"Mrs. Pyke Eats Korea" 2017 Korea Tour

Korea Tour 2017

Is it time to eat again !! Part 4

As seen in the November 2017 edition of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy Newsletter

The DMZ

Saturday morning we head out for a bus ride heading north to the Demilitarized Zone, more commonly referred to as the DMZ or the 38^th Parallel. The DMZ is a border that divides the Korean Peninsula in half. It was created by an agreement with North Korea, China and the United Nations in 1953. When we arrive we are put on a DMZ bus that has blacked out windows, we can see out but they, the North Koreans, can’t see in! As we approach the gates a ROK (South Korean Soldier) gets on the bus to inspect our passports. It’s all very official.  The highlight of the tour for me was going into the tunnels the North Koreans had dug to attempt an invasion in the 1970’s.  The first tunnel was discovered on November 20^th1974 by a ROK while on patrol. The second tunnel was found on March 19 1975. The third tunnel was discovered on October 17 1978 and the fourth tunnel was discovered on March 3 1990. We get to take train ride down a shaft deep in the earth. Thank goodness we have donned hard hats because you can easily knock your head! The tunnel is 5,200 ft long and 240 ft below ground. It was a slow and steady decent.  When we reached the bottom we headed on foot deeper into the tunnel.  Then suddenly the tunnel stops and we are as close as you can get to Kim Jong-un !!  The tunnel was sealed after its discovery. We hike out on an extremely steep ramp to the surface. This is not for the light hearted.   The experience was overwhelming for me. My Dad was stationed right at this very spot. I share a photo book with pictures of my Dad at the DMZ with everyone on the bus. Our tour guide Mr. Kim is moved by the photos and thanks me for my Father’s service to his country.

Time for lunch!! We head into a beautiful country town just outside the DMZ. Mr. KIM brings us to Yo Ree. You would have thought we were dining at home!! Yo Ree is a modern Korean restaurant. I will describe this fusion cuisine as Korean meets Farm to Table. The menu was Chef’s choice, so we had no idea what was coming next!  The meal was served family style. First course was a  lovely green salad that reminded us all of home. Next came a very unusual rice cake roll very similar to  a Vietnamese cold spring roll, so amazing.  Acorn jelly seaweed noodles, Spicy Chicken and Peppers, Jeon (vegetable pancakes), can never get enough of these, Beef Bulgoki and a gorgeous  Mixed Vegetable Tempura that had tempura Lotus Roots !!  Tea was served at their roof top sun room which had a beautiful view of the countryside. There was a Korean family celebrating their son’s birthday and we all sang Happy Birthday to him! They shared their traditional Korean Rice Cakes with us and were so delighted that we were Tae Kwon Do martial artists! So what happens next was wonderful…the birthday boy does Tae Kwon Do too, so he, Nina Rose Cirillo and Luke Cirillo get up and do Taeguek il jang!!!  Everyone is clapping and we are all so proud !! By the way Rosa and Luke hit it out of the park!!!

What an amazing day it has been. Thank you again Mr. Kim for being the best guide ever.

We are exhausted when we return to the Sommerset Palace and we don’t want to dine out. We decide we will party at the Cirillo’s Penthouse (yes it’s true!!) and Mr Kim goes above and beyond...

To be continued…

Korean Takeout Chinese Food!!

Haeng bog meogneum !!

Happy Eating!!

Pamela Pyke

Korea Destinations Gyeongbok Palace

article by Jeff Rosser, appeared in the Chosun Taekwondo Academy  March 2016 newsletter

Gyeongbok Palace

     Gyeongbokgung, or Gyeongbok Palace, is the largest and quite possibly most well-known palace in all of Korea.  Located in Northern Seoul, this palace stands as a reminder of the greatness of the Joseon Dynasty.  Not only was it a palace, but it was also like a city unto

itself and was one of the first major structures built in Hanseong, modern day Seoul, which was the capital of the Joseon Kingdom.  This palace was constructed in 1394 by King Taejo who was the founder and first king of Joseon.  Since its construction however, the palace has been destroyed multiple times over the past 425 years by the Japanese.  As a result, many of the buildings standing today are newer restorations of the palace’s former grandeur.

