--I am not sure if there is a way to answer this question. I think one first must define TKD. Is TKD a style, a sport or an umbrella name for Korean striking arts?
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I have always wondered with regard to those who subscribe to the Umbrella theory; Just how big is the umbrella anyway.

Is it any Korean who is kicking and punching and chooses to have theri own system entitled to call it TKD?

Would some of those Kwan leaders who deliberately chose not to adopt the moniker be insulted if you referred to their system as TKD?

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Tae Kwon Do is practiced by 50 million people in 160 different countries. If everyone who studied Tae Kwon Do joined hands, they could form a line that would stretch around the globe 1.25 times!

The way i see things on this (and im not trying to offend but prob will) is Taekwondo was created primarily by Gen choi regardless of what kwans he used from the ancient korean arts. It was he who took them devised a system/curriculim and NAMED the art therefore by that very definition the only real taekwondo is his ITF , now i didnt just make that up heres what the General had to say about the "IMMITATORS"


"I cannot help but despair over the tainted image of taekwondo recently created by practitioners of sham taekwondo who have nothing in common with the origin and art form except for a BORROWED name."

Now me personally i really couldnt give a monkeys about who trains in what whether they call it taekwondo or not as practicing ITF does not mean that you are in any way superior however its really that the others that use the name taekwondo prob really should of thought up their own wee name so as to not have any conflict over who has the legitimate right to be called a Taekwondo practicioner.

HeeIlCho wrote: The way i see things on this (and im not trying to offend but prob will) is Taekwondo was created primarily by Gen choi regardless of what kwans he used from the ancient korean arts. It was he who took them devised a system/curriculim and NAMED the art therefore by that very definition the only real taekwondo is his ITF , now i didnt just make that up heres what the General had to say about the "IMMITATORS" "I cannot help but despair over the tainted image of taekwondo recently created by practitioners of sham taekwondo who have nothing in common with the origin and art form except for a BORROWED name."

can't help but to wonder whom gen choi was referring to when he said "borrowed name", because, from what i've read over the years, it's Gen Choi who wanted other kwans to use the name taekwondo, instead of tangsoodo, soobakdo, gongsoodo, etc.  

sometimes, i think what it would have been like if he just gave the name taekwondo to describe korean martial arts, and letting other "styles" do the way they were doing, to distinguish their own styles, kinda like kung fu. 

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i'm delicious

[/quote]
can't help but to wonder whom gen choi was referring to when he said "borrowed name", because, from what i've read over the years, it's Gen Choi who wanted other kwans to use the name taekwondo, instead of tangsoodo, soobakdo, gongsoodo, etc.  

sometimes, i think what it would have been like if he just gave the name taekwondo to describe korean martial arts, and letting other "styles" do the way they were doing, to distinguish their own styles, kinda like kung fu. [/quote]

lol well u know the score theres always 3 sides to every story in this case the Generals , the others(who dissagreed with him) and the truth  however im with the General on this one

HeeIlCho wrote: Now me personally i really couldnt give a monkeys about who trains in what whether they call it taekwondo or not as practicing ITF does not mean that you are in any way superior however its really that the others that use the name taekwondo prob really should of thought up their own wee name so as to not have any conflict over who has the legitimate right to be called a Taekwondo practicioner.

That's just how it is in the martial arts world.  Take for example Praying Mantis kung fu.  PMKF is commonly thought of as a northern Chinese style, but there are really something like a dozen interrelated styles, some substantially different.  There's also the completely unrelated southern Chinese PM style, which is composed of four primary stlyes in itself.  You get used to it eventually.