ABOUT HWA RANG KWAN
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The purpose of Hwa Rang Kwan is to develop mind and body harmony, and by doing so achieve perfection of the human spirit.
Hwa Rang Kwan is the oldest Korean martial arts center on the West Coast. The school was founded in San Francisco in May 1965, when Rev. Chung Ryul Song gave the name to the Korean Youth Group on Polk Street that was run by the former Korean Association President Min Hwi Rhee. At the same time, the young
Master Dong Kie Shin opened a Hwa Rang Kwan dojang (studio) in the Miadong district of Seoul, Korea.
In 1971 Master Shin arrived in San Francisco, and he continued his training at the Polk Street Hwa Rang Kwan studio. Eventually Master Shin became a 9th Dan Grand Master, and he opened several more schools under the Hwa Rang Kwan banner. The downtown San Francisco school moved several times over the years, and in November 2001, now under the ownership and management of
Master Steve Rapport, it relocated to its present location in SOMA.
The school is a beautiful two-storey, 4,500sq ft building located South of Market at 371 5th Street, on the corner of 5th and Clara, between Folsom and Harrison
(map).
The main floor has a 1200 sq ft workout area equipped with state-of-the-art Swain Olympic Judo mats, and a wall of full-length mirrors. The mat is clear-span and pillar-less, with exceptionally high ceilings and plenty of natural light. We have two restrooms and a shower downstairs, and also some gym equipment: an exercise bike, a treadmill, a set of dumb bells and a multi-gym.
Upstairs, we have a second gym, approximately 600 sq ft, and another rest room. This gym is a sunny, light and airy room with Swain floor mats and three full-length, Thai-style heavy bags. Students also use this gym to workout on their own, stretch, practice, and pound the bags!
There is in fact a third workout space, located next to the Kickboxing gym; this 600 sq ft mezzanine area is the home of Master Ken Craig's
Triangle TaeKwon Do Club.
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