Hwang Hyun-chul (born on March 4, 1947) is a South Korean martial artist who is a ninth-degree midnight blue belt in

Soo Bahk Do Soo Bahk Do (수박도) is a martial art founded by Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee, and now is taught by Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Hyun-chul, Hwang Hyun Chul, known as H.C. Hwang, and instructors who are certified by member organizations of the World Moo Duk ...

Moo Duk Kwan Moo Duk Kwan is the name of a martial art organization founded by Hwang Kee in South Korea in 1945. Licensed Moo Duk Kwan schools teach Soo Bahk Do, formerly Tang Soo Do (and earlier 'Hwa Soo Do'). 'Moo Duk Kwan' translates as "School of Martial ...

and the son of the late

Hwang Kee Hwang Kee (; ''Hwang Gi''; November 9, 1914 – July 14, 2002) was one of the most important and influential figures in the Korean martial arts.U.S. Soo Bahk Do (Tang Soo Do) Moo Duk Kwan Federation > History. URL accessed on February 11, 2010 ...

, founder of the

(formerly

Tang Soo Do Tang Soo Do (; ) is a Korean martial arts, Korean martial art based on karate which can include fighting principles from taekkyeon, subak, as well as northern Chinese martial arts. From its beginnings in 1944 to today, Tang Soo Do is used by ...

) system.Tang Soo Do World > Who's Who in Tang Soo Do
URL accessed on February 11, 2010.

Biography

Hyun-chul Hwang was born in Seoul, South Korea, the oldest child of Moo Duk Kwan founder Hwang Kee. He began training in martial arts under his father,

, on May 5, 1954, at the age of 7. Two years later at the age of 9, he would become the youngest person in Korea to earn his black belt. From 1970 to 1973, he was the head instructor at the Central Moo Duk Kwan

dojang () is a term used in Korean martial arts, such as Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Kuk Sool Won, and hapkido, that refers to a formal training hall. It is typically considered the formal gathering place for students of a martial art to conduct trai ...

(school) and at the U.S. 8th Army Base in

Yongsan Yongsan District (, ) is one of the 25 districts of Seoul, South Korea. It has a population of 231,685 (2020) and has a geographic area of , and is divided into 19 '' dong'' (administrative neighborhoods). Yongsan is located near Downtown Seoul, ...

, Korea. From there he would serve as head instructor for the Greek Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, and an invitational instructor for the United Kingdom Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation. In 1975, Hwang moved to the United States and opened a school in Springfield,

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. In 1975, Hwang would soon become the

chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for then U.S. Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, serving under his father. In 1995, during the 50th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Moo Duk Kwan the elder Hwang officially renamed the art from Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan to Soo Bahk Do, with the younger Hwang being named the president of the renamed U.S. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation. For the next several years Hwang would rise up the ranks and eventually be promoted to the rank of ninth-degree black belt. In 2002, with the passing of his father, he was named as the new grandmaster of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan. In 2004, Hwang was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as ''Man of the Year''.Black Belt Magazine > 2004 Black Belt Hall of Fame "Man of the Year"
. URL accessed on February 11, 2010.

References

External links

World Moo Duk Kwan

U.S. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hwang, Hyun-chul Living people 1947 births Martial artists from Seoul South Korean tang soo do practitioners