Spotlight on Hyung: Mirae Ki Cho & Mirae Cho Geup Champions

One of the weekend’s biggest highlights was the Mirae Ki Cho Hyung and Mirae Cho Geup Hyung competitions. These prestigious events brought together the top form competitors from each age division, culminating in a showcase round performed in front of a packed audience and our UMKS Founder, CSJKJN Sungjin Su.

About the Mirae Ki Cho Hyung Competition

Ki Cho Hyung is the first form new students learn in Kuk Sool, serving as a foundational building block for all future forms. It introduces essential movements, principles, and coordination that remain relevant throughout a martial artist's journey. At its core, a successful performance of this form demonstrates five key principles:

Eyes – bright and focused
Mind – calm and centered
Hands – fast and controlled
Kicks – slow and precise
Stances – low and stable

In recent years, CSJKJN Sungjin Su expanded Ki Cho Hyung beyond its original six parts by introducing Parts 7 and 8, adding depth and challenge to this fundamental form.

The Mirae Ki Cho Hyung competition challenged students to perform Parts 4 through 8 with a high level of precision, balance, control, and coordination. This format was designed not only to test technical ability, but to highlight each student’s understanding of form principles and their dedication to the art.

Mirae Ki Cho Hyung – Color Belt Finalists

Makai Dimalanta (Burlingame MartialArts, Burlingame, CA) – 8 & Under
Allyssa Chung (Burlingame Martial Arts, Burlingame, CA) – 9–12
Aidan Bonfante (Burlingame Martial Arts, Burlingame, CA) – 13–17
Danielle Starkweather (Vitality Martial Arts, Woodland, CA) – 18+

Overall Color Belt Winner: DBN Danielle Starkweather (Vitality Martial Arts, Woodland, CA)

Mirae Ki Cho Hyung – Black Belt Finalists

Dustin Nguyen (Burlingame Martial Arts, Burlingame, CA) – 9–12
Justin Eng (Burlingame Martial Arts, Burlingame, CA) – 13–15
Jordan Patton (Menlo Park Martial Arts, Menlo Park, CA) – 15–17
KSN Adrienne Nguyen (Burlingame Martial Arts, Burlingame, CA) – 18–29
KSN Judith Syme (Evolution Martial Arts, Scotland) – 30+

Overall Black Belt Winner: KSN Adrienne Nguyen (Burlingame Martial Arts, Burlingame, CA)

About the Mirae Cho Geup Hyung Competition

Cho Geup Hyung is the second form students learn in Kuk Sool, typically introduced at the Yellow Belt level. While it builds upon the foundational skills and concepts introduced in Mirae Ki Cho Hyung, this form presents new challenges that encourage growth in agility, coordination, and technique.

To elevate the form further, CSJKJN Sungjin Su introduced an extension to Cho Geup Hyung that includes a new jump kick and several advanced hand strikes. These additions not only enhance the form's complexity but also provide students with an opportunity to push their physical and mental limits.

In the Mirae Cho Geup Hyung competition, students performed both the traditional sequence and the extended section, showcasing their ability to execute transitions, maintain precision, and demonstrate control, timing, and strength throughout the form. This event highlights each competitor’s progress as they move beyond the basics and begin to develop a deeper expression of Kuk Sool movement.

Mirae Cho Geup Hyung – Color Belt Finalists