King Kwang Gae

Kwang-Gae is one of the three 1st degree black belt teul (forms) in ITF-style taekwondo. Kwang-Gae-Toh-Wang was the 19th King of the Koguryo Dynasty. He regained all the territories previously lost to the dynasty during prior conflicts, including the greater part of Manchuria. This form's diagram represents the expansion and recovery of lost territory. The 39 movements in the form refer to the first two digits of 391 C.E., the year Kwang came to the throne at age 17.

Kwang-Gae-Toh-Wang (347 C.E. - 413 C.E.) was renowned for his boldness and ambition during his youth. After he succeded his father to the throne, he undertook the task of regaining previously lost territories; through many conquests he expanded the territories of the Koguryo Dynasty. According to his tombstone, "64 castles and 1400 villages" were attacked and conquered during his reign.

His philosophy of expansion was inherited by his son, King Jang Soo Wang, the 20th Koguryo ruler. Jang Soo strengthened the army, invaded nearby nations and further expanded the Koguryo Dynasty, making it into a great empire.

Hanulson - Heaven Hands:Edit

This form begins with a movement called Heaven Hands. Legend has it that King Kwang Gae stood upon a hill and gazed through his hands towards heaven, asking the gods for a quick and successful battle, When the enemy armies came over the horizon the king thrust his hands apart to signal the start of the battle.

Video Edit

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Kwang Gae performed by Joel Denis

Kwang Gae performed by Joel Denis

Diagram Edit

Hyung 10 kwanggae

Written Instructions Edit

Lines Kwang-Gae

The lines of Kwang-Gae (student view)

Here on this wiki, the wording used to describe this form deviates from the conventional wording historically used to describe the form. This was done to facilitate wiki-style links to the names of associated techniques. To view the conventional wording, see ITF Forms Summary Description.

Black Belt Forms Edit

The ITF-style Black Belt forms are:

Forms no longer used:

* Ko-Dang is an older form, replaced with Juche. Ko-Dang is still taught in some schools however.

U-Nam is an ITF/Chang Hon-style form that appears only in the 1959 edition of Choi Hong Hi's Tae Kwon Do Teaching Manual.

References Edit

The primary reference is:

The following websites are also particularly good online references for ITF-style taekwondo:
