General Gyebaek is featured in a 2011 South Korean period drama television series of the same name, starring Lee Seo-jin, Jo Jae-hyun, Oh Yeon-soo, and Song Ji-hyo. It aired on MBC from July 23 to November 22, 2011
Ge-Baek is one of three 1st degree black belt forms used in ITF-style taekwondo. Ge Baek is named after General Ge Baek a renowned general in the Baekje dynasty (660 C.E.). This pattern's 44 movements are intended to reflect the General's severe military discipline.
General Ge Baek was leader of the army near the end of the Baekje Dynasty. Very little is known about his personal life, such as his birth place or even the year of his birth. When the united forces of Silla and Tang invaded Baekje in 660 C.E., General Ge Baek organised 5,000 soldiers to fight back. He knew that his army would be outnumbered and that his efforts, regardless of the skills and bravery of his troops, were ultimately futile, however he did not hesitate to try and defend his country. He is reported to have said: I would rather die than be a slave of the enemy.
With defeat inevitable, before going into the Battle of Hwangsanbeol, General Ge Baek killed his wife and children to prevent them falling into enemy hands and being tortured; it is said he also wanted to prevent the thought of them influencing his actions or causing him to falter in the heat of battle. In the early stages, his forces won a number of key battles, but he was forced to move his troops to protect the Baekje capital, Buyeo, from Silla General Kim Yu-Shin. Ge Baek's forces fought bravely but were ounumbered 10 to 1 and in the end, he and his men were completely defeated.
The remaining Baek Je army joined forces with Koryo province to attack Silla and were eventually driven back, with the Silla province receiving aid from the Chinese Tang Dynasty. This signified the end of the Baekje Dynasty after 678 years.
Video[]
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Diagram[]
Written Instructions[]
The lines of Gae-Baek (student view)
Here on this wiki, the wording used to describe this form deviates from the conventional wording historically used to describe the form. This was done to facilitate wiki-style links to the names of associated techniques. To view the conventional wording, see ITF Forms Summary Description.
- Ready Posture: Parallel Ready Stance
- 1. Step the right foot toward C into a Right L-Stance (i.e, left foot forward) facing D. X-Knifehand Checking Block to D.
- 2. Execute a Right Low Twisting Kick to D, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 1.
- Perform 3 and 4 in a fast motion:
- 3. Lower the right foot to D into a Right Walking Stance facing D. Right Middle Punch to D.
- 4. Execute a Left Middle Punch to D, while maintaining a Right Walking Stance facing D.
- Perform 5 and 6 in a continuous motion:
- 5. Step the right foot toward C into a Left Walking Stance facing D. Left Rising Block.
- 6. Execute a Left Low Block to D, while maintaining a Left Walking Stance facing D.
- 7. Execute a Double Arc-Hand High Block to AD, while looking through the arc-hands and maintaining a Left Walking Stance facing D.
- 8. Turn the face toward D, pulling the right foot into a right Bending Ready Stance Type A toward D.
- Perform 9 and 10 in a connecting motion:
- 9. Lower the left foot to AD to form a Sitting Stance facing AC. Scooping Block to AC with the left palm.
- 10. Execute a Right Middle Punch to AC, while maintaining a Sitting Stance facing AC.
- 11. Execute a Left Backfist Strike to AC, while maintaining a Sitting Stance facing AC.
- 12. Move the right foot on line AB and then step the left foot toward C into a Right L-Stance (i.e, left foot forward) facing C. Middle Knifehand Guarding Block to C.
- 13. Execute a Low, to-the-side, Left Front Snap Kick to C, keeping the position of the hands as they were in 12.
- 14. Lower the left foot to C into a Left Low Stance facing C. Left High Horizontal Fingertip Thrust (spearhand) to C.
- 15. Execute a right High Horizontal Fingertip Thrust (spearhand) to C, while maintaining a Left Low Stance facing C.
- 16. Execute a Left Middle Side Piercing Kick to C, while, pulling both hands in toward the body.
- 17. Lower the right foot to C into a Right L-Stance (i.e, left foot forward) facing D. Middle Guarding Block to D.
- 18. Step the right foot toward D turning counterclockwise to form a Right L-Stance (i.e, left foot forward) facing C. Middle Guarding Block to C.
