Nam Tae Hi
Encyclopedia
Nam Tae Hi is a pioneering South Korean master
of taekwondo
, and is known as the 'Father of Vietnamese Taekwondo.' With H. H. Choi
, he co-founded the Oh Do Kwan
and led the twelve original masters of taekwondo
of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association
(KTA).
. He began training in the martial arts in 1946, training after school for five nights each week. Nam's training continued in the Chung Do Kwan
under Won Kuk Lee. In 1948, Nam introduced Bok Man Kim, later to become a pioneering taekwondo master, to taekkyeon.
, and broke 13 roof tiles with a downward punch; Rhee was reportedly so impressed that he subsequently ordered all Korean military personnel to undergo training in martial arts.
In March 1959, Nam was a member of the first Korean taekwondo demonstration team to travel overseas, demonstrating his martial art in Vietnam and Taiwan. Around this time, he was appointed President of the Asia Taekwon-Do Federation, and was also one of the founding directors of the KTA. In 1962, Nam was appointed as Chief Instructor of taekwondo for the Vietnamese army, and came to be known as the Father of Taekwondo in Vietnam. Nam designed the Chang Hon taekwondo patterns Hwa-Rang hyung, Chung-Mu hyung, and UI-Ji hyung.
's list of taekwondo pioneers. In 2007, he was inducted into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame.
Grandmaster (martial arts)
Grandmaster and Master are titles used to describe or address some senior or experienced martial artists. Such titles may be, to some extent, aligned to the elderly martial arts master stock character in fiction...
of taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
, and is known as the 'Father of Vietnamese Taekwondo.' With H. H. Choi
Choi Hong Hi
Choi Hong Hi , also known as General Choi, was a South Korean army general and martial artist who is a controversial figure in the history of the Korean martial art of taekwondo. Choi is widely regarded as the 'Founder of Taekwondo'—most often by International Taekwon-Do Federation organizations...
, he co-founded the Oh Do Kwan
Oh Do Kwan
Oh Do Kwan founded in 1955, was the 6th Kwan to open in Korea.-Meaning:The word Oh can be translated both as 'mine' and 'our', which makes the meaning of Oh Do Kwan 'the school of my way'.-Founding:...
and led the twelve original masters of taekwondo
Original Masters of Taekwondo
Original masters of taekwondo is a group of twelve South Korean martial art masters assembled by the Korea Taekwon-Do Association in the early 1960s to promote the newly-established art of taekwondo...
of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association
Korea Taekwondo Association
Korea Taekwondo Association , originally the Korea Taekwon-Do Association, is the first taekwondo organisation. It was founded in 1959, although official South Korean sources give 1961 as its year of establishment. In 1966, some members of the KTA, led by H. H...
(KTA).
Early life
Nam was born in March 1929 in Seoul, Korea, during the period of Japanese occupationKorea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
. He began training in the martial arts in 1946, training after school for five nights each week. Nam's training continued in the Chung Do Kwan
Chung Do Kwan
Chung Do Kwan, created by Won Kuk Lee in 1944, is the first of nine schools or kwan teaching what came to be known as taekwondo. This style of Tae Kwon Do is known for its overall power and emphasis on kicks to the head.-Founding:...
under Won Kuk Lee. In 1948, Nam introduced Bok Man Kim, later to become a pioneering taekwondo master, to taekkyeon.
Career
While a Captain in the South Korean military forces, Nam met Hong Hi Choi, and acted as Choi's second-in-command in the early days of taekwondo. Nam was pivotal in the development of taekwondo, and was called Choi's "right hand man" in the latter's official biography. In 1954, at the rank of 2nd dan, Nam participated in a military demonstration of martial arts for the President of South Korea, Syngman RheeSyngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee or Yi Seungman was the first president of South Korea. His presidency, from August 1948 to April 1960, remains controversial, affected by Cold War tensions on the Korean peninsula and elsewhere. Rhee was regarded as an anti-Communist and a strongman, and he led South Korea through the...
, and broke 13 roof tiles with a downward punch; Rhee was reportedly so impressed that he subsequently ordered all Korean military personnel to undergo training in martial arts.
In March 1959, Nam was a member of the first Korean taekwondo demonstration team to travel overseas, demonstrating his martial art in Vietnam and Taiwan. Around this time, he was appointed President of the Asia Taekwon-Do Federation, and was also one of the founding directors of the KTA. In 1962, Nam was appointed as Chief Instructor of taekwondo for the Vietnamese army, and came to be known as the Father of Taekwondo in Vietnam. Nam designed the Chang Hon taekwondo patterns Hwa-Rang hyung, Chung-Mu hyung, and UI-Ji hyung.
Later life
Nam moved to the Chicago in 1972, opened a dojang in 1973, and now lives in Los Angeles. He appears on Chang Keun ChoiChang Keun Choi
Choi Chang Keun , widely known as C. K. Choi, is a South Korean master of taekwondo, and one of the twelve original masters of taekwondo of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association...
's list of taekwondo pioneers. In 2007, he was inducted into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame.