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Today, I conducted a special lecture for 3rd-year Hapkido majors at my alma mater, the Korea National Police University (KNPU). It was the inaugural session of the "Inter-Martial Arts Exchange Lecture" series, hosted at the invitation of Professor Shin. There is a 29-year seniority gap between my juniors and me. Coincidentally, I began my Aikido journey during my 3rd year of university, making my years of training exactly equal to the gap in our class years. Beyond mere coinc

On Saturday, March 21, we had the honor of welcoming a special guest to Samsungdang for training. Mr. Ok Jaeouk, who is currently training at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo, joined us on the mat. ​ Mr. Ok began his Aikido training at New York Aikikai and trained there for five years, after which he continued his training at Hombu for another fifteen years. Despite this considerable experience, he remains very humble, often referring to himself as still being among the “junior members

The workshop will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026. This workshop focuses on one technical theme and approaches it step by step, from fundamental principles to applied and advanced practice. Participation is open to everyone, regardless of affiliation or martial arts background. ================================================== [Workshop Theme] - shihonage [Schedule] Session 1 13:00 - 14:15 1. Relationship between shihonage and sword movement 2. Common mistakes in shihon

In this video, Aikido Samsungdang covers tenkanhō (転換法, turning method), a kata for learning how to connect with your partner. We have been practicing it with more focus recently, and we see it as a training method for developing musubi (結び). Tenkanhō is also referred to as tai no henkō (体の変更) or tai no henka (体の変化). To be honest, I did not work on tenkanhō very often in the past. However, through traveling back and forth to Japan, I came to reflect more deeply on the meaning

Today's video from Aikido Samsungdang covers "Tips for giving and receiving throws without injury." While many are familiar with how to apply a technique (or how to break a joint), they often overlook how to safely improve their skills alongside a partner. I believe the most challenging aspect of Aikido training lies in the premise that "you must not injure your partner, yet the technique must be applied accurately." To be honest, this theme is deeply connected to my professi

In this video, Aikido Samsungdang focuses on the safety and role of uke (the receiver). I believe uke should protect their own safety while also serving as a training partner who helps tori (the one applying the technique) develop correct technical habits. I also believe that receiving techniques in a straightforward, simple way—grounded in basic ukemi—helps practitioners improve both safety and skill the most. In particular, uke should practice receiving tori’s strong techni