Aikido Chuncheon Dojang Founding Anniversary Joint Training, July 26, 2026

2026 Founding Anniversary Joint Training Recap

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Aikido is, I believe, a truly one-of-a-kind martial art in its ability to build and sustain good relationships between people over the long term.

On July 26, 2026, the Aikido Chuncheon Dojang held its founding anniversary joint training session together with founder Kim Byung-soo, the Gayang Club he currently leads, the members of Chuncheon Dojang, and many others who support Chuncheon Dojang.

1. The Beginning of the Chuncheon Aikido Club (2009)

Aikido Chuncheon Dojang traces its roots back to the “Chuncheon Aikido Club,” founded in 2009. At the time, instructor Kim Byung-soo, who was working in Chuncheon, founded the club and introduced Aikido to the Chuncheon region for the very first time.

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Every time instructor Kim Byung-soo relocated for work, he would establish a small Aikido club in that new area and spread the martial art there. Usually, once an instructor moved on to another region, the group he left behind would dissolve. But Chuncheon was different — even after instructor Kim Byung-soo departed, the group kept training steadily, continuing to visit the headquarters dojang for rank promotions, and gradually put down solid roots.

2. The Official Opening of the Dojang and Carrying Forward Its Tradition (2019– )

What began as a club, driven by the passion of its members, secured a dedicated training space in 2019 and officially opened as “Aikido Chuncheon Dojang.” Though it wasn’t planned this way, the opening happened to fall on the club’s 10th anniversary, so the dojang’s opening date was set to match the club’s founding date of July 20, and the opening ceremony was held accordingly.

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Even after the dojang’s official opening, instructor Kim Byung-soo — who planted the very first seed of Aikido in Chuncheon — has continued to be honored as the “founder,” and each year the dojang invites him back for a founding anniversary event and joint training session. Instructor Kim Byung-soo currently leads the “Gayang Club” in Seoul, and Chuncheon Dojang and Gayang Club have kept a deep bond, regularly holding joint training sessions and joint rank examinations together.

3. Overcoming Difficult Times: The Founder’s Special Training Resumes

Due to nationally disruptive circumstances in recent years, we were unfortunately unable to hold joint training or joint examinations for about two years. But having weathered that difficult period, we were finally able to successfully resume the founder’s special training and joint training session this year.

Aikido offers a wonderful form and curriculum that people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy training in as a lifelong martial art. Thanks to that, this event also drew a large turnout of former Chuncheon Dojang members who, due to relocation or personal circumstances, are no longer able to visit the dojang often these days. It was a meaningful time to reunite with familiar faces we hadn’t seen in a long while, share techniques together, and catch up.

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We sincerely hope that instructor Kim Byung-soo — the eternal founder and steadfast godfather of Aikido Chuncheon Dojang — and every member of Chuncheon Dojang and Gayang Club continue to enjoy healthy and happy lives through Aikido.

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We are deeply grateful to everyone who came together to take part in this special training session, and we look forward to happily reuniting with even more people at next year’s founding anniversary event.

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[Traditional Hapkido / Aikido Chuncheon Dojang]

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