https://preview.redd.it/y3g5dtlhvp1h1.jpg?width=773&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a10af42ca9cc06971c6fb47471ba44b00b8923cc

Could jumping and leaping practices in early Taekwondo have older regional roots connected to Subak traditions from Kaesong and Pyongan areas?

https://reddit.com/link/1tftavq/video/sh2uynk3wp1h1/player

Master Song Chang-ryeol (1932–2017) was the successor of Subak.

A research paper written with the support of Jincheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, won the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee Research Award (Kim Jae-il) in 2006.

I found this interesting because several separate sources seem to repeat the same movement pattern:

• Song Chang-ryeol (traditional Subak transmission) was filmed performing repeated leaping/jumping exercises.
• The “Subak dance” later designated as cultural heritage in Baishan, China also includes leaping movements.
• Testimony from colonial-era Pyongan traditions called Nalparam mentions high jumping training.
• Early Taekwondo pioneer Ro Byung-jik reportedly wrote that he learned Subak as a child in Kaesong and practiced jumping/leaping exercises.
• Later, after moving to the U.S., Ro Byung-jik included jumping motions in forms he created himself.

https://reddit.com/link/1tftavq/video/fhl9zr9rxp1h1/player

The art of performing the watermelon dance, passed down through the family of Kim Hak-cheon—who hailed from Hamgyeong Province and migrated to China—was inscribed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Baishan City, China in 2007.

This person is my teacher (who passed away in 2015).

In the video, he explains the act of striking one's partner with one's hands during the watermelon dance.

During performances, while striking each other's bodies, they also mimic wrestling moves, such as embracing, lifting, and releasing one another.

This dance also features leaps (although there is no recorded video, the testimony of his older brother during his lifetime was passed on to a Chinese folklorist and published. It is said that hunters of the past performed movements such as leaping, rotating in place, and rolling from side to side while lying on the ground).

--------------

According to the recently revealed testimonies of Pastor Won-ro and Elder, who are displaced from Pyeongan Province, it is said that during the Japanese colonial period, people in Pyeongan Province frequently performed jumps while playing Nalparam. They also stated that the practice methods involved competitively jumping over an opponent's shoulder while placing one's hand on it, as well as jumping over the walls of traditional Korean houses.

It is said that when fighting in Nalparam, one person would bend their back to create a support, and the other would step on it, jump, and kick their opponent from the other side.

-----------------

I’m not claiming direct lineage proof.

But could this represent continuity of an older regional “embodied training culture” rather than random coincidence?

It makes me wonder whether some jumping elements in early Taekwondo may reflect surviving movement patterns from older Korean physical traditions connected to Subak.

https://preview.redd.it/6ckwjo8ag41h1.jpg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=330c7ad0f029c9858ba05355841da353ab8da1bc

Birds in a Cage is a Korean silent film produced in 1926. It was produced on black and white 35mm film, directed by Lee Gyu-seol, and starring Lee Gyu-seol, Bok Hye-sook, and Na Un-gyu.

https://reddit.com/link/1td1pcg/video/mtweqm8dg41h1/player

“Crossroads of Youth” (靑春の十字路), released in 1934, is the only surviving silent film made during the Japanese colonial period and is designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 488.

Could this fighting style still be utilized in modern times?

I’ve been comparing several Korean films and historical footage from the Japanese colonial era, and I noticed an interesting recurring pattern in the way Koreans were depicted fighting.

(1) In 1926, Korean independence activist, actor, and film director Na Un-gyu and his colleague Lee Gyu-seol filmed a fight scene in the movie *Nongjungjo*. The original footage is lost, but surviving still photographs show both men grabbing each other’s hair or collar with one hand while preparing to strike with the rear fist.

(2) In the 1934 Korean film *The Crossroads of Youth* (*Cheongchun-ui Sibjaro*), a similar pattern appears. One fighter controls the opponent with the lead hand while striking repeatedly with the rear right fist. At one point he uses both arms together to shove the opponent against a wall before continuing rear-hand punches. Watching closely, some motions may appear like alternating punches, but much of the movement seems to come from body rotation and pushing mechanics used to generate repeated right-hand strikes. Only near the end does he clearly throw a left punch.

(3) Another comparison source is 1920s footage believed to show Korean martial artist Kim Won-bo. Again, similar characteristics appear: gripping or controlling with the front hand, body-to-body pressure, and striking with the rear hand.

What interests me is the historical context.

This was before Japanese Karate-do became widespread in Korea. Film action choreography was also not yet systematized, and both films were silent films made primarily for Korean audiences during the colonial period.

Because of this, I wonder whether these films may unintentionally preserve traces of actual fighting habits or folk combat methods used by Koreans at the time rather than modern cinematic choreography.

One possible explanation is the influence of traditional Korean martial culture such as Subak, which had previously existed as a military examination subject during the Joseon Dynasty before spreading into civilian culture. If so, perhaps these grabbing, destabilizing, body-pressure-oriented fighting methods reflected broader Korean popular fighting habits of the era.

Even today, modern Koreans may adopt boxing stances or Taekwondo-style kicking in fights, but it is still common to see people grab collars, clothing, or hair to break balance while using body pressure and striking.

Do you think it is reasonable to cautiously interpret these repeated patterns across different colonial-era Korean films and footage as reflecting real Korean fighting tendencies of the time, or would that be too speculative?

https://preview.redd.it/j7bfu825e41h1.jpg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a1bdb1de60703322f6742eb825fb44bca0a2f58f

Birds in a Cage is a Korean silent film produced in 1926. It was produced on black and white 35mm film, directed by Lee Gyu-seol, and starring Lee Gyu-seol, Bok Hye-sook, and Na Un-gyu.

https://reddit.com/link/1td1f7c/video/kp9q8rv8e41h1/player

“Crossroads of Youth” (靑春の十字路), released in 1934, is the only surviving silent film made during the Japanese colonial period and is designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 488.

Could this fighting style still be utilized in modern times?

I’ve been comparing several Korean films and historical footage from the Japanese colonial era, and I noticed an interesting recurring pattern in the way Koreans were depicted fighting.

(1) In 1926, Korean independence activist, actor, and film director Na Un-gyu and his colleague Lee Gyu-seol filmed a fight scene in the movie *Nongjungjo*. The original footage is lost, but surviving still photographs show both men grabbing each other’s hair or collar with one hand while preparing to strike with the rear fist.

(2) In the 1934 Korean film *The Crossroads of Youth* (*Cheongchun-ui Sibjaro*), a similar pattern appears. One fighter controls the opponent with the lead hand while striking repeatedly with the rear right fist. At one point he uses both arms together to shove the opponent against a wall before continuing rear-hand punches. Watching closely, some motions may appear like alternating punches, but much of the movement seems to come from body rotation and pushing mechanics used to generate repeated right-hand strikes. Only near the end does he clearly throw a left punch.

(3) Another comparison source is 1920s footage believed to show Korean martial artist Kim Won-bo. Again, similar characteristics appear: gripping or controlling with the front hand, body-to-body pressure, and striking with the rear hand.

