 Choi also learned Shotokan karate under Funakoshi Gichin.Just before he had left Korea, Choi apparently had a disagreement with a wrestler named Hu, and the possibility of a future confrontation inspired him to train; in his own words, "I would imagine that these were the techniques I would use to defend myself against the wrestler, Mr. Hu, if he did attempt to carry out his promise to tear me limb from limb when I eventually returned to Korea" (Park, 1993, p. 242).Choi attained the rank of 1st "dan" in karate in 1939, and then 2nd "dan" soon after.