Place, about 30 years ago during an IIC in Northern Argentina
An student asked:
Can you tell to the General to show us his favorite tul and to perform it, please?
I replied: “That is not a question; please sit down …”
Then, the General asked me: What did he say? and I replied, “Nothing important, General …”
The General insisted: Héctor, what did he say? (As if he understood the question, although he did not speak Spanish).
I replied with my head down: the student asked if you can show your favorite tul.
The General replied, “Of course! Right now.”
I was shocked, and my face must have been indescribable.
The General walked up to the center of the area where we were, stands in one leg position (Waebal Sogi, One leg stance), and remains immobile for at least 30 seconds.
He said, “this is my preferred tul, the balance, and balance between my body and my mind.”
After a big applause, we all learned the meaning of the position on one leg (One Leg Stance, Waebal Sogi), and I, who was the one who applauded the most, returned my soul to my body.
Another memorable moment was in 1981 during the 3rd World Championship, in Chaco, Argentina.
At that time, the General was considered a communist by the propaganda of South Korea, and of course, the Embassy in Buenos Aires also.
We were in the lobby of the hotel in Resistencia (Chaco), just leaving for the tournament when suddenly we saw three Koreans entering dressed in suits.
Immediately I asked to GM Dacak: Do you know who they are?
He replied, “No, and they have weapons on their waists,” which I was able to confirm quickly.
Immediately we made a kind of shield in front of General.
GM Dacak, GM Trajtenberg and myself, facing the Koreans, and asking them to leave from the hotel (luckily there were many people in the lobby) and without a word they turned and left.
Even today, we do not know what the real intention was without following him and informing the Embassy or something else, but the General called us and said: “You just saved my life.”
Many years later (more precisely 18 years later, 1 plus 8 = 9, coincidence?) in 1999 at the ITF Congress in Argentina, at the opening of it, the General said, “Do you know why I am here today? And continued saying: “Because in 1981, those three people saved my life (undoubtedly, some representatives of Congress will remember this story).
These are some of “my moments” with General Choi.
Massive presentation of “Taekwon-Do Adapted” organized by ATRA.
GM, Thank you very much for sharing these incredible stories of history with Gen Choi. I thoroughly enjoy hearing them Sir.
Impressive and some moments to really care about. Thank you for sharing, GrandMaster
Thank you for sharing GM, these are instances in the history of ITF Taekwon-Do that you are ensuring will not be forgotten. For that all of us students of ITF should be thankful to you.
Thank you Grand Master Marano for sharing such interesting stories about Genera Choi. It was such a privilege to have known him and these stories keep his memory alive.
I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you GM.
Gracias GM Marano por compartir estos momentos. Se que durante todo este tiempo hay muchos mas momentos con el General Choi que deberiamos conocer. Un abrazo Maestro