What interests me is the historical context.

This was before Japanese Karate-do became widespread in Korea. Film action choreography was also not yet systematized, and both films were silent films made primarily for Korean audiences during the colonial period.

Because of this, I wonder whether these films may unintentionally preserve traces of actual fighting habits or folk combat methods used by Koreans at the time rather than modern cinematic choreography.

One possible explanation is the influence of traditional Korean martial culture such as Subak, which had previously existed as a military examination subject during the Joseon Dynasty before spreading into civilian culture. If so, perhaps these grabbing, destabilizing, body-pressure-oriented fighting methods reflected broader Korean popular fighting habits of the era.

Even today, modern Koreans may adopt boxing stances or Taekwondo-style kicking in fights, but it is still common to see people grab collars, clothing, or hair to break balance while using body pressure and striking.

Do you think it is reasonable to cautiously interpret these repeated patterns across different colonial-era Korean films and footage as reflecting real Korean fighting tendencies of the time, or would that be too speculative?

https://preview.redd.it/3ft0gmbtau0h1.jpg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=559b7e658214b82f41457f4fe1a987c9260f28d5

Feature Film Republic of Korea

1926-06-19 (Release)

Production Company: Joseon Kinema Production

Director: Lee Gyu-seol

Cast: Lee Gyu-seol, Bok Hye-sook, Na Un-gyu, Park Je-haeng

https://reddit.com/link/1tbqlso/video/g87ckzywbu0h1/player

Beginning of video - Song Chang-ryeol (born 1932, filmed to collect data for academic papers with the support of Jincheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do; winner of the Korea Sport & Olympic Committee Research Award in 2006), End of video - Scenes of Kim Won-bo's battle in the 1920s

The three visual materials presented by the author share the following characteristics: 1) they were born and active during a similar period (the Japanese colonial era), and 2) their birthplaces or areas of activity overlap (Song Chang-ryeol and Kim Won-bo belonged to the same cultural sphere, located in Gaeseong and Seohung-gun, Hwanghae-do). Director Lee Gyu-seol, who filmed Kim Won-bo, directed the film *Nongjungjo* (The Farmer) mentioned in Material 1, and the lead role was played by Na Un-gyu, the godfather of Korean national cinema; these two men worked together at Busan Kinema Film Company, the first film company in Joseon. Furthermore, due to the March 1st Movement of 1919, one of them (Na Un-gyu) fled to Manchuria, while Kim Won-bo served a prison sentence at the hands of the Japanese. Later, Lee Gyu-seol, who worked at the same company as Na Un-gyu during the same period, documented Subak, a Korean physical culture, through Kim Won-bo in a film supported by the Japanese Government-General for the purpose of fostering exchange among Koreans.

Integrating these three elements, it can be explained not merely as a "fight scene from an old movie," but as a structure where the anti-Japanese generation of colonial Joseon, early film culture, perceptions of the body and combat, and Subak materials of the Kim Won-bo lineage intersect.

The key point is:

It is not that they are "directly identical,"

but rather the "possibility that the combat structure and physical culture perceptions of contemporary Joseon people were reflected."

1. Historical Connection Structure

A. Common Experiences of the 1919 Generation

Na Woon-gyu:

Suspected of involvement in the independence movement in 1919

Moving to escape pursuit by Japanese police

Subsequently engaged in nationalist film activities

Kim Won-bo:

Participation in the 1919 Manse Movement

Serving a prison sentence

Subsequently, video traces related to physical training and Subak

In other words:

Both individuals share a common foundation as:

The anti-Japanese generation of colonial Joseon.

B. Lee Gyu-seol's Connection

Lee Gyu-seol:

Activities within the Busan Kinema Film Company network

A film environment similar to Na Un-gyu

Later connection to filming footage related to Kim Won-bo

In other words:

He appears to play a mediating role between the anti-Japanese generation, film culture, and records of physical culture.

This is not simply:

a connection between "filmmakers" and "martial artists,"

but rather demonstrates the possibility that within the cultural sphere of colonial Joseon:

film nationalism,

physical culture, and the perception of combat were not separated from one another.

2. Analysis of Nongjungjo Scenes

Looking at the Nongjungjo scenes:

Controlling the opponent's upper body and head with one hand

Preparing to strike with the other hand

Close-range pressure

Body twisting

Advancing pressure

A structure emerges.

Why is this important?

In the Kim Won-bo materials as well:

Lead hand control

Arm hook

Hand slap

Shove

Subsequent strikes

Are repeated.

In other words:

Structural similarities are observed. 3. Why This Comparison Is Significant

This film was:

1926

Directed by a Korean

Featuring Korean actors

Aimed at a Korean audience

In other words:

It is possible that it reflected the “image of fighting” as understood by Koreans at the time.

Characteristics of the Era

Korean films of the 1920s:

Lacked a modern system of action choreography

And the formulas of Japanese martial arts films had not yet fully taken root.

Therefore:

Actual street fighting

Folk martial arts

Lifestyle physical culture

Are more likely to be directly reflected.

This is why it is connected to Kim Won-bo

Kim Won-bo's materials also:

Possess a structure of contact, practical combat, and upper body compression

rather than formal forms.

In other words:

It can be viewed as belonging to a common cultural sphere regarding the “perception of practical combat by colonial Koreans.”

4. Physical Culture of Colonial Korea

A comparable data set demonstrating the structure of the perception of combat and physical culture among colonial Koreans

Jungsan Min Wan-sik

It's a shame I can't upload the photo.

As this is a Google Translate, there may be errors.

The paper in Korean is listed in SSRN.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4804669

Reference: Traditional Martial Art Subak, A Study on the Lineage of Min Wan-sik, Born in 1911 (Organization of Movements, Explanation and) (Traditional Martial Art Subak, Min Wan-sik, Born in 1911, Genealogical Review Organization of Movements, Explanation and)

Born in 1911, he was a man of medium height with a sturdy physique, possessing a free-spirited and generous personality. A hero who was active in right-wing organizations in Gaeseong but met his demise after encountering left-wing terror.

In Gaeseong, Jungsan published a continuation of the weekly newspaper *Goryeo Sibo*, adopting the same name as the *Goryeo Sibo* from the Japanese colonial era.

Pictured at Seonjuk Bridge in Gaeseong after liberation with Kim Gu (a prominent Korean independence activist and head of the Shanghai Provisional Government) (Min Wan-sik on the far right).

Mr. Min Wan-sik was the nephew of Empress Myeongseong, the wife of Emperor Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty. During the Japanese colonial period, he was a 6th Dan high-ranking practitioner of Kodokan Judo in Japan and a master of Korean wrestling and Subak.

As an anti-communist fighter, he served as the head of the Youth Corps in Kaesong after liberation, but was killed with a pistol by a member of the North Korean Workers' Party (leftist).

-----------------

Research related to Min Wan-sik is included in the collection of papers that won the Korea Sports Council Research Award in 2006.

