Dear WHD masters, instructors & friends,
Welcome to International WonHwaDo Academy Global Network. Since Great Grandmaster Han passed away, I have been thinking about how to carry on WHD and how to establish an international organization in order to spread this art throughout the world. I felt that working together with WHD lovers around the world is the only way to achieve this goal. Also, I realized that there are many people who have burning desire to develop WHD in different countries. Therefore, the International WonHwaDo Academy Global Network was finally born.
This website will be the online sitting room for everybody. In this website, I am going to establish an online system where you can get all the informations about WHD and practical support for your own training and for your teaching activities. You will also be able to express your ideas and opinions at any time.
I look forward to talking to all of you in the near future. I am still working on it to make this website useful.
If you are interested in working together with me, please join the Global Network Team. I need your experience, ideas and support in order to make a proper progress.
Best regards
Dorim Kim
Grandmaster Dorim, Master Hyong Suk Han(apologies for mispelling previously), leaders, and all Wonhwadoga,
It is very uplifting to hear from all of you, in particular Master Han! I am very happy. It is good news for Whd.
I am also especially happy to hear from Master Lutz as we go back to similar times and shared many workshops together (Please bring Master Jorn and Master Anya!). I have always been very impressed by the hardwork and level of achievements of Whd in Germany. In many ways, you have been leading us, setting a good standard and example, together with Austria since the early days of Whd in Europe. I look forward to seeing all of you from Europe and friends from other parts of the world. Destiny has brought us together – lets grab it with our own hands!
Best wishes,
Master Chi
Here is the real address for the photo album to the 1st WHD Albanian National Workshop: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6244649&id=786872563&saved#!/album.php?aid=238938&id=786872563 Cheers guys!
Dear G.Master Kim, IWA, Instructors, & other students of WHD! Thank you for your kind efforts and investment into WHD over the years(“,)
My Instructor, Master Jason Parsons from Wales, UK, took me into his family home for 10 months for personal training as his first WHD disciple. He wanted to do the same thing for someone that Master Suda, UK Master, had done for him when he first joined WHD. As a result, I have inherited a tradition of heart for WHD that has been passed down through this WHD lineage. I am so grateful to Master Jason for his hard work and the training I received. Only after leaving did I realize how much I had learned simply by being with him, picking up small habits like a child does from their parent, such as the way he walks around a corner or makes his move to walk up some steps.
Now I am laying the foundation for WHD success in Albania. Those of you who use facebook might have seen my photo album from the 1st WHD Albanian National Workshop we had there in June. Here is the address if you didn’t see it: http://www.facebook.com/wonhwado#!/album.php?aid=238938&id=786872563&ref=mf
I have committed myself to developing WHD in Albania for 10+ years from 2010 onward. I believe many great things are due to happen in Albania for WHD. There are many things we can do and so I would like to invite others WHDoers from around the world to email me if you think you can be of any help to this great providence that is going on in Albania and around the world. I would like to arrange international workshops. So feel free to get in touch.
I also will be sending out emails to various students and Instructors I am in contact with but for those of us who we didn’t meet each other yet, it would be great to hear from you. I hope we can reciprocate and that I can also help you in some way in your country.
Thanks for everything guys.
Let GGMaster Han be with you in training!
God bless!
Slogan: “JUST WON HWA DO IT!!!” LOL!
James – Uon Hua Do Shqiperia (Won Hwa Do Albania)
Dear Master Dorim, dear WonHaDo friends,
today I booked my flight. I hope to see you all soon in Ireland. Please take care.
Master Lutz
from Germany
Dear Master Kim, thanks for beautiful days I spent in Navan with you and for very good training in your dojo. My son and I are enthusiastics about WHD and we hope to get serious students of WHD thanks to your help…I’m awaiting for a wonderful seminar in November with my family…
Sincerely
Fabio and Diego.
Dear friends,
I appreciate master Dorims effort very much to bring everybody together again and I am happy to book my flight to Ireland soon.
) and the next generation of WHD masters/students.
I think it´s going to be a big happening with a lot of fun and memories and I am looking forward to meet my old buddies from the past (I am sure THEY became quite old
Kind regards
Michael
WHD Austria
Dear WHD Masters, friend,
I am happy to see that many of us is really re-starting WHD. What makes me especially happy is to see that Grandmaster Cho and Master Han are joining us ! I look forward to meet all of You in Ireland. In meanwhile, it is time to re-fresh and sharpen our WHD skills. I have been missing WHD – which is very special martial art. I hope that in future, under wing of IWA Global network, our training/grading/workin policy will be clear, objective and creative.
