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New form of martial arts pops up in Port Alberni

Darran Chaisson and DoJin Won hosting classes at Dragon Martial Arts Taekwondo
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Darran Chaisson, left, has started teaching TeukGong MooSool, a relatively new martial art, along with DoJin Won in Port Alberni. SUBMITTED PHOTO

A new style of martial art has started up in the Alberni Valley.

As a fairly new martial art, TeukGong MooSool or TGMS was developed in the early 1970s in response to an altercation when a North Korean solider dispatched three South Korean soldiers in less than 10 seconds. TGMS incorporates the most effective principles of Hapkido, Taekwondo, Chinese Martial Arts, Judo, and Iaido. It has become the official martial art of the South Korean Special Forces.

DoJin Won has been practicing this form of Martial Arts since its inception in Korea and has been elevated to master. He learned it during his time as a paratrooper in the South Korean Army, and continued practicing while working as a professional bodyguard. He has taught other masters to use this technique of fighting for more than 20 years in Korea before moving to Vancouver four years ago and subsequently to Port Alberni three years ago where he and his wife Marie owned and operated Alberni Sushi.

DoJin had wanted to open a gym to teach TGMS, in particular the style known as Koem Beop (Way of the Sword), which incorporates precision sword technique with hand-to-hand combat. He vetted four students to begin classes just over two years ago. Of those original students, Darran Chaisson became the first Canadian student of TGMS Sword to earn the rank of first degree Black Belt.

Chaisson is now teaching new students and will be joined by DoJin to keep the tradition of the sword alive.

They, along with continuing students Jackson Stewart and Winter Darby, continue to teach the way of self-defense and sword work here in Port Alberni.

“With this style of martial art, we are essentially learning what the Samurais of old learned,” says Chaisson. “Defence and attack styles, but also the way of the sword, proper way to respect the sword and treat it as a living entity, and to incorporate it into fighting.”

Chaisson is hosting his classes at Dragon Martial Arts Taekwondo and since mid-January has been teaching every Sunday from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm at Dragon Martial Arts Academy. Registration is now open, no previous martial art experience necessary. Please contact Chaisson at 250-735-7981 for details, or visit them on Facebook @TGMSPA.