     Located in the Gwanghwamun neighborhood of Seoul, this palace is easy to get to, is nearby numerous other sites and museums, and features a breathtaking backdrop with Bugak Mountain rising over the palace from the rear.  To get to Gyeongbokgung, take Seoul Subway Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station and go to exit 5.  The palace is closed every Tuesday but is open on most major holidays.

About the author:

Jeff W. Rosser is a teacher, martial arts instructor, and writer in South Korea.  He’s a former AAU U.S.A. National Karate Team member and has competed internationally in Karate and Taekwondo.  He also has over 24 years of experience in Karate, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Ju-Jutsu, and Judo.  He’s a columnist for Taekwondo Times (“The Hidden Art”), a monthly contributor to Totally Taekwondo Magazine, and the author of “Combative

Elbow Strikes:  A Guide to Strikes, Blocks, Locks, and Take Downs” published by Turtle Press.  Contact:  karatekajwr@yahoo.com (Email), www.mawriter.webs.com (website)

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Korea "Destinations" by Jeff Rosser from CHOSUN newsletter February, 2016

Jeff Rosser's column can be seen in every monthly edition
of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy e-newsletter

Buyeo, The Gateway to Baekje

     Just a few hours south of Seoul, is a sleepy little town that was once home to one of Korea’s greatest kingdoms. That town is Buyeo, formally Sabi, which was the Baekje capital from 538 AD until the dynasty’s collapse in 660 AD at the hands of the Shilla (Gyeongju) and Tang (China). While most tourists to Korea visit Gyeongju, few have heard of the wonders of Baekje that Buyeo has to offer.

Jeongnim Temple Buddha Statue

     At the heart of the city is Busosanseong, a mountain fortress with earthen walls, pavilions, and temples. The back side of the mountain is highlighted by Nakhwaam cliff (falling flowers rock) which overlooks the Baengma River. Legend has it that upon the kingdom’s fall at the hands of Shilla and Tang, 3000 court ladies of Baekje refused to surrender and leapt from this cliff. It is said that the sight of their colorful dresses fluttering in the air looked like flower petals floating down into the river, hence the cliff’s name. From the base of the mountain, you can take a ferry down the river providing you with an excellent view of the cliff.
     Other sites that shouldn’t be missed include Gungnamji Pond, Jeongnim Temple, the Baekje Royal Tombs, and Baekje Culture Land. Gungnamji is Korea’s first artificial pond and is surrounded by willow trees, covered in lotus blossoms, and highlighted by a pavilion atop a small island in the middle of the pond. Jeongnim Temple sits in the center of the city and has its own museum as well as one of only two remaining Baekje stone pagodas and a Goryeo era stone Buddha statue. Baekje Culture Land is also worth visiting. Although a recreation, it’s a magnificent example of how the ancient capital once looked. While Sabi Palace is certainly impressive, it is the 5 story wooden pagoda of the reconstructed Neung Temple that attracts the most attention. Together, all of these sites make Buyeo one of Korea’s best kept secrets.

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About the author:
Jeff W. Rosser is a teacher, martial arts instructor, and writer in South Korea. He’s a former AAU U.S.A. National Karate Team member and has competed internationally in Karate and Taekwondo. He also has over 22 years of experience in Karate, Taekwondo, Ju-Jutsu, and Judo. He’s a columnist for Taekwondo Times (“The Hidden Art”),writes monthly for

TotallyTaekwondo Magazine and is the author of Combative Elbow Strikes: A Guide to Strikes, Blocks, Locks, and Take Downs, an in-depth analysis of the practical applications for five of the most common elbow strikes found in the martial arts. 
Contact info: karatekajwr@yahoo.com (Email)

Korea "Destinations" by Jeff Rosser from CHOSUN newsletter January, 2016

Jeff's monthly Korea "Destinations" column can be seen every month in the Chosun Taekwondo Academy newsletter

Seodaemun Independence Park

               Located in northwestern Seoul, Seodaemun Independence Park pays tribute to those who fought for Korea’s independence from Japan (1910 – 1945).  The focal point of the park is the Seodaemun Prison History Hall.  It was here that the Japanese incarcerated, tortured, and executed Korean activists who spoke out and fought against Japanese colonial rule.  Pictures of former inmates line the walls and the cells have been left just as they were.  There are also a number of exhibits displaying the torture and abuse inflicted on the inmates by the Japanese guards.  Most areas of the prison are open to the public and serve as a chilling reminder of Korea’s colonial past prior to independence.

Seodaemun Prison Hall

               At the entrance to the park, you will also find the Independence Gate.  This massive stone gate is of European design and stands in the place where the Yeongeunmun Gate once stood during the Joseon era.  The Yeongeunmun Gate was destroyed in 1895 by the Japanese and the new Independence Gate was erected a year later.  On weekends, the park is a popular destination for locals wanting to relax and tourists seeking to better understand Korea’s complex history.  The best way to reach the park is by taking exits 4 or 5 from Dongnimmun Subway Station on Line 3.

About the author:

Jeff W. Rosser is a teacher, martial arts instructor, and writer in South Korea. He’s a former AAU U.S.A. National Karate Team member and has competed internationally in Karate and Taekwondo. He also has over 24 years of experience in Karate, Taekwondo,

Hapkido, Ju-Jutsu, and Judo. He’s a columnist for Taekwondo Times (“The Hidden Art”), a monthly contributor to Totally Taekwondo Magazine, and the author of “Combative Elbow Strikes: A Guide to Strikes, Blocks, Locks, and Take Downs” published by Turtle Press. Contact: karatekajwr@yahoo.com (Email), www.mawriter.webs.com(website)

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Taekwondo In Korean History: Meaning Lies in the Eyes of the Practitioner

Taekwondo In Korean History:

Meaning Lies In The Eyes Of The Practitioner

by Taylor DiMeglio

Modern dicta implores us to “let go of the past,” to “stay in the present,” but as useful as it is, in taekwondo as in life, to live in the all-important N-O-W there is much to be said for mindfully including a consciously framed narrative of the history which informs our focus. Consciously framed. In other words, with deliberate choice, for it is not our histories which define our fates but the perspective through which we view them. Shall we be inspired or disillusioned? Do we wish to grow in purpose or to wallow in defeat?

Consider the person who grows up in an abusive environment. At one juncture in life, she counts herself a victim, at another juncture, a survivor. Both stances hold their own kinds of truth; yet, only one yields a fruitful path. So it is with taekwondo.

Some question taekwondo’s legitimacy as a korean martial art, or even as a unique martial art in its own right. After all, they say, a great deal of its techniques originate elsewhere, in China, and, significantly, Japan, via shotakan karate. How can it, then, be considered Korean? Further, some senior organizational taekwondo delegates have diminished, suppressed or otherwise denied avenues of external influence, with some suggesting that taekwondo has been around—in pure form—for thousands of years. (Surely, cave drawings do not lie!) Meanwhile, underplaying or overplaying data raises doubt and suspicion, opposite of its intention.

These are narrow frames, inhibitors of growth. The practitioner who adopts them sets himself up, with conscious or unconscious will, for discouragement and defeat. If I practice an illegitimate art, this mindset says, I, too, become illegitimate. Thus, the skeptic maintains an ‘out,’ imposing in practice a level of disengagement which easily turns into a loss of interest and eventual departure from taekwondo training. Initial gains are wasted. Enrollment declines.

Far better to take the broadest view, to understand taekwondo through the widest lens of Korean history and culture, recognizing that it is a veritable manifestation of a long, intricate narrative and inherently infused with the driven, willing spirit of its people. Pass on the legend of Tangoon, mythical forebear of this “land of the morning calm,” whose philosophical adherence to a universal humanism and duties to family and state underlie central tenets of Korean culture and taekwondo, and practitioners grow in humility and grace. An enlightened spirit underscores skill. Speak of the feats of ancient Hwarang and Sunbae warriors and allow their prowess to infuse today’s practice. Honor the full history through which taekwondo derives, and you are as a wise farmer who does not arbitrarily scatter the seeds, but first tends the soil, recognizing it as the origin of abundance.

Korean history is rife with struggle. Geographically speaking, it is not surprising that the citizens of a country formed on a peninsula might be leery and defensive, when they are both perceptually and actually vulnerable to attack. Ancient kingdoms with rivaling tribes and fearsome warriors establish the backdrop for a people honed to endure, to survive, and, ultimately, to overcome. The Paekche kingdom (18 BCE - 660 BC), Koguryo (37 BCE - 668 BC) and the small but mighty Sillan kingdom (57 BCE - 935 AD) warred tirelessly, though Silla was the eventual triumphant, unifying the three kingdoms into a collective dynasty. Korean strife didn’t end with the ancient kingdoms, but it is here, in antiquity, where the taekwondo practitioner authentically finds Korean spirit in its originating indomitable force. It’s still alive today, and, along with it, the skills and techniques of old, derived of kwonbop and taekyeon, which were practiced by the Sillan Hwarang.

Where infighting set the stage for indigenous martial development, external conflicts broadened its scope, particularly during the Japanese occupation from 1910-1945. During this thirty-five year period of extreme cultural oppression—which included book burning, sexual enslavement and a ban on native language and religion among other severe prohibitions—martial arts training was roundly forbidden, leaving the devoted with few options. Some practiced in secret. Others left Korea and learned where training was available to them, in China and, notably, Japan itself.

It may seem a strange decision for Korean martial artists to entrust their training to enemy hands, even where animus between nations may not have necessarily translated between individual citizens. Yet, life has its mandates. We are not called to travel passively as dust carried on wind, but to engage, to live, to set our own course with purpose. The martial artist, Korean or otherwise, strives for the Warrior Within, that elusive inner self which is enduring and impervious, who surpasses the temporal realm.

It comes again to perspective. The practitioner who demands cultural purity over all will find disappointment in its stead, while the practitioner who honors the multifarious influences of any chosen martial art and the collective value intrinsic in all martial arts gains wisdom alongside skill. It is this frame which emphasizes proficiency over egoistic evaluations.

So, too, the practitioner caught up in identifying the single best martial art might just as well spend time selecting a single best variety of toothpaste. Is it the whitening? The baking soda? Enamel protection? Should we do away with fluoride? Caught in the minutia of choice, the practitioner’s focus is cluttered and divided, and another trap, the trap of comparison, is set. Use comparison as a vehicle for fault-finding in a marriage and things become rocky indeed. Those who dig for faults will find them, though primarily because of the perspective of the mind which seeks them than due to the particular shortcomings themselves. No one and nothing is perfect. The practitioner who digs instead for treasure—in relationships, in themselves, in taekwondo—will find it and prosper.

Following the Japanese Occupation, bans were lifted. Korea set out to restore their vast cultural heritage—a restoration of native arts, food and philosophical paradigms. Korean martial artists, among them many masters, sought to unify the whole of their learning, incorporating not a narrow few but all of its influences including Japan, China and their own ancient, native forms. It incorporated not only physical techniques and skill but the Confucian and Buddhist overtones and the in-dwelling Korean spirit so indicative of their history and important to their culture. Through the unwavering efforts of General Choi, Hong Hi this martial art came to be officially known as taekwondo, a Korean martial art. 

Academic Taekwondo

by Master Doug Cook
Taekwondo Times Magazine "Traditions" Column January, 2015

      Tae Kwon Do is composed of many components, most dominated by physical qualities. Front kicks, round kicks, side kicks, hand and aerial techniques abound, endowing the national Korean martial art with its unique character. Yet, as the discipline matured from its humble beginnings in the 1940s and 50s, it gained both complexity and academic

Kukkiwon with Dr. Un Yong Kim (center)

dimensions until today, modern educational institutes of higher learning located in Korea offer Taekwondology, along with its comprehensive syllabus of technique, tradition, rules and regulations, as a major.

     Regardless of the fact that the roots of tae kwon do date back to antiquity, historians agree that during the mid-twentieth century, the primordial forms of the art then known as kong soo do, tang soo do and for a brief period of time, tae soo do, were heavily influenced by Okinawan karate-do coupled with Chinese chuan fa, Japanese judo and, to some degree, aikido and jujutsu. While in transition, ritual and practice fortifying the burgeoning discipline innocently drew breath from these styles.

     Then, just as the citizenry of the Korean nation were given the opportunity to reestablish their cultural and technical infrastructure - admittedly after immeasurable strife and bloodshed - so too did tae kwon do. Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of war, the disparate styles that evolved into the single, standardized national treasure that we know today, took on its own identity within the pantheon of Asian combat disciplines. Distinctive skills and strategies featuring philosophical underpinnings exclusive to Korean culture clearly began to emerge. This process was not easy and came at great cost, both socially and politically, to many of its founders and the organizations they would come to create. Yet, today, tae kwon do stands tall as a battle-proven form of self-defense and a fully recognized Olympic sport boasting a growth curve second to none, crystallized in the span of a short sixty years.