See You soon.
Mika Väyrynen, In Hwa
Hello every WHD members!
I will participate IWA Global Network and Grand Master Dorim Kim.
I’ll try harder from now on.
Thank you.
Dear Grandmaster Cho, Grandmaster Dorim, Master Hyung Sook Han,and all WHD members.
Like so many of you, I was shocked and deeply saddened by the news of Great Grandmaster Han’s passing. I offer sincere condolences and sympathies to his family and to our community. We have lost a great man! And indeed i became not only lost but bewildered and confused, confused as to what to do now, as we have lost the leader of our martial arts organisation. I pondered and asked many questions. The answer seemed to come in the form of the IWA GN but still what was to become of Great Grandmaster Han’s son and the foundation in Korea?
To be honest, I initially, was hessitant in fully committing to IWA GN, even with Grandmaster Cho’s backing since we still did not have Master Hyung Sook Han’s acceptance. I did not want to be standing in the middle of any disunity or disharmony. But now that Master Hyung Sook Han has fully accepted to join with IWA GN (some of us had the priviledge to meet GM Dorim and his wife during their visit to London on the 29th May,when GM Dorim announced he received Master Han’s collaboration) i feel completely free and committed to backing and supporting IWA GN in any way i can.
When I see GM Dorim and his wife working so tirelessly for WHD I get so inspired. They are really a great couple, doing great things for WHD and the martial arts world in general. I have personally known them for well over 10 years and have gratefully trained under GM Dorim (Thank you so much GM Dorim) on many ocassions and i have seen their success in Ireland. I was very impressed by the achievements of their students and believe with GM Dorim’s IWA GN backed by and led together with GM Cho and M Han, we will have great success in the future. So I for one, am very grateful and priviledged to be part of this new organisation which will take WHD forward to great international heights to continue the invaluable work and legacy left by Great Grandmaster Han – he will always be in my heart and may he be with all of us and guides us forward.
I want to encourage and urge all WHD leaders and students to join together to make this new start for the sake of the future of Won Hwa Do which we all dearly love and want to share with the world.
Lastly,I thank you and appreciate every little thing that you do to better yourselves and to better WHD, because we share this precious identity together.
In Chinese, generally in oriental martial arts, we consider our Sabunim (Sifu in Chinese) as a parent figure (“sa” meaning art/skill and “bu” meaning parent/father, so in reality we are can consider ourselves as a family of Wonhwado (Wonhwadoka as compared to Karateka, Judoka, etc). So whenever i see a WHD member, I am very happy because the connection can be just as strong or stronger than seeing a member of your own biological family. For me this is a very important, satisfying and even vital part of training, in order to maintain the development of this fantastic art. I too hope to see so many of you for a reunion and rivival in Ireland in November.
Best regards,
Chi Hy (Chi Chi- The (rather lean)Kung Fu Panda
Great idea Grand Master Kim! I look forward to renewing my training at your superb Dojang in the KMAC in Navan and progressing towards opening a club in Cavan/Ulster region. I’m very happy that the IWA and the new Global Network can serve as a central point and resource for the development of this great Art throughout the world. See you soon! rgds,Colm.
Hi Julio here is Sabumnim Jorge I still remember the day that you were a 11 old young boy around 1993 that came to the Dojang at the Dojang of Lisbon Science Faculty and told me that you wanted to learn WHD. At that time I had to travel 36 KM by train and cross the Tejo River by Boat to arrive to Lisbon, to give WHD class to you my only WHD student with 11 years old.Naturally in that conditions my wife used to ask why so much work to teach only one young student?
We have come a long way until today all the dedication from me and your hard training still left some good WHD root in your Mind Julio Fernando Marcelino.Thanks for the wish to come back and restart WHD in Portugal BE STRONG AND KEEP GOING we will meet again on the Matts.
Hi Grand Master Dorim Kim! My name is Julio and i am a WHD student from Portugal. I am a old student of Jorge Cardoso in Portugal, and i´ve been learned in the past also with Master Tadao Kawara. Actually my nivel is red belt, but i don´t teach WHD, and don´t practique over 5 years. Now i´ve the skills for comeback practique and in the future expand WHD in Portugal. If you support me in Portugal i will make the WHD a great martials art. I will expect some news from you. You can coun´t with my support.
Greetings
Hi Grand Master Dorim,
It is very unfortunate of Great Grand Master Hans passing, although at the same time i am sure He will be doing even greater work and inspiring many more people, now He has passed over, and He will still certainly be alive in my mind and heart always.
