Hyung are the formal patterns at the heart of Soo Bahk Do and Tang Soo Do — choreographed sequences of blocks, strikes, and stances that preserve the art’s techniques and principles. A practitioner learns progressively more advanced hyung as they move through the ranks, from the foundational Ki Cho forms to the advanced forms developed by Moo Duk Kwan founder Hwang Kee. This guide maps the complete system and links to a detailed breakdown of each form.

What Is a Hyung?

A hyung (형) is a prearranged pattern of movements practiced against imaginary opponents — the Korean equivalent of the Japanese kata. The Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji, the oldest documentation of Korean martial arts, describes their purpose this way:

“Performing with hands and feet and conditioning the body is the beginning of the study of the art of Soo Bahk. In actual combat, form does not seem in an obvious way to be a necessary part of the martial arts. However practicing forms perfects the ability to perform hand and foot techniques freely. This is fundamental to making the best use of one’s body at all times.”

In Moo Duk Kwan tradition, a hyung is a form of moving meditation that develops Weh Gong (external power), Neh Gong (internal power), and Shim Gong (mental and spiritual focus) through sincere effort and repetition. Hyung also preserve the art as it is passed down from instructor to student.

Each form has its own character, built from twelve elements defined by founder Hwang Kee: Form Sequence, Power Control, Tension and Relaxation, Speed and Rhythm Control, Direction of Movements, Spirit or Attitude, Power of Technique, Understanding Form Technique, Distinctive Features of the Form, Perfect Finish, Precision of Movements, and Intentness. Learning a hyung is not simply memorizing choreography — it’s about internalizing the nature and character of the form.

The Hyung of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan

The Moo Duk Kwan curriculum organizes hyung into several sets, each introduced at a particular stage of training. Some trace back to classical Okinawan and Chinese sources; others were created by Hwang Kee himself as the art matured.

Forms Unique to Soo Bahk Do

Chil Sung Hyung (set of 7) — Created by Hwang Kee beginning in 1952 and released primarily in the 80s and 90s. Chil Sung is a synthesis of Hwang Kee’s training history — Shaolin Long Fist, Tai Chi Chuan, and Tang Soo Do — with later techniques (such as Ta Ko Shik and Yo Shik) drawn from the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji after its 1957 discovery. Hwang Kee called this blended approach Choong Gan Ryu, the “Middle Way.” Named for the seven stars of Ursa Minor — the North Star among them, historically used to guide travelers — the forms serve as a guide to the essence of Soo Bahk Do itself. → Background of Chil Sung Hyung
Yuk Ro Hyung (set of 6) — The Kwon Bup section of the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji describes a list of 6 martial arts methods called Yuk Ro. Hwang Kee interpreted these methods into six forms. Tan Tui also had a significant influence on these forms.
Ship Dan Khum Hyung (set of 10) — Ship Dan Khum was classified alongside Yuk Ro from the same Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji source material: thirty-five training methods and eighteen types of footwork, organized into six paths (Yuk Ro) and ten level exercises (Ship Dan Khum).
Hwa Sun Hyung — Hwang Kee’s interpretation of one side of the two-person form documented in the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji.

Classical Forms (Shared with Other Korean Martial Arts)

Wasatch Martial Arts Academy also teaches the complete syllabus of hyung taught in the Moo Duk Kwan tradition. Many of these are closely related to forms taught across other martial arts systems descended from the same Okinawan and Chinese roots:

Ki Cho Hyung 1-3— the foundational basic forms.
Pyung Ahn Hyung 1-5—(also known as Pinan or Heian)
Naihanji Hyung 1-3 (also known as Tekki)
Bassai
Jin Do (Gankaku)
Lo Hai
Sip Soo (Jutte)
Kong Sang Koon (Kushanku)
Wang Shu
Sei San (Hangetsu)
O Sip Sa Bo (Gojushiho)
Jion

Which Forms Distinguish Soo Bahk Do from Tang Soo Do?

