Grand Master Hwang Kee—The Kwans
When World War II came to an end, several instructors started teaching martial arts in what is now South Korea. This sudden interest was because the native Korean arts were outlawed during the Japanese occupation. That is probably why the man refused to teach GM Hwang Kee when he was a child. Unfortunately because of the occupation the Korean arts became blended with both Japanese and Chinese arts. The original Kwans were Chung Do Kwan, Moo Duk Kwan, Yun Moo Kwan, Chang Moo Kwan, Oh Do Kwan, Ji Do Kwan, Chi Do Kwan, and Song Moo Kwan. The original five Kwans were:
Chung Do Kwan which was founded in 1944 by Won Kyuk Lee who'd studied Shotokan karate.
Moo Duk Kwan was founded in 1945 by Hwang Kee. Kee had studied Tai Chi and Kee says he learned the Shotokan forms from Funakoshi's books. Kee originally called his art Hwa Soo Do, then Tang Soo Do, then Soo Bakh Do.
Song Moo Kwan was founded in 1946 by Byung Jick Ro, who'd studied Shotokan karate and called his art Tang Soo Do.
Kwon Bop Bu/Chang Moo Kwan was founded in 1947 by Byung in Yoon who had studied Chinese kung fu and Shudokan karate. When Yoon disappeared his work was carried on by Nam Suk Lee, and renamed the school Chang Moo Kwan.
Yun Moo Kwan was founded in 1946 by Kyung Suk Lee and Sang Sup Chun and was originally called Choson Yun Moo Kwan. Lee became missing and Chun died during the Korean War, and this kwan essentially became the Ji Do Kwan .
