Korean Job Discussion Forums

Gusss · Joined: 08 Nov 2008

Does anyone practise Judo in Korea ? Is it common and what are the normal training hours ? Iv eheard that TaiKwonDo is more common but Korea are also one of the top Judo countries in the world so Id be interested in training there - if it doesnt clash with teaching hours that is (I will be working for EPIK) .

Landros · Joined: 19 Oct 2007

they call it yu-do over here. I took it in my first year. I met a guy at teh subway station in gangnam and he recommended a place near Seoul National university of Education.

They had classes early in the morning and in the afternoon. I really liked it but when my schedule changed to afternoons it was too hard t omake the morning class. (I lived in Chamshil)

Anyway, when you get here a Korean should be able to help you out.

Tukkong · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

Yudo/Judo is not as popular as other martial arts, but there are gyms to be found. In particular, look for one where the instructor is a graduate from Yongin University - it was originally established as a Yudo university. Their graduates are generally regarded as the best in Korea. Also, at least the ones I have met, speak English quite well.

Gusss · Joined: 08 Nov 2008

stvwrd · Joined: 31 Mar 2005

I wonder if Landross and I went to the same place by SNU of Edu. I don't go there anymore since I broke my thumb in practice, and had to move out of the area while it was healing.

Korea's a great place to train in Judo. From what I've been able to gather, Korean Judo training sessions are known around the world for being brutal. I was here a few years ago as an exchange student and one of the other exchange students was a Swiss guy and he made the hour+ commute each way just to go train at Yongin University. He went there every day during the summer. I wish I'd been into Judo at the time so I could've at least gone and watched.

Two things to watch out for: Some places don't like grappling (guchigi in Korean, I think randori in Japanese), and focus almost exclusively on throws, with no ground work.

The other thing is, if you've studied Judo before, you've probably learned all the Japanese names for everything. You'll have to re-learn the names in Korean, as *some* people believe Judo actually comes from Korea, so they don't use Japanese terms here. As a beginner this was really hard because I would go home and research the things I was learning and pretty much had to learn the Japanese along with the Korean.

I know of three places with high level Judo instructors in Seoul: The place by SNU of Edu (윤용팔-or something like that- Judo). Owned by a former Olympic medalist, head teacher is a 4th degree black belt that won the Kano cup. Some former national champions and olympic alternates work out there a lot. There's one nearby Apgujeong Station (I believe the name of that one is simply "Korea Judo"), and then one by Chonho station (called 마을유도, 'village Judo') east of Jamshil.

It wasn't the fault of Yoon Judo for my thumb breaking. They actually took things really slow with people starting out there. I learned faster because I went with a friend that has a 2nd degree black belt already and since we're a similar size he liked working out with me 1:1 a lot, just doing drills to work up a good sweat.

Funny story: I made a comment to my friend one time that I prefer to go to Judo at the same time that he goes, because I get a much better workout. I was trying to pay him a compliment, but he told the former national champion winner that I was complaining that I don't get a very good work out there.

The next time I go in there without my friend, he (nat'l champ) gets a big smile on his face and calls me over during the sparring session. I was flying all over the place and from that day forward I got headaches every. single. day. Ugh...

My body was just starting to adjust to the abuse when I broke my thumb during grappling practice (lost my grip as I was taking someone down. Picture giving someone a 'thumbs down' and the thumb hitting the floor perpendicularly with two big dudes falling on top of it)

Still, I miss the place Very Happy

If I lived in the area I'd still be going there without a doubt.

stvwrd · Joined: 31 Mar 2005

duplicate post

stvwrd · Joined: 31 Mar 2005

duplicate post

Tukkong · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

I have a friend who is a Yongin Yudo graduate. He has 4x 4th dans in different arts. He said that training there was very full on. As for Yudo/Judo comes from Korea, I don't think the Yongin boys believe that. At least, he told me that they were fully aware that it comes from Japan. However, as stvwrd stated, there are people who say otherwise.