After the death of Mr. Min Wan-sik, his younger brother, Min Gwan-sik (former Minister of Education and President of the Korea Sports Council), took over the publication. It is said that Jungsan possessed a free-spirited personality and leadership qualities, so people always gathered around him.

If any of them displayed poor conduct, he would warn them, "If you get caught behaving that way, I will punish you."

Among his friends, Kim Young-jong of Hwalmyeongdang Pharmacy, who had once spent a night with Jungsan at the "Goblin House" (an empty Western-style house in Gaeseong where rumors of ghosts circulated at the time), lit candles and fell into Jungsan's trap.

Jungsan threw his friend onto the street, saying, "How dare you act like that when I tried so hard to stop you?" > Quoted by Hyesok, a native of Gaeseong.

According to this person, his relative learned Tang Soo Do from Master No Byeong-jik of Songmugwan, a first-generation Taekwondo master. Master No Byeong-jik reportedly ordered his relative to go to the mountains and strike large trees with their palms and push with both hands hundreds of times a day.

Since this differs from Karate, which focuses on training the fist or hand, one might speculate that Master No Byeong-jik had some functional exchange with Min Wan-sik. However, as both of them are no longer in this world, this cannot be verified.

This is a record regarding Min Wan-sik's dojo written by a figure from Gaeseong. To explain the Nambu Judo Hall in detail: If you go 150 meters east from where the stream flowing south of Nakkkajul meets the stream next to Dodudaeri, you will find a single-story judo hall in the corner of a wide field next to the widened southern embankment of Nakkkajul, which was also used as a Tang Soo Do dojo.

In the backyard of the practice hall, several pillars for practicing punches have been erected.

During my elementary school days, before Tang Soo Do was established during the Japanese colonial era, when I visited this judo hall to watch, the head instructor, Min Wan-sik (the older brother of former Assemblyman Min Gwan-sik), would often arrange a spot for us to watch together.

Testimonies and verification of movements were obtained about 20 years ago from my grandfather, Oh Jin-hwan, who was born in Gaeseong in 1919.

The early researchers were Kim Jae-il, former Vice President of the Korea Kendo Association and an 8th Dan in Kendo, and Professor Beom Ki-cheol of Atlanta Theological Seminary in the United States.

Lee Sang-eun (pen name Seong-un) was born in Kaesong, North Korea in 1932, graduated from the Department of Economics at Seoul National University, and served in a high-ranking position at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance of the Republic of Korea.

https://reddit.com/link/1t92bii/video/8udtxznx4a0h1/player

This rare footage was filmed in Hamheung, Hamgyeong Province, in 1930 during the Japanese colonial period.

The video shows Korean children practicing a traditional wrestling style often referred to today as “Mindung Ssireum,” performed without the modern satba belt-grip system used in contemporary Korean ssireum.

What caught my attention is how dynamic the movement structure appears compared to modern standardized ssireum.

The participants begin from separated positions, rapidly collide into body contact, and attempt immediate takedowns through pulling, hooking, twisting, and rotational balance disruption.

Some of these movement patterns also appear comparable to traditional Korean takedown mechanics preserved within the Subak tradition.

Interestingly, certain exchanges in the footage visually resemble aspects of:

• Mongolian wrestling
• Chinese Shuai Jiao / Jiao Li traditions
• older folk grappling systems found across Northeast Asia

Especially in terms of:

• rapid entry
• upper-body control
• off-balancing mechanics
• rotational throwing movement

Could these similarities reflect broader regional grappling traditions across Northeast Asia?

Or do you think the footage shows movement structures more uniquely connected to older Korean wrestling culture?

I’d be interested to hear thoughts from historians, wrestlers, martial artists, or anyone familiar with traditional grappling systems.

https://reddit.com/link/1t7am0r/video/w1tyjv82ixzg1/player

Filming Location - Wuhan, China

Support - China News

General Kim Won-bong possesses the following characteristics:

Radical anti-Japanese movement

Organizational strength

Military training

National liberation

He holds very intense symbolism.

I recently came across rare 1938 footage filmed in Wuhan, China, showing members of the Joseon Uiyongdae (Korean Volunteer Corps), an armed Korean independence organization led by Korean independence activist Kim Won-bong during the Japanese colonial era.

What caught my attention was not only the military aspect, but the presence of repeated bare-hand physical training drills performed by dozens of members together under an instructor.

Historically, many Korean independence forces operating in China during the colonial era faced severe shortages of weapons, ammunition, and military resources. Under such conditions, physical conditioning and bare-hand combat training may have held practical importance alongside armed struggle.

Several movements shown in the footage appear surprisingly similar to traditional Korean body mechanics and movement patterns associated with Subak, an old Korean martial/physical tradition.

Some observations:

1. Group striking-style movement

At one point, the instructor brings both arms inward toward the chest and then forcefully opens both arms outward repeatedly, almost as if striking opponents on both sides simultaneously.

The entire group repeats the movement together multiple times.

What makes this especially interesting is that a recorded testimony survives from Kwon Tae-hoon, a Korean independence activist born in 1900, in which he described a traditional Korean fighting method called “Sobeop” (소법).

According to the testimony, the movement involved sweeping away multiple opponents to both sides simultaneously using both arms.

The motion described in that testimony appears visually comparable to the repeated two-arm outward striking movement shown in the 1938 footage.

1. Motion resembling traditional Korean rowing mechanics

Historically, small wooden ferry boats called “Narutbae” were commonly used in Korea before modernization. Since they had no mechanical engine, a person would propel the boat using a large wooden oar with repeated pulling and sweeping motions.

Interestingly, one repeated movement in the footage strongly resembles this traditional rowing action.

It also visually resembles certain throwing methods in Subak, where both hands hook, pull, and manipulate an opponent’s torso or legs to destabilize and throw them.

1. Knee-bending body mechanic similar to “Jeolguzil”

Another repeated drill shows members placing lightly clenched fists near the waist while repeatedly bending and extending the knees.

The motion resembles “Jeolguzil,” a foundational body mechanic preserved in Subak traditions today, although the version seen in the footage appears simplified.

Of course, this does not prove that the Joseon Uiyongdae was formally practicing Subak itself.

However, the footage may provide valuable material for studying the continuity of Korean bare-hand physical culture and body-training methods during the colonial era.

What makes this especially interesting is that these movements can potentially be cross-compared with other surviving colonial-era Korean visual materials.

For example:

• 1920s footage associated with Kim Won-bo
• Korean films produced during the 1930s colonial period
• depictions of Korean fighting methods and body mechanics found in early modern visual records

By comparing recurring movement structures, training systems, and concepts of combat shown across these materials, researchers may gain insight into how Koreans during the colonial era understood physical training, combat movement, and unarmed fighting systems.

For me, the most fascinating part is that even within an anti-colonial military organization in 1938, there appears to have been organized bare-hand physical training beyond standard military drills.

I’d be curious to hear thoughts from historians, martial arts researchers, or anyone familiar with East Asian physical culture history.

https://reddit.com/link/1t67kc1/video/tt4dfj1y6pzg1/player

In this 1920s Korean combat footage, Kim Won-bo — later recognized in connection with Korea’s independence movement during the Japanese colonial era — uses several interesting close-range fighting methods.

When pressured on the ground, he attempts to disrupt his opponent’s posture and create space to stand back up.

Once standing, he frequently grabs the collar or neck area to:

• pull the opponent off balance,
• push and control posture,
• create striking openings,
• or retreat while disrupting forward pressure.

He also uses the lead hand for control while striking with the rear hand at close range.

To me, it looks like a mix of pressure fighting, hand-fighting, and clinch striking rather than clean long-range punching.

Do you think these kinds of mechanics are still effective in modern boxing, MMA, or combat sports?

https://preview.redd.it/b6b2w95x8pzg1.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=1083c6fa60a80907c6112d89d1c44e1d41129a8d

For historical context:

During the late Joseon period, Korean men commonly wore topknots, and some foreign observers recorded that Korean soldiers and fighters would often attempt to seize the opponent’s topknot or upper clothing during close combat.

That context may help explain why this footage shows so much neck, collar, and upper-body control at close range.

https://reddit.com/link/1t5zqt2/video/qi9932ea3nzg1/player

This footage is associated with early Korean Subak from the 1920s.

Some people dismiss it as “just brawling,” but when I watch it closely, I see a fairly consistent structure:

* constant forward pressure,

* lead-hand control and pushing,

* rear-hand striking,

* off-balancing,

* close-range evasion,

* and exchanges collapsing into clinch fighting.

Both fighters continue advancing, creating a pressure relationship where striking, pushing, trapping, and grappling begin to overlap.

Do you see an actual combat structure here, or does it look purely chaotic to you?

https://reddit.com/link/1t5gvm4/video/vp2p73tggjzg1/player

From a 1920s Korean combat clip.

He doesn’t step back—he keeps moving forward while striking.

Is constant forward pressure actually effective, or risky?

https://preview.redd.it/68szhqccubzg1.png?width=480&format=png&auto=webp&s=21cb391db0b748306d81653f314ef7b6a7354adf

This is a photo of me giving a public presentation at an academic seminar hosted by the Committee for the Five Northern Provinces of Korea, a South Korean government agency under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

In 2022, an application for designation as an Intangible Cultural Heritage was submitted to the Committee for the Five Northern Provinces of Korea, and the investigation report was released.

Original video

https://reddit.com/link/1t4grl4/video/em04akheubzg1/player

English subtitled video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiSb1alnfnw

Traditional Subak Martial Dance | Kim Hak-cheon | Korean MBC Documentary

I am not good at English. So I gave the material to an AI for translation and reviewed the facts two or three times.

The person appearing in the video is my teacher's older brother. During the Japanese colonial period, he followed his father, who was born in South Hamgyong Province, across the Yalu River to migrate to the Korean Autonomous County in China. Considering that he suffered from economic hardship and chronic illness throughout his life, the Chinese government designated this site as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Baishan City, Jilin Province, in 2007. His ancestors were descendants of Koreans who migrated to China after Japan's defeat in the war, forming the ethnic Korean community in China.

----------------------------

https://reddit.com/link/1t4grl4/video/m69zxttlubzg1/player

This rare footage features Grandmaster Kim Hak-cheon demonstrating the Subak-chum (Subak Dance), a cultural treasure that preserves the raw combat essence of ancient Korea.

Unlike modern formalized martial arts, this performance highlights the psychological warfare and primitive power displays used on the battlefield. From intimidating "bear-like" gestures to rhythmic body-striking, these movements represent the ancestral lineage of Korean martial heritage, originally transmitted from the Hamgyong Province region.

[Key Movements in this Video]

Footwork (Bo-beop): The fundamental forward march of the warrior

Basic Stances: Neutral and diagonal stances (Pyeong-jase & Bik-kyeo-seogi).

Arm Positioning: Ready and middle-guard stances.

Display of Strength: Striking one's own body with forearms to demonstrate resilience.

Intimidation Gestures: Mocking the enemy with shoulder shrugs and bear-like movements.

Facial Expressions: Using eyes and mouth to provoke or threaten the opponent.

Powerful Exit: Striking the ribs with forearms while marching off, showcasing enduring strength.

Heritage: Designated Intangible Cultural Heritage of Jilin Province (2007)

I would like to share rare footage related to a traditional Korean cultural practice known as the Subak Martial Dance.

The footage includes practitioner Kim Hak-cheon performing movements preserved among ethnic Korean communities. The performance was also documented in a Korean MBC documentary.

What makes this interesting from a martial culture perspective is that the dance contains:

rhythmic body striking

forearm and hand impact patterns

combat-oriented movement structure

forward pressure mechanics

ritualized body conditioning elements

The performer strikes his own body with the hands and elbows to create rhythm while maintaining structured movement patterns.

This appears to preserve elements of older combat-related body culture in dance form, similar to how some traditional martial practices survive through ritual, performance, or folk movement traditions.

Subak itself is a traditional Korean combat tradition associated with historical striking, grappling, and body conditioning methods.

https://preview.redd.it/eqw394xcn9zg1.png?width=480&format=png&auto=webp&s=d63824b8b0b4bf28a2bf7351ed3357fe00c71aac

This is a photo of me giving a public presentation at an academic seminar hosted by the Committee for the Five Northern Provinces of Korea, a South Korean government agency under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

In 2022, an application for designation as an Intangible Cultural Heritage was submitted to the Committee for the Five Northern Provinces of Korea, and the investigation report was released.

Original video

https://reddit.com/link/1t47tnc/video/fztaiclvn9zg1/player

English subtitled video

Traditional Subak Martial Dance | Kim Hak-cheon | Korean MBC Documentary

I am not good at English. So I gave the material to an AI for translation and reviewed the facts two or three times.

The person appearing in the video is my teacher's older brother. During the Japanese colonial period, he followed his father, who was born in South Hamgyong Province, across the Yalu River to migrate to the Korean Autonomous County in China. Considering that he suffered from economic hardship and chronic illness throughout his life, the Chinese government designated this site as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Baishan City, Jilin Province, in 2007. His ancestors were descendants of Koreans who migrated to China after Japan's defeat in the war, forming the ethnic Korean community in China.

----------------------------

https://reddit.com/link/1t47tnc/video/vxrvjcj4z9zg1/player

This rare footage features Grandmaster Kim Hak-cheon demonstrating the Subak-chum (Subak Dance), a cultural treasure that preserves the raw combat essence of ancient Korea.

Unlike modern formalized martial arts, this performance highlights the psychological warfare and primitive power displays used on the battlefield. From intimidating "bear-like" gestures to rhythmic body-striking, these movements represent the ancestral lineage of Korean martial heritage, originally transmitted from the Hamgyong Province region.

[Key Movements in this Video]

Footwork (Bo-beop): The fundamental forward march of the warrior.

Basic Stances: Neutral and diagonal stances (Pyeong-jase & Bik-kyeo-seogi).

Arm Positioning: Ready and middle-guard stances.

Display of Strength: Striking one's own body with forearms to demonstrate resilience.

Intimidation Gestures: Mocking the enemy with shoulder shrugs and bear-like movements.

Facial Expressions: Using eyes and mouth to provoke or threaten the opponent.

Powerful Exit: Striking the ribs with forearms while marching off, showcasing enduring strength.

Heritage: Designated Intangible Cultural Heritage of Jilin Province (2007)

I would like to share rare footage related to a traditional Korean cultural practice known as the Subak Martial Dance.

The footage includes practitioner Kim Hak-cheon performing movements preserved among ethnic Korean communities. The performance was also documented in a Korean MBC documentary.

What makes this interesting from a martial culture perspective is that the dance contains:

• rhythmic body striking
• forearm and hand impact patterns
• combat-oriented movement structure
• forward pressure mechanics
• ritualized body conditioning elements

The performer strikes his own body with the hands and elbows to create rhythm while maintaining structured movement patterns.

This appears to preserve elements of older combat-related body culture in dance form, similar to how some traditional martial practices survive through ritual, performance, or folk movement traditions.

Subak itself is a traditional Korean combat tradition associated with historical striking, grappling, and body conditioning methods.

https://reddit.com/link/1t3nyso/video/o0bakq7gk5zg1/player

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a significant piece of Korean physical history that was recently brought to light.

This footage, dating back to the 1920s, features Kim Won-bo, a confirmed Independence Movement activist who was imprisoned in 1919 for his resistance against Japanese colonial rule. Beyond his activism, he was a practitioner of Subak, an indigenous Korean combat system that predates modern martial arts like Taekwondo or Karate in the peninsula.

Why this is important: For a long time, there has been a debate about whether Korea had its own organized striking and grappling systems before the mid-20th century. This archive, verified by the Korean Film Archive (KOFA), provides empirical evidence of a sophisticated indigenous system.

Key features to look for:

• The "Topknot" Control: You can see him seizing the opponent's neck/collar area (where the traditional Sangtu was) to disrupt their balance before striking.
• Practical Leverage: Unlike the high-kicking sports we see today, this was a raw, close-quarter combat system designed for efficiency.

I believe it's crucial to preserve and study these "Missing Links" of our culture that were nearly erased during the colonial era. I am sharing this to foster a deeper understanding of Korea's authentic martial heritage.

https://preview.redd.it/fel6bzqtk5zg1.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=d4ea2df54a7858990ae9f5b92cdf17a8421a4145

https://reddit.com/link/1t3nyso/video/i0g62wjuk5zg1/player

Technical Discussion: I am also engaging with the martial arts community (r/martialarts) to analyze the biomechanics of these movements. If you’re interested in the history of Joseon-era combat, let’s discuss!

(AI translation tools were used to facilitate this English communication as I am a researcher based in Korea.)

https://reddit.com/link/1t388ss/video/wa7e1pi402zg1/player

1920s Korean Combat Footage Showing Striking, Ground-and-Pound, and Throws – What Do You See Here?

Since the original video dates back to the silent film era, the playback speed is inconsistent.

Some parts play very fast, making it impossible to observe the exact movements.

For this reason, I would like to inform you that I have uploaded the original video at a slower speed.

This video is included in the collection of old silent films (the oldest surviving Korean silent films) acquired from Russia in 2017 by the Korean Film Archive, a national agency under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea.

In January 2026, a notice of designation as an Intangible Cultural Heritage was issued to the Committee on the Five Northern Provinces under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety of Korea, and materials by Mr. Kim Won-bo were primarily included.

-----
I am not proficient in English.

I provide the materials to an AI for translation and post them after reviewing the facts two or three times.

I found this footage from a 1920s Korean silent film showing striking exchanges, close contact, and follow-up control.

It includes:

- Standing striking

- Close-range engagement

- Forward pressure and takedowns

I know modern Taekwondo developed later with a strong emphasis on kicking, but I'm curious how practitioners here view earlier Korean striking traditions.

Do you see any conceptual or structural similarities, or is this completely separate in your view?

Also interested in historical perspectives if anyone has sources or research on pre-modern Korean striking methods.

https://preview.redd.it/j4a2cbx934zg1.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=91ba2966ebbbf536d68cb4fc45995c16c305d1c6

https://reddit.com/link/1t388ss/video/uzgpky5t54zg1/player

Understanding the Logic of 1920s Subak: It’s Not Theater, It’s a Different System

I understand why this might look "theatrical" or "unclear" if viewed through the lens of modern combat sports like Boxing or MMA. However, to analyze this footage correctly, you must understand the specific combat structure of that era, which differs fundamentally from modern systems.

1. The "Topknot-Grabbing" System (Sangtu-japgi) In the Joseon Dynasty, combat was centered around seizing the opponent’s topknot (Sangtu). Historical records from late 19th-century missionaries and even colonial-era postcards confirm that both civilians and soldiers prioritized grabbing the hair to control the opponent's head and balance. What you see in Kim Won-bo’s movement is this traditional system: grabbing the head/neck to shake the center of gravity.

2. Asymmetric Hand Roles (Lead Hand vs. Rear Hand) In this raw form of Subak, the hands had distinct roles:

• The Lead Hand (Left): Acts as a "control hand." It jams attacks, pushes the shoulder, or grabs the neck to neutralize the opponent's movement.
• The Rear Hand (Right): The "striking hand." Watch Kim Won-bo closely: he uses his left hand to create an opening and follows up with a powerful right-hand strike. This is not "pulling punches"; it is a methodical flow of 1. Strike → 2. Grapple → 3. Takedown → 4. Finish.

3. Historical Context: A Record of Survival The director, Lee Gyu-seol, was a colleague of the famous nationalist filmmaker Na Woon-gyu. This wasn't meant to be a "fight film" for entertainment; it was a deliberate attempt to document a disappearing Korean tradition during the Japanese cultural policy period (1920s). Kim Won-bo, the man in the video, was a documented independence activist who was imprisoned for his resistance. He isn't an actor; he is a practitioner demonstrating the raw, unrefined combat DNA of his time.

To dismiss this as "non-combat" is to ignore the historical reality of how Koreans actually fought before the introduction of standardized sports like Karate or modern Boxing. It is a living archive of a pre-modern survival system.

https://reddit.com/link/1t37nqn/video/91pq5502u1zg1/player

Since the original video dates back to the silent film era, the playback speed is inconsistent.

Some parts play very fast, making it impossible to observe the exact movements.

For this reason, I would like to inform you that I have uploaded the original video at a slower speed.

This video is included in the collection of old silent films (the oldest surviving Korean silent films) acquired from Russia in 2017 by the Korean Film Archive, a national agency under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea.

In January 2026, a notice of designation as an Intangible Cultural Heritage was issued to the Committee on the Five Northern Provinces under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety of Korea, and materials by Mr. Kim Won-bo were primarily included.

----- 
I am not proficient in English.

I provide the materials to an AI for translation and post them after reviewing the facts two or three times.

I came across this footage from a 1920s Korean silent film featuring traditional combat movements associated with Subak.

What stands out to me is the structure:

- Standing striking exchanges

- Transition to ground control and pounding from a mounted position

- Clinch engagement

- Forward driving throws and rotational takedowns

It looks like a continuous flow from striking into grappling, rather than separate systems.

In modern terms, some parts resemble:

- Ground-and-pound from mount

- Clinch entries

- Wrestling-style off-balancing and throws

I'm curious how others here interpret this.

Do you see this as:

1. A staged cinematic sequence?
2. Representation of an actual traditional combat method?
3. Something closer to proto-MMA structure?

Also, for those with backgrounds in wrestling, BJJ, or HEMA —

how do these movements compare to what you train?

Would be interested in technical breakdowns or historical parallels.

--------------

The videos of Master Kim Won-bo have been cross-referenced more than 100 times with those of Master Song Chang-ryeol (born 1932, passed away), who trained in the North Korean region during the Japanese colonial period.

I am making this public for those who wish to conduct deeper research.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXrKj2k5OZaxZwhFS5KveGB3v9v2V4Iqn

https://preview.redd.it/yvj1xgig74zg1.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=a88e64c1c872580c54ea243b84bdb41562d283aa

https://reddit.com/link/1t37nqn/video/ccuju5jh74zg1/player

Understanding the Logic of 1920s Subak: It’s Not Theater, It’s a Different System

I understand why this might look "theatrical" or "unclear" if viewed through the lens of modern combat sports like Boxing or MMA. However, to analyze this footage correctly, you must understand the specific combat structure of that era, which differs fundamentally from modern systems.

1. The "Topknot-Grabbing" System (Sangtu-japgi) In the Joseon Dynasty, combat was centered around seizing the opponent’s topknot (Sangtu). Historical records from late 19th-century missionaries and even colonial-era postcards confirm that both civilians and soldiers prioritized grabbing the hair to control the opponent's head and balance. What you see in Kim Won-bo’s movement is this traditional system: grabbing the head/neck to shake the center of gravity.

2. Asymmetric Hand Roles (Lead Hand vs. Rear Hand) In this raw form of Subak, the hands had distinct roles:

• The Lead Hand (Left): Acts as a "control hand." It jams attacks, pushes the shoulder, or grabs the neck to neutralize the opponent's movement.
• The Rear Hand (Right): The "striking hand." Watch Kim Won-bo closely: he uses his left hand to create an opening and follows up with a powerful right-hand strike. This is not "pulling punches"; it is a methodical flow of 1. Strike → 2. Grapple → 3. Takedown → 4. Finish.

3. Historical Context: A Record of Survival The director, Lee Gyu-seol, was a colleague of the famous nationalist filmmaker Na Woon-gyu. This wasn't meant to be a "fight film" for entertainment; it was a deliberate attempt to document a disappearing Korean tradition during the Japanese cultural policy period (1920s). Kim Won-bo, the man in the video, was a documented independence activist who was imprisoned for his resistance. He isn't an actor; he is a practitioner demonstrating the raw, unrefined combat DNA of his time.

To dismiss this as "non-combat" is to ignore the historical reality of how Koreans actually fought before the introduction of standardized sports like Karate or modern Boxing. It is a living archive of a pre-modern survival system.

https://preview.redd.it/h8d5kgnunwyg1.jpg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=71fcc47348d25b079cdecc54d503da62ead20ad2

This is a photo of me giving a public presentation at an academic seminar hosted by the Committee for the Five Northern Provinces of Korea, a South Korean government agency under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

In 2022, an application for designation as an Intangible Cultural Heritage was submitted to the Committee for the Five Northern Provinces of Korea, and the investigation report was released.

Original video

https://reddit.com/link/1t2ikyd/video/tcb22tcwnwyg1/player

English subtitled video

Traditional Subak Martial Dance | Kim Hak-cheon | Korean MBC Documentary

I am not good at English. So I gave the material to an AI for translation and reviewed the facts two or three times.

The person appearing in the video is my teacher's older brother. During the Japanese colonial period, he followed his father, who was born in South Hamgyong Province, across the Yalu River to migrate to the Korean Autonomous County in China. Considering that he suffered from economic hardship and chronic illness throughout his life, the Chinese government designated this site as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Baishan City, Jilin Province, in 2007. His ancestors were descendants of Koreans who migrated to China after Japan's defeat in the war, forming the ethnic Korean community in China.

----------------------------

I would like to share rare footage connected to a traditional Korean cultural practice known as the Subak Martial Dance.

The footage features Kim Hak-cheon performing movements preserved among ethnic Korean communities. The material was also documented by Korean MBC television.

What makes this especially interesting from a martial arts perspective is the combination of:

• body striking rhythm
• elbow and forearm conditioning
• structured forward movement
• close-range combat-oriented motion
• traditional body training methods

During the performance, the practitioner strikes his own body with the hands and elbows while maintaining rhythm and movement structure.

Although presented as a traditional dance, some practitioners and researchers view it as preserving elements of older combat-related body culture associated with Subak.

Subak itself is a traditional Korean martial tradition connected historically with striking, grappling, and conditioning practices.

I would be interested in hearing thoughts from martial artists regarding:

• similarities with martial dances or war dances from other cultures
• body conditioning traditions in martial arts
• combat movement preserved through ritual or performance traditions

https://preview.redd.it/z3ougoq2lwyg1.jpg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e791ed14b8606321222a757fb2ecc8dda7136924

This is a photo of me giving a public presentation at an academic seminar hosted by the Committee for the Five Northern Provinces of Korea, a South Korean government agency under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

In 2022, an application for designation as an Intangible Cultural Heritage was submitted to the Committee for the Five Northern Provinces of Korea, and the investigation report was released.

Original video

https://reddit.com/link/1t2ibbq/video/dt62nrbwkwyg1/player

English subtitled video

Traditional Subak Martial Dance | Kim Hak-cheon | Korean MBC Documentary

I am not good at English. So I gave the material to an AI for translation and reviewed the facts two or three times.

The person appearing in the video is my teacher's older brother. During the Japanese colonial period, he followed his father, who was born in South Hamgyong Province, across the Yalu River to migrate to the Korean Autonomous County in China. Considering that he suffered from economic hardship and chronic illness throughout his life, the Chinese government designated this site as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Baishan City, Jilin Province, in 2007. His ancestors were descendants of Koreans who migrated to China after Japan's defeat in the war, forming the ethnic Korean community in China.

----------------------------

I would like to share rare footage related to a traditional Korean cultural practice known as the Subak Martial Dance.

The footage includes practitioner Kim Hak-cheon performing movements preserved among ethnic Korean communities. The performance was also documented in a Korean MBC documentary.

What makes this interesting from a martial culture perspective is that the dance contains:

• rhythmic body striking
• forearm and hand impact patterns
• combat-oriented movement structure
• forward pressure mechanics
• ritualized body conditioning elements

The performer strikes his own body with the hands and elbows to create rhythm while maintaining structured movement patterns.

This appears to preserve elements of older combat-related body culture in dance form, similar to how some traditional martial practices survive through ritual, performance, or folk movement traditions.

I am interested in hearing perspectives from the HEMA and historical martial arts community regarding:

• parallels with European martial dances or ritual combat traditions
• body conditioning practices in historical cultures
• combat movement preserved through folk traditions

Subak itself is a traditional Korean combat tradition associated with historical striking, grappling, and body conditioning methods.

https://preview.redd.it/mgegqymb1pyg1.jpg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67d33403c717097f71d54e3ab303f689cbe3312d

https://preview.redd.it/n0fivxmb1pyg1.jpg?width=681&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=59ab8a43d39954d6734c0095aadbcf976e72ebcb

https://preview.redd.it/7mgm6zmb1pyg1.jpg?width=620&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6d8800d592f7fbdbd4e6c6d1767fb75da4f312f3

"I understand the previous post was removed as it seemed off-topic. I would like to clarify that my research is deeply rooted in Taekwondo's foundational history, specifically regarding Grandmaster Ro Byung-jik, the founder of Song Moo Kwan."

"Before the modern integration of Taekwondo, GM Ro Byung-jik left handwritten records stating he practiced Subak in Kaesong under his father's guidance. This suggests that the 'Kaesong lineage' played a role in the early martial identity of one of the original Five Kwans."

"To verify this, in March 2026, a formal research team (including a Ph.D. in Physical Education and officials from the North Korean Provincial Committee) interviewed Lee Sang-eun (94), who practiced in Kaesong in 1932. His testimony aligns with the technical mechanics seen in the 1920s Kim Won-bo footage."

"My goal is not to promote a different art, but to share the academic roots of Taekwondo's first generation. I believe this is vital information for any practitioner interested in the evolution of our art."

Testimony on Subak by Lee Sang-eun (Born 1932 in Kaesong during the Japanese Colonial Period)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhzihp-jEvo&t=17s

https://reddit.com/link/1t0r8f9/video/r1m28fx8niyg1/player

1920s Subak Footage?

A recently rediscovered Korean silent film from the late 1920s may contain one of the oldest surviving moving images related to traditional Korean fighting culture.

The film is “At the End of Labor, There Is No Poverty” (Japanese title: 稼に追付く貧乏なくて), a Japanese colonial-era state-sponsored educational film that encouraged labor, savings, and “modern” lifestyle values under occupation rule.

What makes this film important is that, out of roughly 8 minutes of total runtime, nearly 1 full minute is dedicated to hand-to-hand fighting.

That is not a small detail.

This was not an action movie. It was propaganda/educational cinema produced with official support during the Japanese occupation period. In that context, it is difficult to assume the fight scene was improvised “street brawling” with no technical direction or cultural basis.

The director was Lee Gyu-seol (이규설), who had also appeared in Arirang with Na Woon-gyu, one of the most important figures in early Korean cinema.

Na Woon-gyu himself had connections to Korean independence activities and was imprisoned in relation to the “Cheonghoe Line Tunnel Bombing Attempt” case before later joining the film world in Busan.

After liberation, Lee Gyu-seol went to North Korea.

Who was Kim Won-bo?

The larger fighter appearing in the film is identified as Kim Won-bo (김원보).

However, unlike co-actor Park Sun-bong — who remained active in the Korean film industry until the 1970s — almost no later film records of Kim Won-bo can be found.

Because of this, I began considering another possibility:

What if Kim Won-bo was not primarily a film actor, but someone recruited specifically to perform realistic fighting sequences?

This idea becomes more interesting after examining independence movement records.

In 2022, a man named Kim Won-bo received a Presidential Commendation related to Korea’s independence movement.

The archival record states:

• Name: Kim Won-bo (金元甫)
• Age at the time: 22
• Birthplace/Home region: Songhwa-ri, Seohung County, Hwanghae Province
• Charge: Violation of the Security Law
• Year: 1919
• Summary: Participated in the March 1st Independence Movement and shouted “Manse” with demonstrators after reading the Declaration of Independence.

When comparing this document to the physical appearance of Kim Won-bo in the film, the estimated age range appears to match surprisingly well.

The fighter in the film looks approximately late 20s to early 30s — consistent with someone who was 22 years old in 1919.

At this stage, this remains a hypothesis, not a finalized conclusion.

But the connections are interesting enough to investigate further.

Connection to Subak and Northern Korean Fighting Traditions

Recently published testimony from first- and second-generation displaced people from Pyongan Province described “Subak” practitioners during the Japanese occupation era.

According to these testimonies:

>

This is significant because Kim Won-bo’s documented hometown was Hwanghae Province.

And the movements shown in the film strongly resemble those descriptions.

The fighting shown includes:

1. Stable stance and posture
2. Weight distribution and balance control
3. Footwork and directional movement
4. Distinction between lead hand and rear hand
5. Body evasion
6. Blocking with hands and arms
7. Grabbing while striking
8. Straight punches, alternating left/right punches, body punches, downward strikes
9. Cross-arm downward defensive motions linked into attacks
10. Neck clinch takedowns
11. Counterattacks while grounded and grabbing the opponent’s collar

The fighter also demonstrates tactical distancing, pressure, angle control, and redirecting incoming force.

This does not look like random uncontrolled brawling.

Ironically, many elements are not fundamentally different from modern MMA concepts.

Why the Scene Matters

Modern films consult experts when portraying boxing, judo, or other martial arts.

The same logic likely applied here.

Film production in the 1920s was expensive and difficult. Film stock was valuable. Directors did not simply tell actors:

“Do whatever you want and we’ll film it.”

Especially not in a government-supported production.

Every movement in the scene would likely have been directed intentionally.

For that reason, the fight scene may reflect contemporary Korean understanding of fighting systems at the time — particularly traditions remembered in Seoul, Kaesong, Hwanghae Province, and Hamgyeong Province.

Several later testimonies also connect these regions with traditions known as:

• Subak (수박)
• Jumeokchigi / “fist-fighting” (주먹치기)
• Nalparam (날파람)

North Korean folklorist Hong Gi-mu also described Subak primarily as fist-based fighting in 1963.

Another Interesting Detail

An elderly Korean martial arts researcher once described older men near Dongdaemun after liberation demonstrating a movement where both arms crossed downward from above.

That exact motion appears near the end of Kim Won-bo’s fight scene.

This does not “prove” anything by itself.

But the overlap between oral testimony and the film movements is difficult to ignore.

Historical Importance

The Korean Film Archive rediscovered the film in a Russian archive and restored it in 2021.

Because of the production period and surviving staff records, this may be among the oldest surviving Korean films in existence.

If the fighting scene truly reflects contemporary Korean combat traditions rather than generic cinematic improvisation, then this footage could become historically important for the study of Korean martial culture during the Japanese occupation period.

I plan to continue tracing records related to Kim Won-bo and to include further analysis of the footage in future research and publications.

Original fight scene:
6:43 ~ 7:45

YouTube:
https://youtu.be/RD0CJrfLypg

Original restored film:
1920s Subak Footage?

