The birth of the art of Hapkido as we know it today begins with the birth of a patriot, and visionary Korean man named Ji Han Jae.  

Ji Han Jae was born in Andong Province, South Korea. He began training in the Japanese art of Yawara under Choi Young Sul in 1949 at age 13 in Seoul, South Korea. Ji studied Yawara and what Choi had studied in Japan as Daito Ryu Aikijitsu continuously (for 7 years) with Choi until 1956.  Ji had become one of Choi's most skilled students.  He also trained with a Taoist master named “Taoist Lee” who taught Ji the art of Taek Kyun, specialized kicking, short staff and meditation practices. He concurrently trained with a Buddhist nun who he refers to as “Grandma” from whom he learned meditation and other spiritual development practices.  The young Ji also practiced the art of Samrangdo which was developed by masters during Paekcheh dynasty’s era.  This was equivalent to Silla dynasty’s Hwa-Rang Do, and the Koguryo dynasty’s Sunbido.

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Using his combined knowledge and advanced skills Ji incorporated Samrando’s kicking, Sword fighting, Short stick (Dan Bong), Long Staff (Jang Bong), Walking Cane (Ji Pang Ee Sool) and Rope/Belt (Po Bak Sool) to make a modern system of martial arts he decided to call Hapkido. One of his most favorite creations has been the spin kick which he taught to the late Bruce Lee and made famous throughout the world through the movies Ji and Bruce  played in.  This move came to Ji in meditation based on his view of the Biblical story of the Wall of Jericho.  

Soon Ji temporarily changed the name Hapkido to Kido after the first Aikido books were imported to Korea.  At that point he had no idea that there was a Japanese martial arts system called Aikido. Once he knew of Aikido, he wanted to make sure that the words don’t get entirely mixed up with his Korean Hapkido since they were both written with the same characters. This was the inception of Kidohea later on. Today, Ji Han Jae is referred to with his title "Dojunim" meaning the Founder of the art.  

In 1957, Ji opened his first Hapkido school in his hometown, Andong.  In this school, which was called Ahn Moo Kwan, he taught what Dojunim calls Yukwonsul. Nine months later in Seoul, Ji founded Songmukwan, teaching a curriculum called Hapki Yukwonsul. In 1959 he changed that curriculum’s name to Hapkido. Soon Hapkido spread throughout Korea like wildfire only to be adopted by the military, the national law enforcement, and the presidential bodyguards and the Korean secret service.  Ji Han Jae secured the prestigious position as the head of security forces, and the director of presidential bodyguards for the Korean President, Park Jung Hee until 1979.

In 1963, Ji and many of his classmates (i.e, Joo Bang Lee, Joo Sang Lee Woo, Tak Kim, In Hyuk Suh, Kwang Hwa Won, Jong Yun Kim and Suh Buk Suh) gathered in a meeting and decided to solidify the title Kido to represent what was previously called Yukwonsul, Yusul, Hapki, Hapki Yusul, Daedong Ryu, and Hapkido. They formed the Hankuk Kido Hae to serve as the public face of this newly formed alliance which was recognized by the government of Korea in 1963.
 
In 1965, Ji established Korea Hapkido Association (Daehan Hapkido Hae) with the full blessing of the Korean President Park Jung Hee.  
On May 27, 1968, Ji Han Jae was promoted to 8th Dan by Choi Yong Sul. Soon Ji’s skills were discovered by the movie industry and many producers pursued him to act in various films.  Ji appeared in many action movies as the lead actor such as Lady Kung Fu (Lady Hapkido) with prominent stars such as Angela Mao Ying, Samo Hung, and  In Shik Hwang.  Ji had a huge influence in martial arts movie industry. He appeared as a lead in the movie Hapkido, and Lady Kung Fu with Angela Mao Ying, Cater Wong, Samo Hung, and Hwang In Shik. These individuals were also his students. He appeared in the Game of Death with Bruce Lee, Dan Inosanto, and Karim Abduljabbar.

