Subak

Subak
Hangul
수박
Hanja
手搏
Revised RomanizationSubak
McCune–ReischauerSubak

Subak (手搏) is an ancient martial art that originated in Korea and uses bare-hand techniques. The term was also used in Korea to refer to any fighting style that used bare hands.[1] It is a different fighting style from Soo Bahk Do, which is a modern martial art with the same pronunciation. (The apparent difference in spelling is merely due to how they are transliterated into English. Both are written the same way in Korean, 수박 for Su Bak and 수박도 for Soo Bahk Do.)[2]

In Korea, each region had its own style of Subak; today, only two remain.

One is taught purely as Subak, from the lineage of Song Chang Ryul (宋昌烈) (1932-2017).

The other has been absorbed into modern Taekkyeon by Master Shin Han Seung. When he tried to resurrect Taekkyeon after the Korean War, he sought instruction from Taekkyeon master Song Dok Ki,[3] and Subak master Il Dong. Shin then combined Taekkyeon and Subak.

  1. ^ "Understanding Subak", "Kukkiwon"
  2. ^ Song, Junho (2023). "Tracing the inheritance line of Subak, a traditional martial art". Cambridge Open Engage (Preprint). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  3. ^ "History and Principles of Taekkyon -". Turtle Press. Retrieved 2022-01-07.