Analysis of the 1920s Subak Footage: Kim Won-bo

https://preview.redd.it/kdxb9b4mggyg1.png?width=732&format=png&auto=webp&s=dedc3268ba89d368f1537cccdb0664a4f3c8fb37

(Kim Won-bo) Korea’s earliest known Subak footage (1920s), estimated independence activist, historical archive material, planned academic registration and publication

Video:
https://youtu.be/aMWMfkh939M

Previous post:
https://mookas.com/discussion?postId=1712

Rediscovered 1920s Subak Footage

A fighting scene believed to preserve elements of traditional Korean Subak was discovered in one of the oldest surviving Korean silent films from the Japanese colonial period, directed by Lee Gyu-seol.

Originally, I had no reason to watch this film.

The title itself — “At the End of Labor, There Is No Poverty” — sounded like nothing more than a colonial-era educational propaganda film produced under Japanese rule.

Yet for some reason, I clicked the video.

And then I saw Kim Won-bo.

Without exaggeration, the movements, body mechanics, and technical composure shown by Kim Won-bo made me repeatedly replay and capture the footage in disbelief that someone in the 1920s could display such refined fighting ability on film.

Everyone may judge the footage freely for themselves.

But dismissing it carelessly as “random street fighting” or “dog fighting” after only briefly viewing it would be disrespectful both to the historical material itself and to Kim Won-bo, who appears to have been an actual practitioner of Korean traditional fighting culture during the colonial era.

This footage possesses technical, historical, and academic value as part of Korea’s traditional combat heritage — and potentially as an early root connected to later Korean martial traditions.

(As a former Taekwondo instructor myself, I should also note that modern Taekwondo was heavily influenced by Japanese Shotokan during the colonial/post-colonial period, while traditional Subak appears to preserve many characteristics more comparable to southern Chinese Fujian boxing traditions.)

Why the Fight Scene Matters

Director Lee Gyu-seol devoted nearly 1 full minute of an approximately 18-minute film to hand-to-hand combat.

That means the scene was important.

And yet the movements shown are very unusual for the era.

Kim Won-bo and Park Sun-bong even move outside the film frame during the sequence.

Some viewers might assume this means poor directing.

I strongly disagree.

Lee Gyu-seol was not an amateur director casually filming random movements for a government-sponsored educational film.

He worked alongside Na Woon-gyu, director of Arirang, one of the foundational works of Korean cinema.

Lee Gyu-seol himself directed Nongjungjo in 1926, the same year Na Woon-gyu directed Arirang. He also appeared in Arirang as the protagonist’s father.

Considering Lee’s position in early Korean film history, it is difficult to believe he “accidentally” allowed the actors to move outside the frame without noticing.

More likely, he prioritized following Kim Won-bo’s actual movement during the exchange.

This is important because by the late 1920s, Western boxing films and Japanese samurai/action films were already entering Korea.

Lee Gyu-seol likely knew what Western boxing and Japanese combat styles looked like.

Yet the fight shown here looks distinctly different from either.

Scene Analysis

1. Ground Recovery and Collar Control

Park Sun-bong pushes Kim Won-bo to the ground.

However, even while falling, Kim grabs Park’s collar area with his left hand and forcefully pushes upward while attempting to rise.

Park tries to strike repeatedly while maintaining pressure.

Kim’s arm remains extended to create distance and reduce the impact power of incoming strikes.

At the same time, the extended arm functions as both a defensive frame and a controlling grip.

This is not panic movement.

It is structured.

One could even imagine follow-up possibilities:

• counter-striking
• neck control
• off-balancing
• reversal positioning

Kim continuously attempts to bend his legs underneath himself while using upper-body force to stand.

He rises while drawing his left foot and supporting himself with the right hand.

Notably, he never releases the collar grip even while standing.

2. Pulling the Opponent Off-Balance

After standing, Park attempts another right-handed strike.

At that exact moment, Kim sharply yanks the collar sideways.

Park visibly loses balance.

This is a key detail.

Kim is not merely blocking strikes.

He is controlling posture and disrupting balance simultaneously.

The footage clearly shows tactical intent.

3. Footwork (“Gegeoreum” / Side-Stepping Method)

The film also reveals consistent stepping patterns.

The movement differs from modern boxing, but it is unquestionably deliberate footwork.

Traditional Subak sources sometimes refer to this kind of stepping as “gegeoreum” (게걸음), a lateral stepping method.

Kim alternates left and right stepping while maintaining stable balance.

Important details include:

• right foot retracting behind the left
• crossing steps
• side positioning
• stance recovery during movement
• maintaining center of gravity throughout exchanges

His posture stays slightly lowered with a forward-leaning upper body similar to boxing structure.

This is interesting because Choe Nam-seon — one of Korea’s major intellectuals during the colonial era — once described Subak as something “close to boxing.”

4. Evasion and Neck Attack

Another striking sequence occurs when Park swings downward with his right hand.

Kim shifts his upper body to the right to evade while simultaneously controlling Park’s left arm with his own left hand.

He then rotates into a side-facing stance and strikes toward the back of Park’s neck.

At this point, Kim widens his stance dramatically, almost resembling a horse-riding stance seen in later Korean martial arts.

The sequence includes:

• evasion
• arm control
• side positioning
• neck attack
• stance transition

All chained together fluidly.

5. Relaxed Distance Management

One of the most fascinating aspects of the footage is Kim Won-bo’s composure.

After striking, he retreats calmly while Park aggressively advances.

At one point, Kim even appears to casually adjust his clothing while avoiding attacks.

His hands rest near his waist while he angles away from incoming strikes.

Park swings repeatedly and misses.

Kim avoids while maintaining spacing through small stepping adjustments.

This is not wild panic fighting.

It is measured distance management inside striking range.

6. Simultaneous Evasion and Counterattack

Later in the sequence, Park attacks diagonally downward with his right hand, then again with the left.

Kim watches carefully.

Then, as Park commits to the left-hand strike, Kim leans his body to the right to evade while simultaneously raising both arms and striking Park’s throat/neck area with the left hand.

Immediately afterward, Kim places his left hand on the back shoulder area and pushes/strikes simultaneously, causing Park to lose balance again.

The footage repeatedly shows the same tactical pattern:

• evade
• control
• strike
• off-balance
• reposition

Final Thoughts (Part 1)

Throughout the footage, Kim Won-bo consistently maintains:

• stable posture
• balance
• distance control
• deliberate stepping
• simultaneous defense and attack
• grabbing while striking
• tactical positioning

This is why I believe the footage deserves serious historical and technical study.

Especially considering that:

• the director came from early Korean cinema circles,
• the film was government-sponsored,
• the movements differ from known Japanese or Western styles of the time,
• and oral testimony from northern Korean regions described Subak as involving fists, palms, grabbing, and throwing.

The footage may preserve extremely valuable evidence of Korean fighting culture during the Japanese colonial period.

YouTube:
https://youtu.be/RD0CJrfLypg

Original restored film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgxi3m-8jjM

(Continued in Part 3)