Soon Dojunim’s friend, the Great Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee (the Father of Taekwondo in America) introduced Ji to the late action film super star Bruce Lee.  Impressed by his martial arts skills, Bruce asked Ji to play a role in his movie “Game of Death” asking Ji to wear the legendary Gold Belt (considered an untouchable rank in the Chinese martial arts and theater).  

In 1973, Ji formed the Republic of Korea Hapkido Federation Daehan Hapkido Hyub Hae and reclaimed the use of Korea Hapkido Association (KHA). This was done with the full support of the Korean government.   In 1988, Korea Hapkido Federation (KHF) was established and Ji’s student Oh Se Lim became the president of the organization.  Dojunim was invited as the Chief Security officer the governement of South Korea to the United States of America to train various members of security forces.  Following Dojunim's demonstrations in the U.S he began his journey of training members of United States Secret Service, OSI, Military Units and Law Enforcement including the Presidential Body Guards.  This tradition has been continued by his student Senior Grandmaster Farshad Azad who taught members of the United States Federal Marshalls, United States Federal Law Enforcement Agents, and Specialized Units.

After the coup that overthrew President Park Jung Hee, Ji Han Jae was imprisoned for one year as the head of Blue House security forces.  In prison many of Dojunim's students and Junior ranks moved into power positions previously held by Ji Han Jae.  While a political prisoner,  Dojunim focused his energy on enhancing his martial arts knowledge and skills mentally, physically, and emotionally and to create a superior system that would later on become known as the Shinmoo (Sinmoo) Hapkido.  

In 1984, Ji moved to Germany and then immigrated to the United States of America and established Sinmoo (Shinmoo) Hapkido in California.  Shinmoo meaning the way of harmonizing energy and higher mind/spiritual martial arts. Dojunim opened multiple locations including the last location in California in the city of Pacific Grove.  Hundreds of Grandmasters, Masters, instructors and black belts as well as beginners of all styles seeking his knowledge of Shinmoo.  Dojunim held number of highly intense 7-10 days with an average of 12 hour/day training sessions for those flying in to train with him. In these setting Senior Grandmaster Azad along with his seniors helped taught many non-Shinmoo black belts from all around the world their basic to advance Shinmoo Hapkido skills.    

Dojunim’s Shinmoo grew rapidly all around the world with Gold Belt designated as the highest rank senior grandmasters in the system.  
Many of Dojunim’s top rank students moved to different parts of the world and spread Hapkido to hundreds of thousands of students.  Well known masters such as Kwang Sik Myung (president of the World Hapkido Federation), Oh Se Lim (president of the Korea Hapkido Federation), the late Bong Soo Han (president of International Hapkido Federation) are a few of such instructors.

Today, the Great Grandmaster, Dojunim Ji Han Jae is known as a living legend and the highest rank Hapkido teacher in the world with tens of thousands of students and hundreds of branch schools in every continent.  Living happily in Arizona with his wife referred to as "Samonim",  Dojumim tells us that he is incredibly excited to see more and more martial artists join and embrace the spirit of Shinmoo Hapkido.

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Dojunim has minimized his seminars and travel plans as he is well into the retirement age spending more time in Arizona, United States of America. His hope is to see serious Hapkido stylists from all martial arts systems (Hapkido or others) and countries (from all round the globe) join the MESHA family in the Middle East and Asia.  To be a legitimate Shimoo (Sinmoo) Hapkido in the Middle East and Asia you must join and receive the approval letter of Dojunim's Middle East Shinmoo Hapkido Association (MESHA).  

In that spirit, the Great Grandmaster Ji Han Jae has recently appointed Senior Grandmaster Farshad Azad, a 10th Degree Black Belt (Gold Belt) as his Special Ambassador to the area of middle east and the neighboring countries.  Mr. Azad is given the title "Chonkwan Sunsa" by Dojunim Ji Han Jae, and has been promoted to the President of the World Shinmoo Jongshindo Association (WSJA) by the Founder. 

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