     Miracles of this magnitude cannot be accomplished purely on a physical level. Rather, planning, forethought and the accumulation of knowledge must be converted into action; action stoked by the uncorrupted transmission of wisdom across generations. Lessons learned in battle during the Silla (57 BC-AD 935), Koryo (918-1392) and Chosun (1392-1910) dynasties, exemplified by warriors of the Hwarang and preserved by fighting Buddhist monks called on to defend the nation against Japanese invaders in the late 1500s, are as valid today as they were then. Couple these tactics with a contemporary understanding of physiology, sports medicine and body mechanics, and a valid blueprint of academic standards begins to materialize.

     The academic approach to tae kwon do becomes abundantly clear as one sifts through the many editorial contributions offered by scholars, masters and enlightened practitioners dedicated to the worldwide proliferation of the art. Through the magic of the Internet, technique, decorum and training rituals have been exhaustively documented for current and future use. Books, treatises and dissertations have been written to intellectually support routines and principles. These, amplified by visual aids, amount to a supreme body of knowledge that can quite literally take a lifetime to absorb. Great men and women come to mind who have generously contributed to this paradigm of data - more than not, at little or no personal gain above that of serving the art. Highly qualified individuals such as Richard Chun, Sang Kyu Shim, Kyong Myong Lee, Son Duk Sung, and Sihak Henry Cho share this distinction with others too numerous to mention.

Grandmaster Chun and Master Cook

     And just what is being documented that justifies tae kwon do as a discipline worthy of academic pursuit? First and foremost, the technical catalog that defines the traditional Korean martial art. General Choi Hong Hi, a primary founder who created the International Taekwon-Do Federation in March of 1966, claimed an arsenal containing 3200 separate techniques, each with its own distinct purpose and method of execution, many depicted in his fifteen-volume Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do. Similarly, an updated version of the Kukkiwon Textbook reissued in 2005 devotes over 700 pages to the proper articulation of technique. But wisdom accumulated over the decades does not stop there. Landmark works by Grandmaster Richard Chun and his contemporaries portray defacto training standards and procedures relied upon worldwide by hundreds of thousands of students.

Moreover, since tae kwon do is recognized as a comprehensive form of self-defense with a pedigree reaching far back into the distant past, there are metaphysical and well as physical concepts to ponder. Exploring the use of meditation and ki, or internal energy development, as essential elements of the art demands research that can only be accomplished through the interrogation of Asian historical and, in some cases, medical records compiled centuries ago. Valid examples of these are the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon, a cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine, coupled with the physical lessons posited by the Myue Dobo Tongji (Illustrated Manual of Korean Martial Arts), authored in 1790.

     Then, not to marginalize their significance, if one is to accrue an absolute understanding of any classical martial art, it is equally essential to survey influential native customs, physiological concepts that power its engine, and moral doctrines that govern its use. Many of these can be found in the teachings of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.     

Clearly, taken as a whole the ingredients cited above compound to represent a body of academic knowledge profoundly worthy of transmission from one generation to the next. One only need embrace it.         

     Naturally, as with any established sport, there exists a majority of practitioners who will exclusively participate for competitive purposes only. And because tae kwon do offers much in the way of physical fitness and athletic recognition on the collegiate, state, national and international level, and because just as a coin, it exhibits two sides, one representing the game and the other the art, this is entirely understandable. Yet it is important to recognize the difference between developing athletes and cultivating holistically-trained martial artists - practitioners who are not only proficient in the ring, but who wholeheartedly welcome the ancient wisdom that composes the vast mosaic that is traditional tae kwon do.

 Master Doug Cook, a 6^th dan black belt, is head instructor of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy located in Warwick, New York, a senior student of Grandmaster Richard Chun, and author of four best-selling books entitled: Taekwondo…Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Warrior, Traditional Taekwondo - Core Techniques, History and Philosophy, Taekwondo–A Path to Excellence, and Tae Kwon Do Poomsae: Original Koryo and Koryo, all published by YMAA of Boston. He has been a staff columnist for TaeKwonDo Times for over fourteen years. Master Cook can be reached for lectures, workshops or questions at www.chosuntkd.com or info@chosuntkd.com.