The Original Koryo Hyung Part 2: Kim Daeshik version

In part 1 I wrote a general overview on the history of the form, who developed it, the different main
versions out there, and then I promised that in this part I would look at the performance of the form itself. I have selected the Kim Daeshik version to be the first one, as this is the oldest published version out there. 

The book "Karate and personal self defense" written by Kim Daeshik and Tom Leland back in 1971. If you remember the form was developed between 1965-1967 before it was replaced in 1972, so while the book is very close to the making of the form, there is a little gap between the introduction of the form and the publication of the book. As for Kim Daeshik himself, I think he is one of the best kept secrets of "Kukki-Taekwondo". He is no longer with us, and I am very sad that his work did not get more widespread recognition because he did write some awesome material during his career. The book this form is from is not one of them though, but it does contain a few gems like the original Koryo. I will try to write more about Kim Daeshik in the future and give a few book recommendations, because seriously some of his works are must reads. This post also lets me introduce my own teacher; Master Erling Oppedal. I sometimes get negative feedback on this blog since I am "rocking the boat" so I have purposefully kept him a little anonymous on this blog, but I asked him if he could pose for the illustrations for this post and I was so happy when he said yes :-D 

So with those introductions out of the way let us jump into the form itself :-) 

The form is performed on one single line going North-South. Like the modern version of Koryo it contains throat attacks, side kick and other single techniques, but it is a very unique form that I think many will enjoy if the take the time to learn it. I taught the "Kim Soo version" a month or so ago at Bergen Vest Taekwondojang where I teach and one of the students said it was a very great form that just "felt real". All versions I have seen are very closely connected, and if you learn one version you will imediatly recognize the other versions as original koryo too.  

Begin in pyonhi seogi, relaxed stance.

"Charyot" or "Attention" (Moa Seogi)

Kyungne (Bow)

1: Gibon Chumbi Seogi / Fundamental ready stance

2: Left foot forward; Dwit Koobi, Sonnal Geoduro Makki

(Right Back Stance, Knife Hand Guarding Block)

3: Shift into Apkoobi (Long front stance) with the left leg in front,

delive a pyonjumeok jireugi (flat fist strike)

4: Deliver a Yeop Chagi (side kick) with your back leg

5: Place the kicking leg to the front, 

and form a sideways jocheum seogi

(horse stance), and do an arae eutgeuro makki (low X-block). 

Right hand is over left hand. 

(Note that the picture on the left of the screen 

is the same movement taken from another angle)

6: Shift sideways toward the front 

into Apkoobi (long front walking stance) 

and do a high section block (eulgeul makki)

7: Step forward into

 long front walking stance

(Apkoobi) and do 

pyonjumeok jireugi (flat fist strike)

8: Turn 180 degrees toward the point you 

started into back stance (Dwit koobi)

and do an outward knife hand block

(Sonnal bakkat makki)

9: Remain in place, do a 

"turning punch" as Gm Kim says

(Dollyo jireugi?) with the back arm.

(The illustration in his book and

the terminology he uses makes me 

conclude that it is a rounded short punch

rather than the normal reverse punch) 

10: From the previous move, shift forwar

into long front stance, reach out and

grab the opponents head

(Moori japki)

11: Deliver a knee strike 

as you pull the head down

(Moreup chigi) 

KIHAP

12: Place the "kneeing leg" forward

let the back leg follow into a x stance.

The back leg crosses behind the front leg

(Dwit koa seogi)

and do a low x-block

(arae eutgeuro makki)

right hand over left hand.

Below is the same movement from another angle

12 from another angle

13: Place the back leg behind you into 

long front walking stance (apkoobi)

and do a reverse knife hand 

outward spreading block

(sonnal deung momtong hecho makki)

14: the back leg moves again,

this time forward into horse stance

and do an elbow strike.

(right elbow strikes into left palm)

(Jocheum seogi, pyojeok palkeup chigi)

15: turn in place 180 degrees into back stance

 and do a low knife hand block

(dwit koobi, sonnal arae makki)

16: Left leg moves behind into horse stance

(jocheum seogi) and do an inward knife hand strike

(sonnal an chigi)

17: The right (front) leg goes back so it touches

the left leg, then the left leg moves back into 

horse stance in a skipping motion. The left 

hand does an inward block.

(Jocheum seogi, momtong an makki)

18: The right leg goes all the way back

into horse stance and do an inward

block with your left arm

(Jocheum seogi momtong an makki)

19a:From the previous stance 

pivot on the right leg (the left leg moves)

19b: finished pivot into a long front stance

(apkoobi) and do an outward knife hand

block (sonnal bakkat makki)

20: Remain in place, do another

knife hand outward block with the

other hand

21a: Kick a front kick

21b: follow up with a skipping jumping front kick

with the leg that kicked before

21c: land in front stance and deliver a double

mid section punch combo, left hand first

21d: last punch, remain in place.

To end: Right fot forward into the same fundamental ready stance as you started in :-)

I will try to film these versions so that we can compare them movement for movement in the future, but in the meantime do not hessitate to ask questions if something is unclear in this post. I have tried explaining each movement briefly but detailed. 

Now that you have been given a glimpse on how the form looks/looked like, I can add that the  pyonjumeok jireugi (flat fist strike) is never seen in any of the KTA/Kukkiwon poomsae. This form is the only form where it appears. It is still described in the kukkiwon textbook, along with most other taekwondo textbooks out there, but poomsae wise this is its only appearance. Sadly this form was scrapped, but this alone might make you consider adding it to your poomsae repetoire. Another feature not seen except briefly in taegeuk pal jang is the retreating steps toward the end of the form. This is the secuence that in Gm Kim Soo version looks a lot like a sequence of the "long fist form" of Chang Mu Kwan, chinese martial roots. The sequence is a little different here in this version, but you will recognize all the sequences in the other versions as well. 

I have not decided if I am going to go straight to the next version or if I am going to focus on making a simple Youtube video to accompany this post firs, but stay tuned, more will come one way or another :-)

A big thanks to my teacher for posing for all the photographs. This post would have been put off loooooong into the future if it was not for you :-)