- 19. Step the left foot toward D turning counterclockwise to form a Right L-Stance (i.e, left foot forward) facing D. Middle Knifehand Guarding Block to D.
- 20. Move the left foot on line CD to form a Sitting Stance facing A. Right 9-Shaped Block.
- 21. Step the right foot toward D, turning counter-clockwise to form a Left Walking Stance facing C. Left Knifehand Low Block to C.
- Perform 22 and 23 in a fast motion:
- 22. Execute a Middle Turning Kick to BC and then lower the foot to C.
- 23. Execute a Right Flying Side Kick to C.
- 24. Land to C to form a Right Walking Stance facing C. High Twin Fist Vertical Punch to C.
- 25. Execute a Double Arc-Hand High Block to AC, while looking through the arc-hands, maintaining a Right Walking Stance facing C.
- 26. Execute a Left Uppercut to C, while maintaining a Right Walking Stance facing C.
- 27. Move the right foot on line CD, forming a Left Walking Stance facing D. Right Elbow Target Strike into the left palm.
- 28. Jump to D, forming a Right X-Stance (cross stance) facing BD. high block to D.
- Perform 29 and 30 in a connecting motion:
- 29. Step the left foot toward BC to form a Sitting Stance facing BD. Scooping Block to BD with the right palm.
- 30. Execute a Left Middle Punch to BD, while maintaining a Sitting Stance facing BD.
- 31. Execute a Right Backfist Strike to BD, while maintaining a Sitting Stance facing BD.
- 32. Step the left foot toward C, forming a Left Walking Stance facing C. Right High Ridgehand Front Strike to C.
- 33. Step the left foot toward A about half a shoulder width. Right Middle Turning Kick to C.
- 34. Lower the right foot to C, and then turn counter-clockwise to form a Left Walking Stance facing D. High Twin Fist Vertical Punch to D.
- 35. Execute a Right Middle Knuckle-Fist Punch to D, bringing the left side first in front of the right shoulder, while into a Right L-Stance (i.e, left foot forward) facing D.
- 36. Step the right foot toward D to form a Sitting Stance facing B. Left 9-Shaped Block.
- Perform 37 and 38 in a continuous motion:
- 37. Execute a Low Ridgehand Guarding Block to C, while maintaining a Sitting Stance facing B.
- 38. Execute a Low Guarding Block to D, while maintaining a Sitting Stance facing B.
- 39. Step the left foot toward D in a stomping motion to form a Sitting Stance facing A. Outer Forearm W-Shaped Block.
- 40. Step the left foot toward C in a stomping motion to form a Sitting Stance facing B. Outer Forearm W-Shaped Block.
- 41. Step the right foot toward C into a Right Walking Stance facing C. Right Rising Block.
- 42. Execute a Left Middle Punch to C, while maintaining a Right Walking Stance facing C.
- 43. Move the right foot on line AB into a Left Walking Stance facing D. Left Rising Block.
- 44. Execute a Right Middle Punch to D, while maintaining a Left Walking Stance facing D.
- End: Bring the foot back to the ready position.
Black Belt Forms[]
The ITF-style Black Belt forms are:
- Kwang-Gae (39 movements) - 1st dan
- Po-Eun (36 movements) - 1st dan
- Ge-Baek (44 movements) - 1st dan
- Eui-Am (45 movements) - 2nd dan
- Choong-Jang (52 movements) - 2nd dan
- Juche (45 movements) - 2nd dan / Ko-Dang* (39 movements) - 2nd dan
- Sam-Il (33 movements) - 3rd dan
- Yoo-Sin (68 movements) - 3rd dan
- Choi-Yong (46 movements) - 3rd dan
- Yon-Gae (49 movements) - 4th dan
- Ul-Ji (42 movements) - 4th dan
- Moon-Moo (61 movements) - 4th dan
- So-San (72 movements) - 5th dan
- Se-Jong (24 movements) - 5th dan
- Tong-Il (56 movements) - 6th dan
Forms no longer used:
* Ko-Dang is an older form, replaced with Juche. Ko-Dang is still taught in some schools however.
U-Nam is an ITF/Chang Hon-style form that appears only in the 1959 edition of Choi Hong Hi's Tae Kwon Do Teaching Manual.
References[]
The primary reference is:
The following websites are also particularly good online references for ITF-style taekwondo: