Ji Han Jae
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Ji Han Jae (지한재), was born in Andong, South Korea in 1936. He is one of the highest ranking hapkido instructors in the world and founder of Sin Moo Hapkido.
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[edit] Training
He began his martial arts training in 1949 under the direction of Choi Yong Sul, the founder of hapkido. Ji trained with Choi Yong Sul until 1956 when he moved to Seoul in order to open a school of self-defense in the nation's capital. It is believed that Ji Han Jae was trained in the ancient methods of the Korean martial arts, known as Sam Rang Do Tek Gi by a man named Taoist Lee. Though this man's identity has never been confirmed, it is believed that he trained Ji in meditation, the use of the Korean long staff "Jang-Bong", short staffs "Dan-Bong", and the unique kicks of Sam Rang Do Tek Gi.
[edit] Hapkido
In 1959 Ji Han Jae combined all of his martial arts knowledge together and began to teach hapkido. Some people consider Ji Han Jae to be the founder of hapkido, while others will credit his teacher Choi Yong Sul for that. It is commonly believed that it was Ji who first started using the name hapkido for the techniques he was teaching at that time.
[edit] Politics
Eventually Ji Han Jae's star began to rise, when he started teaching the president's bodyguards at the Blue House. In 1979 however, the Korean president, Park Chung Hee was assassinated by Ji Han Jae's student: Kim Jae-gyu. Kim was the head of the Korean security forces and Ji's recommendation had played a role in Kim actually getting that job. Ji was imprisoned for a year. In 1984 Ji Han Jae moved to the United States and founded Sin Moo Hapkido. Before he left his former student Myung Jae Nam, leader of the International H.K.D Federation, awarded Ji Han Jae his 10th degree black belt.
[edit] Films
On his first trip to the United States, Ji appeared in the film Game of Death with Bruce Lee. Before that he had already made his appearance in a movie called Hapkido (aka Lady Kungfu) together with Angela Mao.
