Bong Soo Han
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Grand Master Bong Soo Han is the world's foremost practitioner of Hapkido,
and is referred to as the Father of Hapkido in the Western World. As one of the
original senior students to the Founder of Hapkido, Yong Sul Choi, he led a
dedicated effort in the development of Hapkido as it is known today. He has
taught thousands of loyal students throughout his life with many becoming
masters themselves. Other masters across all styles have and continue to seek
his wisdom and teachings. Grand Master Han has studied and refined this powerful
Korean martial art for more than 60 years. He currently holds the rank of 9th
Dan Black Belt. He is the Founder and President of the International Hapkido
Federation.
In Korea, turbulent times of the post Korean War and the increasing conflicts of
the Vietnam War called upon Grand Master Han to train hundreds of military
personnel, including American/Korean Special Forces and Secret Service. In part
from this realistic and dynamic experience, many in the military and law
enforcement agencies, including those of the FBI, continue to rely on Grand
Master Han to develop and teach effective defensive tactics programs.
Grand Master Han first introduced Hapkido into the United States in 1967,
although mass exposure did not come until the motion picture "Billy Jack" filled
the nation's theaters in 1971. In this film, Grand Master Han gained critical
acclaim for creating and staging some of the most breathtaking and realistic
fight sequences ever to have graced the silver screen. Up to the release of this
film, brief references to martial arts were often portrayed by actors and not by
martial artists. Grand Master Han redefined and revolutionalized Hollywood's
understanding of martial arts by demonstrating a level of martial arts skill
previously not seen before, much to the delight of the audience who found it
tremendously exciting. Grand Master Han has continued to choreograph, double,
star in, and/or produce numerous films since.
 Grand Master Han has been the subject of hundreds of magazine and newspaper
articles, countless martial arts magazine cover stories, and is a member of the
Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame (1978). He was also featured in The Arts and
Entertainment documentary, "The Martial Arts," the Wesley Snipes-produced
"Master of the Martial Arts," and several other radio, Internet, and television
profiles.
In addition to being cited in dozens of martial arts books, Grand Master Han
himself has written many articles on the Way of martial arts, and also authored
the book, HAPKIDO, The Korean Art of Self-Defense (Ohara Publications, 1974),
which is now in its 23rd printing. He has completed a series of ten
instructional Hapkido videotapes for worldwide distribution, and is currently
working on ten more Advanced Black Belt tapes.
Grand Master Han is best known, however, for his indefatigable dedication to the
teaching of Hapkido, sharing with thousands the truth and nature of martial
arts, impacting those who commit to embark on this journey of self-development.
He presently operates his martial arts school and IHF Headquarters in Santa
Monica, California, which he has done for 37 years. In an effort to expand the
IHF to include qualified and committed member schools, Grand Master Han
continues to tour the world lecturing on and demonstrating Hapkido, the Art of
Coordinated Power.
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