identify a style because many are the entities that use such a name and yet they do not coincide with each other in their actions, furthermore, none of them has a document that endorse them as the chosen one.

A style is a set of special features that characterize a thing, a person, a group or a way of acting. In the case of the work bequeathed by General Choi Hong Hi, this characteristic is unique and is represented by the system he established. This is composed by a pedagogical method, a particular biomechanics of its movements, the uniform worn by its members and its philosophy. In the current diversity, all unity of criteria is lost.

Associations, federations or confederations are only names that describe administrative instruments and their scopes, which are legal only when registered, but they are not a style. The acronym used in the general language, beyond to describe an administrative method, also can be utilized to establish the big difference between Taekwon-Do and Taekwondo. But if it is the same thing!!!. No, under none point of view. One is the originally conceived name and the other the usurped name used in Olympics, which as it is known, does not coincide biomechanically nor in their intentions.

For many, another form of belonging is having a photo with Choi Hong Hi. Having a photo with the General only feeds the anecdote of the one that appears there next to him. In many restaurants around the world, General Choi photographed himself with the waiter who served him without becoming his heir for being in that photo.

If we are talking about a federation, there is no possible inheritance beyond the federated matter; because legal systems that require elections of their members to fill positions with non-perennial mandates, cannot legally be inherited. If someone has told you otherwise, do not believe him because the laws that authorize such entity to operate would have to be modified and that up to now is not possible.

It is worth remembering in this context the words of the Founder of the discipline so many times repeated in countless seminars, reports and in his bibliography: «Taekwon-Do is free from all political, racial or religious ties and does not belong to any particular country.»

So what is the legacy of General Choi Hong Hi that is so much talked about and so many became heirs despite not being bequeathed?

The true legacy is the Art called Taekwon-Do with it pedagogical system and particular biomechanics, its philosophy, the history that feeds it written in handwriting by its Founder and reflected in his Encyclopedia and in his memoirs. 

Not others born in hands of novel historians, many with some coincident parts and others that have nothing in common with what was written by the Founder; therefore, they only feed fantasy and can be used to fill gaps that are politically convenient for some, but which do not contribute to anything, nor can they modify what really happened. In short, the only valid story is that written by Gral. Choi himself, the others are just speculations with dark intentions.

In the psychophysical aspect, the legacy is to maintain what is established in his biomechanics. So we were instructed as the most advanced categories of that time. In an effort to differentiate itself from other competitors’ entities that use the same name, business conveniences imposed modifications that distort that legacy. To the point that in some entities has been instituted as good what is wrong. 

A sine wave is illustrated with a saw tooth movement that General Choi himself always emphasized as  incorrect. Remember that not always a downward movement describes a sine wave.

The use of the original theory has been avoided, allowing with this erroneous practice to install the personal theorization of the hierarchs on duty in this proliferation of entities.

It has become popular to speak about Do, which the majority doesn’t know and of course no one teaches, but which is conveniently used to continue with the sale of an oriental mystery that originally did not have that destiny.

As in any inheritance, heirs appear everywhere demanding their part and pulling strongly for what they consider to be their property and having made shreds of the legacy. If you haven’t tried yet, don’t worry,  there is still time to add a name of your convenience to the acronym used by all and with that you can also claim your share.

to be aware read the previous notes