Here in the U.K., and i’m sure i speak for Master Suda, when i say we are somewhat lacking in organization, and proffesionalism, and we deffinately need a big change.
I myself am responsible for Wales WHD, and have a small club here in Cardiff. I personally would be very happy to adopt your system.
For me WHD is the ideal Martial Art, but of course; it’s much more than just a Martial Art, WHD is life, you see it and feel it everywhere you go, and in everything you do.
WHD is not just a M.A. like Karate, Taekwondo, or Judo etc. although i do have great respect for those Martial Arts.
WHD and conventional M.A. must come together absolutely.
There is no comparison to WHD and conventional M.A.
I believe WHD comes from Mind World which is eternal, and is absolute, therefore i could never give up, or stop practicing WHD, THANKS TO GREAT GRAND MASTER HAN.
There is no other M.A. that flows so smoothly, and is executed so efficiently as WHD, because of the circular motion, which no other M.A. even comes close in similarity, with respect to other M.A.
One BIG difference that i see with WHD compared to other M.A. is the ability to hit, kick, throw etc., with great strength, yet at the same time; with absolute love toward the apponent, or at least, that is the idea anyway, lol!
I once had a wonderfull experience at a WHD seminar in London. A Japanese Master Hori (if i remember correctly) wanted to demonstrate a front kick using WHD c-motion, at the same time kicking with love. I remember standing, and being told to strengthen my stomach area, and then he kicked me. I just remember, it was almost like flying, but backwards. Afterwards, i felt such a positive feeling, but no pain, only love.
I ALWAYS THINK TO MYSELF, IF I COME ACROSS A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY MAY WANT TO ATTACK ME FOR SOME REASON, I ALWAYS ASK MYSELF, WHAT WOULD GREAT GRAND MASTER HAN DO? THEN I REMEMBER HIS HUGE, WELCOMING SMILE THAT HE SOMETIMES HAD, AND THE WAY HE LAUGHED JUST TO MAKE YOU HAPPY. THEN REMEMBER, YES!! I HAVE TO LOVE MY APPONENT, BUT IF THAT DOESN’T WORK, WELL, THEY HAD BETTER WATCH OUT.
Take care all,
Master Jason Parsons,
Cardiff, Wales, U.K. WHD
hi everyone
Some of you may not know me, I am Grand Master Kim’s student. I would just like to say on behalf of the Irish Wonhwado members that we are very happy to see that there is still a good interest in whd around Europe and the World! As I do believe this is a great martial art and we are still keeping whd alive.
It was a sad day in whd history in February 2010 when Great Grand Master Han had passed away
and he will be missed very much by the people that knew the great man himself, but now this is a fresh start in whd history and we need to keep moving forward, I believe that is what he would have wanted from his students from all over the world and what a good way to kick it off by holding our second whd championship in Navan, Ireland in novermber 2010.
Its also a good chance to come together and show our skills and to train and learn from one another like old times
and also we can grow into great whd masters and spread whd around the world, and I think the most important thing is to think big! and positive! so that we can train our students into good masters and they can open their own club and start spreading whd even further.
This is also a great chance for whd to compete in sparring against other martial arts club like Kickboxing, Taekwondo and Karate etc. to let them know that whd is out there and we are here to stay…
And even bigger news, Grand Master Cho is coming over to do a workshop, our memebers and myself are looking forward to it, its going to be a good workshop for all.
Hope to see you all very soon,
….
take care and train hard
Dear Grand Master Kim.
I was very happy to receive your email. Here in Brazil we are restarting the jobs that WHD that stood for ten years. We’ll start training so we can remember a little the WHD. Such training will be that of the sr. Lin and Mr Antonio both have been trained by Master Cho in corea. Master Cho gave a purple belt.
I talked with them a lot about and we will be part of your team, if you accept us is clear.
I’m red belt, but I did not train for ten years. I returned it three months and am still very overweight. But I’ll be giving my best to re-activate the WHD in Brazil.
I will film the last days of training and I’ll send for you to analyze.
Thanks for everything.
Nazinho Santana
Brazil
Hi Grandmaster Dorim!
I’m sad to hear the news about Great Grandmaster Han!!!:(((
But the same time I’m happy to hear about your initiative to create the IWA GN so I’m happy to join to the WonHwaDo Academy Global Network!!!
Mansei
Balazs Pap
Hungarian WHD club
Welcome!!!