Tang Soo Do and Soo Bahk Do share the same classical foundation — the Ki Cho, Pyung Ahn, Bassai, Naihanji and related forms inherited from Okinawan Karate. What sets Soo Bahk Do apart are the forms Hwang Kee created himself: Chil Sung, Yuk Ro, Ship Dan Khum, and Hwa Sun.

These forms are the physical embodiment of Hwang Kee’s lifelong research — the point at which the art stopped being a Korean interpretation of imported systems and became a distinct martial art with its own body of knowledge. Understanding them is understanding the difference between the two arts.

Read the full history of how Soo Bahk Do developed from Tang Soo Do → [What Is Soo Bahk Do?]

How Forms Progress by Rank

Rank Level	Forms Introduced
White Belt	Ki Cho Hyung Il Bu, Ki Cho Hyung E Bu
Orange Belt	Ki Cho Hyung Sam Bu, Pyung Ahn Cho Dan
Green Belt	Pyung Ahn E Dan, Pyung Ahn Sam Dan, Pyung Ahn Sa Dan
Red Belt	Pyung Ahn O Dan, Bassai, Chil Sung E Ro, Naihanji Cho Dan
Cho Dan	Jin Do, Naihanji E Dan, Chil Sung Il Ro, Yuk Ro Cho Dan
E Dan	Lo Hai, Naihanji Sam Dan, Chil Sung Sam Ro, Yuk Ro E Dan
Sam Dan	Kong Sang Koon, Sip Soo, Chil Sung Sa Ro, Yuk Ro Sam Dan
Sa Dan	Wang Shu, Sei San, Chil Sung O Ro, Yuk Ro Sa Dan
O Dan	O Sip Sa Bo, Jion, Chil Sung Yuk Ro, Yuk Ro O Dan
Yuk Dan	Chil Sung Chil Ro, Yuk Ro Yuk Dan, Hwa Sun
Chil Dan through Gu Dan	Ship Dan Khum

Wasatch Martial Arts Curriculum

Frequently Asked Questions

How many forms are in Soo Bahk Do?

Soo Bahk Do includes several sets of hyung — the basic Ki Cho forms, the Pyung Ahn forms, classical forms like Bassai and Naihanji, and the Chil Sung, Yuk Ro, Ship Dan Khum, and Hwa Sun forms created by Hwang Kee — totaling roughly 44 forms across the full curriculum.

What is the first form you learn in Tang Soo Do / Soo Bahk Do?

The first form is Ki Cho Hyung Il Bu that teaches a front stance, low block, and center punch.

What’s the difference between a hyung and a kata?

They’re the same concept in different languages — “hyung” is Korean, “kata” is Japanese. Both refer to a prearranged pattern of martial techniques.

Are Soo Bahk Do and Tang Soo Do forms the same?

They share a classical core (Ki Cho, Pyung Ahn, Bassai, Naihanji, and related forms), but Soo Bahk Do adds the Chil Sung, Yuk Ro, Ship Dan Khum, and Hwa Sun forms created by Hwang Kee, which Tang Soo Do schools generally do not practice.

Who created the Chil Sung, Yuk Ro, Ship dan Khum, and Hwa Sun forms?

Hwang Kee, the founder of the Moo Duk Kwan, developed them from his lifelong study of martial arts, including his interpretation of the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji, the oldest known Korean martial arts text.

About the Author

Brian Corrales, Sa Bom is a 6th Dan (Yuk Dan #36364) and certified Sa Bom in Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan — the art’s highest teaching certification — with direct lineage to founder Hwang Kee. He serves on the USA Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Technical Advisory Committee as a member of the Ki Sul Bu. He has trained in the art for over 35 years, completed Ko Dan Ja certification through 2026, and has taught in Salt Lake City since 2007.

Want to learn these forms in depth? Detailed video instruction for each hyung is available through Digital Dojan g. Training in the Salt Lake City area? Visit Wasatch Martial Arts Academy for a free introductory class.