Was given this book for Xmas and i think it's absolutely fascinating. Anyone who does, or has practised Tae Kwon Do i would totally recommend that they get this book.
Anyone else read it (or still in the process like me!)have any views?
Re:A Killing Art by Alex Gillis 1 Year, 6 Months ago
It's two stories really, it starts with General Choi but also focuses on Kim Un-yong.
Yes the North Korean goverment involvement is mentioned and hints at much more.
Excellent book, i'm reading it for a second time which is unusual for me as i'm not a prolific reader, but i feel that it's one of those books that need a couple of reads to fully understand and get the most out of.
The books is full of errors. Well written though. Grammar, spelling and punctuation, sentence structure, plot, etc. Well done, except one thing. It's full or historical and factual errors about Taekwondo.
Alex states “Being a journalist, I had to find the truth”, and, "As I researched and interviewed, I saw a way through the politics and corruption, I saw a way to write a truthful history, in spite of the gangsterism and thuggery."
Hummm…. Let’s look at just a few gross errors by Alex Gillis:
Alex Gillis Error #1.
“the Jidokwan, one of the nine gyms that had formed Kim Un-Yong's World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)”
No Alex, the WTF was not formed by the 9 gyms (Kwans) as Alex states above. The WTF was formed by the signatures of representatives of national Taekwondo Teams that attended the 1st World Taekwondo Championships in May of 1973. Nations like, Korea, USA, Mexico, Uganda, Austria, Taiwan, etc. Research should have found this........
Alex Gillis Error #2.
“[Seung Wan Lee] Lee's appointment is eye-opening. He's also president of Mooto and Culture Maker, a global empire that sells official WTF uniforms, gear and products.”
Alex has confused Mr. Seung Wan Lee, the owner of Mooto, with the current Kukkiwon President, Seung Wan Lee, two different men. By the way, you should apologize to Mr. Lee of MOOTO for your accidental character assassination of him. Paste it here, we would all like to read the apology.
Alex Gillis Error #3
“In 2003, Lee was again sentenced to years in prison, this time for being part of an effort to prevent people from voting in a Korean Taekwondo Association (KTA) presidential election.”
Alex, don’t believe everything you hear, or read. I mean, look at the gross errors you have made so far, on the most basic of information. President Lee was not sentenced to “years” in prison in 2003. Again, you should apologize to yet another Korean man you have made character assassination on.
Alex Gillis Error #4
“Kim began Olympic Taekwondo in the early 1970s”
Shihap Kyorugi, or what you should be referring to when you mistakenly use the term Olympic Taekwondo, existed since the early 1960’s it started by - sparring with a bamboo hogu-, even before the common use of the name Taekwondo (1965), long before Dr. Un Yong Kim became involved in the administration of Taekwondo. Alex, I thought you said you researched and double and triple checked your work?
Alex Gillis Error #5
“when he [Un Yong Kim] was a leader in the brutal KCIA”
When Un Yong Kim became the 6th KTA President in 1971, he had been the Deputy Director of the ROK Presidential Protective Forces, not the KCIA leader you state above. Again, Alex, really, this is public information........
Alex Gillis Error #6
“I recently read that former Korean godfather Lee Seng-wan is now President of the Kukkiwon”, and, “Lee Seng-Wan was the godfather of a gang”
Godfather? Alex is using Scorseseian Sicilian Mafia sensationalism to sell his book, taking up the dead efforts of a corrupt political Korean media movement to destroy the character of a strong Taekwondo leader. Being from Little Italy, I knew real Mafiosi, and trust me, I know President Seung Wan Lee personally, and he is not a Mafia Godfather type, and anyone trying to cast him as such is mistaken and most likely doing so to sensationalize their Taekwondo publishing efforts in the media, or in books.
Alex Gillis Error #7
“I've decided not to go for my WTF black-belt test”
The WTF does not conduct Black Belt testing, nor do they issue Black Belt certificates. A little better research and you would find that out. I mean, just go to the WTF website. It's that easy! Anyway, you are an ITF Taekwon-Do minion, which explains your gross errors, and your venom against the Kukkiwon and WTF officials, you are just regurgitating what you daddy fed you.
Alex Gillis Error #8
“Good luck to those involved with the spooky Kukki.”
Ripping off Andrew Jennings, conspiracy chaser and author of The New Lord of The Rings. Need I say more?
That is just a sampling of Alex Gillis research, triple checking the facts and presenting of his “truth”, a collection of gross errors. If you got a good laugh and enjoyed his above mis-statements, there are many more to be found in his book.
I have yet to read this book, so I admit I don't have the same context you do, but I think you are really mincing words on one or two of these issues:
Alex Gillis Error #1.
“the Jidokwan, one of the nine gyms that had formed Kim Un-Yong's World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)”
No Alex, the WTF was not formed by the 9 gyms (Kwans) as Alex states above. The WTF was formed by the signatures of representatives of national Taekwondo Teams that attended the 1st World Taekwondo Championships in May of 1973. Nations like, Korea, USA, Mexico, Uganda, Austria, Taiwan, etc. Research should have found this........
I think you are being really picky here. The 9 kwans founded the KTA, and the KTA eventually evolved into the WTF. The 9 kwans are also the main "fraternal bodies" that are collectlvely considered the WTF. However you wanna spell it out, the Jidokwan is part of the WTF.
Alex Gillis Error #4
“Kim began Olympic Taekwondo in the early 1970s”
Shihap Kyorugi, or what you should be referring to when you mistakenly use the term Olympic Taekwondo, existed since the early 1960’s it started by - sparring with a bamboo hogu-, even before the common use of the name Taekwondo (1965), long before Dr. Un Yong Kim became involved in the administration of Taekwondo. Alex, I thought you said you researched and double and triple checked your work?
I am not sure where the error is here. It sounds to me as though Gillis is stating when Kim started training in Olympic TKD training.
Alex Gillis Error #7
“I've decided not to go for my WTF black-belt test”
The WTF does not conduct Black Belt testing, nor do they issue Black Belt certificates. A little better research and you would find that out. I mean, just go to the WTF website. It's that easy! Anyway, you are an ITF Taekwon-Do minion, which explains your gross errors, and your venom against the Kukkiwon and WTF officials, you are just regurgitating what you daddy fed you.
Oh really? This is a direct quote from the WTF website:
"Dan grading
All matters about black belt Poom/Dan certification are dealt with by the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters). Dan/Poom promotion tests are conducted according to the Regulations for Promotion Tests of the Kukkiwon. ..."
In other words, the Kukkiwon is the highest authority on Dan grades within the WTF. Two of my instructors hold Dan gradings from the Kukkiwon.
I can't argue your other complaints, but I think you are being hyper-critical in these issues.
dmccarthy wrote: I have yet to read this book, so I admit I don't have the same context you do, but I think you are really mincing words on one or two of these issues:"
>>> There is no mincing, facts are facts.<<<
Alex Gillis Error #1.
“the Jidokwan, one of the nine gyms that had formed Kim Un-Yong's World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)”
No Alex, the WTF was not formed by the 9 gyms (Kwans) as Alex states above. The WTF was formed by the signatures of representatives of national Taekwondo Teams that attended the 1st World Taekwondo Championships in May of 1973. Nations like, Korea, USA, Mexico, Uganda, Austria, Taiwan, etc. Research should have found this........
You Wrote:
I think you are being really picky here. The 9 kwans founded the KTA, and the KTA eventually evolved into the WTF.
>>> What proof do you have? The proof I have shows Uganda, Mexico, Korea, USA, Taiwan, Austria, etc. signed the document founding the WTF, not the KTA, or the Kwans. My friend GM Ed Sell signed for the USA, he is not a part of the KTA. I have a copy of the founding document.<<<
You Wrote:
The 9 kwans are also the main "fraternal bodies" that are collectlvely considered the WTF. However you wanna spell it out, the Jidokwan is part of the WTF."