So far, we do not have a sort of central person and organization that can support WHD leaders around the world.
I hope this acitivities could be starting point for World WHD activities.
Now, we do not have the Head Master of WHD after GrandMaster Han passed away.
However, we are going to have GrandMaster Cho as our Head Master and Master Dorim. I am very glad to have our central figure for World WHD activities.
I am in the position to support the decision which it will be made by GM Cho and Master Dorim and follow the modified instruction for all of us.
Now on, we have to pursue the original path of WHD as one of great matrial arts in the world. It have lots, lots, lots of contents for our, as fellow, better life.
I hope all members in the world could get all benefit from new organization’s activities.
from Boston, America
Dear Grandmaster Dorim Kim,
my name is Fabio Scarano and I’m from Italy (Rome). I’m a black belt TAEKWONDO/HDG’s instructor and play Hapkiyusul with GrandMaster Kim Yun Sang. I’d like to practice with you, in your seminar in the future during a nice holiday in Ireland. I’m interested also to learn WonHwaDo and start a program to achieve a good level and then teaching in Italy to develop this martial art for my little kids…if possible. I will be very happy if you can help me and show the way….
Yours sincerely
Fabio Scarano
Rome/Italy
Dear Grandmaster Dorim and WHD masters, instructors.
Slovakia wonhwado asociation will join to the IWA Global WHD network.
THANKS FOR YOUR INITIATIVE.
Master Jan Dzuris
Slovakia
Dear Grandmaster Dorim and WHD masters, instructors,
It is with great pleasure for me to join IWA Global WHD network. I truly wish that we all could work for further development of WHD globally, and complete what Great Grandmaster Han Bong Ki and Grandmaster Cho Ik Hyun started. For future success of WHD, we need perfect infastructure, perfect teaching curriculum, co-operation with each others and professional management of federation. I feel that under IWA, we can accomplish all these things.
I have known You, Grandmaster Dorim, since January 1999 when we meet in Korea, in Chil-won. Since those days when we meet 1999, You have given me a lot: your friendship, You have been teaching me fundamental aspects of martial arts training and profound way of life through martial arts. Perhaps more than any other Master during my life – and my martial arts career is long, it is this year 30 years since i started training….
How could I say “NO” to my master and my brother? I can not. Therefore, I say “YES” both to Grandmaster Dorim and IWA. I look forward to meet You and WHD masters in Ireland, at IWA championships later this year.
Perhaps we all will have fantastic re-union under IWA. All WHD friends since LONG time – would be a “dream come true” to meet all of You in Ireland ! And maybe one day, we could meet our korean “old” masters as well, under wing of IWA: Masters Lee Sang Ki, Lee Byung Duck and others….
I am happy to return to WHD, to meet my old friends and go on to create something extraordinary – together with all of WHD masters!!
Master Mika Väyrynen, In Hwa, Finland.
Dear Dorim,
How are you, I hope you and your family feel well in Ireland. I am glad you feel responsibility for WHD.
Your call and invitation for working together is very good. Especially if you have an unselfish motivation for developing WHD.
I am the oldest WHD member in Europe with many heart. Now I am 55 years old and I started Grand-Master Han´s WHD in the year 1988.(together with Master Monkju Joon from London and Grand-Master Cho in Soul in 1992.
I will definitly join IWA. And I will give support to you and WHD how much as it is possible for me.
Best regards
InHwa Master Christian Wohlgemuth
from Linz/Austria
Dear Grandmaster Dorim, members of the Won Hwa Do community,
Our roads met many years ago in times which bring up many happy memories. We’ve met on several occasions on which you taught us many things about WHD, a martial art which Great Grandmaster Han developed together with his associates like Grandmaster Cho.
You taught us many techniques which made Won Hwa Do a very special and distinctive martial art. Your deeds showed us that you possess other skills which can’t be described by circular movement, but by using words like dedication, commitment, discipline and hard work. Those personal skills lead to undeniable success. Won Hwa Do is a great martial art and your system is a good one. I have decided to support it.
I will join you and the Global Network and help on best of my abilities.
Master Bojan
from Slovenia
Hi Grand Master Dorim you know my mind for WHD.
WHD is in my blood and bones cannot be erased so I am with you in your initiative.COUNT ON ME AND MY STUDENTS WE HAVE TO MAKE WHD A SUCCESS AND A WAY FOR PEOPLE GOOD QUALITY OF LIVE.
THANKS FOR YOUR INITIATIVE.
BI-SON
JORGE CARDOSO
WONSHINKWAN MALAYSIA