I don't know how your Korean is but you can check the Korea Judo Association website at http://judo.sports.or.kr/ - they have a list of dojangs on the site. Just be warned, dojangs don't always update the associations if they move.

Otherwise, just post where you live when you get here and someone will help you find a gym.

Tukkong · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

I have a friend who is a Yongin Yudo graduate. He has 4x 4th dans in different arts. He said that training there was very full on. As for Yudo/Judo comes from Korea, I don't think the Yongin boys believe that. At least, he told me that they were fully aware that it comes from Japan. However, as stvwrd stated, there are people who say otherwise.

I don't know how your Korean is but you can check the Korea Judo Association website at http://judo.sports.or.kr/ - they have a list of dojangs on the site. Just be warned, dojangs don't always update the associations if they move.

Otherwise, just post where you live when you get here and someone will help you find a gym.

Gusss · Joined: 08 Nov 2008

Thanks for the info. Ouch that thumb sounds nasty !
So what were the average training hours (ie not Elite training for Olympic squads etc just normal training hours ) ?

stvwrd · Joined: 31 Mar 2005

Yoon Judo has classes from 6pm to about 10 I think. Before that they are open, but it's classes for kids.

They also have a morning class m/w/f from 7 to 8.

The morning classes were a little more laid back I found. the serious veterans (including a guy in his 70's) seemed to mostly practice between 6 and 7:30 pm. After that was my favorite group, which was pretty much amatures (I got to be friends there with a dude that was a former ROK Marine and getting ready for a study abroad in Washington D.C.), but still serious about the sport, as well as some high school kids.

Most of the time the final practice was high school students that are trying to get into Yongin University, or the people from the 7pm workout that just felt like staying longer. These are the kids that are very serious about their aspirations to make it to the Kano cup, olympics, etc.

At different times I showed up for every class time. The 7pm was easily my favorite and I felt the most comfortable there (plus the amatures tended to have better English, so I got to know the people better), but I was welcome at any of them.

None of the teachers or vets had much English ability, but I wouldn't let that stop you.

I've got a .doc file somewhere that has the Korean/Japanese translations of several Judo moves. If someone wants to see it I can dig through my computer and try to find it.

stvwrd · Joined: 31 Mar 2005

Oh yeah, plus an occasional open session on Saturday afternoons. The saturday classes were not regularly scheduled though, and they only opened the gym when a senior-level person was free to watch over the practice.

I think for 120,000 won / month you can go an unlimited amount of times.

baboseki · Joined: 30 Apr 2009

stvwrd - were you a complete beginner when you started at the place next to SNU? I've been thinking about taking up Judo but I've keep telling myself that I'll start once I get back to the states. I guess the idea of being a complete beginner and being a foreigner on top of that is what's holding me back, but after reading about your experience it doesn't sound too bad.

Do you have any experience with the school near Jamsil (마을유도)? SNU of Ed isn't that far all that far though, so I may just go there. What do you do? Just walk in and sign-up?

I'd be interested in that .doc file with the Korean/Japanese translations if you still have it. Smile

CPT · Joined: 25 Mar 2007

I took it for a couple months at 대동체육관 (Dae-dong gym) right outside of Ehwa Women's University Station (I forget which exit, because I took the bus, but it's right on the corner, across the street from the Ehwa side, and closer to Ahyeon vs. Sinchon. I liked it, and I was having a good time there until I dislocated my kneecap. It's been about 2 months and I'm still not quite healed properly. I don't have much to compare it to, but the usual class starts with a pretty intense warmup, then you get in two lines and do rotating throw form drills (basically just set up the throw like 10-20 times), then switch to a new partner. Occasionally we would get taught a new technique, but the class was mostly black belts, so most of the instruction was done on the side, by the one younger guy who speaks English. To end the class, we would usually do some grappling on the ground. That was my favourite part, so I may just switch to jiu-jitsu when I'm healed up.

When I was looking around for a place in the Sinchon/Hongdae area, I also found Mapo Judo, which is near Daeheung Stn. Didn't ever go in, but if anyone is looking in that area, you can check it out.

Bryan · Joined: 29 Oct 2007