>>> Maybe you consider them as such, but you are wrong. The Kwans are private organizations, they are not and can not be members of the WTF. Only National Taekwondo Associations, such as the USAT, or the German Taekwondo Federation, or the Bahrain Taekwondo Association and so on can be members of the WTF. Their proper title is Member National Association (MNA). I am a member of Jidokwan and director of it's Historical Society, I know Jidokwan is not a member of the WTF, though it supports the WTF. Again, no mincing of words<<<
Alex Gillis Error #4
“Kim began Olympic Taekwondo in the early 1970s”
Shihap Kyorugi, or what you should be referring to when you mistakenly use the term Olympic Taekwondo, existed since the early 1960’s it started by - sparring with a bamboo hogu-, even before the common use of the name Taekwondo (1965), long before Dr. Un Yong Kim became involved in the administration of Taekwondo. Alex, I thought you said you researched and double and triple checked your work?
You Wrote:
I am not sure where the error is here. It sounds to me as though Gillis is stating when Kim started training in Olympic TKD training."
>>> Dr. Un Yong Kim never trained in Taekwondo. Alex is trying to say that Dr. Kim "started up" Olympic Taekwondo in the early 70's. Alex is very confused.<<<
Alex Gillis Error #7
“I've decided not to go for my WTF black-belt test”
The WTF does not conduct Black Belt testing, nor do they issue Black Belt certificates. A little better research and you would find that out. I mean, just go to the WTF website. It's that easy! Anyway, you are an ITF Taekwon-Do minion, which explains your gross errors, and your venom against the Kukkiwon and WTF officials, you are just regurgitating what you daddy fed you.
You Wrote:
Oh really? This is a direct quote from the WTF website:
>>>Yes, really, read the below again, carefully, don't mince words, or insert your own<<<
You Posted:
"Dan grading
All matters about black belt Poom/Dan certification are dealt with by the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters). Dan/Poom promotion tests are conducted according to the Regulations for Promotion Tests of the Kukkiwon. ..."
Then You Wrote:
In other words, the Kukkiwon is the highest authority on Dan grades within the WTF. Two of my instructors hold Dan gradings from the Kukkiwon."
>>>There are no other words, and it does not say anywhere "within the WTF", those are your words. It clearly states on the WTF site that Kukkiwon deals with all matters of Dan/Poom. That's pretty straight forward. The WTF does not. The DAN papers that your instructors hold are from Kukkiwon, not the WTF. The two organizations are two very different groups, located in different places with different personnel.<<<
You Wrote:
I can't argue your other complaints, but I think you are being hyper-critical in these issues.
>>>I know, facts can sound terrible when they challenge your beliefs.<<<
Anyway, you are an ITF Taekwon-Do minion, which explains your gross errors, and your venom against the Kukkiwon and WTF officials, you are just regurgitating what you daddy fed you.
I have to wonder if you are approaching this from an unbiased standpoint - the statement above shows a level of disregard for the ITF, and it's students.
Perhaps it is you who is regurgitating what your daddy fed you?
I know, facts can sound terrible when they challenge your beliefs.
Perhaps this comment can also be applied to your own beliefs?
Bailu Taiji wrote: Anyway, you are an ITF Taekwon-Do minion, which explains your gross errors, and your venom against the Kukkiwon and WTF officials, you are just regurgitating what you daddy fed you.
You Wrote:
I have to wonder if you are approaching this from an unbiased standpoint - the statement above shows a level of disregard for the ITF, and it's students."
>>>I have to wonder the same about you, considering you don't mention Alex's disregard for Kukkiwon and WTF, and, it's practitioners. Hmmmmmm...<<<
You Wrote:
Perhaps it is you who is regurgitating what your daddy fed you?"
>>>I had no daddy. I discovered it all on my own<<<
I know, facts can sound terrible when they challenge your beliefs.
You Wrote:
Perhaps this comment can also be applied to your own beliefs?
>>>Do you have some facts that pertain to the subject or just some Key Luke style "Perhaps" comments?. Serious, if you have something factual to add, lets see it<<<
Mastercole,
As a student of Tae Kwon Do who is neither affiliated to the WTF or ITF; i did not feel that Alex Gillis showed any bias to either organization. I thought it was a very Warts and all portrayal of both organizations.
Whether it was factually correct, i am not qualified to comment, but it certainly wasn't an overly ITF biased book.
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