Does anyone study Haidong Gumdo here?

[AyaShindou]

One of my ESL students is a Third Dan Black Belt in Haidong Gumdo and is now teaching me two days a week. I'm wondering if anyone else studies it. It's like a Korean version of Japanese Kendo.

[Toptomcat]

Edit- realized my post wasn't exceptionally constructive. Short version: it can be good kendo or bad kendo, and don't believe anything they say about their historical roots.

[AyaShindou]

Next question: Is Haidong Gumdo and Kendo pretty much the same? From what I've seen, I can't really tell the difference.

[Toptomcat]

Yes, absolutely. A somewhat more aggressive style of play is preferred than in Japan, and tameshigiri and flashy aikido-like multi-man demos are given greater emphasis than in traditional kendo, but the core art is fundamentally kendo. Some will try to tell you differently, insisting that it's derived from native Korean sword arts, but it's all revisionist history put together because of Korea's longstanding historical beef with the Japanese.