Ge-Baek

Quick Facts

About the kata

According to the English Wikipedia, Ge-Baek is the twelfth tul of the Chang-Hon series; Torbay Taekwondo and Weston Tae Kwon Do both place it at 1st dan. Dotaekwondo.net, Torbay Taekwondo and kidokwan.org agree on 44 movements. Per the ITF interpretation it bears the name of a great general of the Baek Je dynasty (660) and represents his strict military discipline. In ITF team patterns, according to itftkd.sport, it is the last tul that may be chosen: tuls from Chon-Ji to Ge-Baek are permitted. The tul starts in the parallel ready stance and ends by drawing the right foot back. Itftaekwondotheory.com highlights the W-shaped block W San Makgi, the nine-shaped block Gutja Makgi, the double arc-hand block Doo Bandalson Makgi, the low twisting kick Najunde Bituro Chagi and the jumping side kick Twimyo Yop Chagi. TKD Coaching calls it a powerful 44-movement tul performed at full force, gripping yet exhausting at its steady rhythm. The sources differ on tempo in only one place: dotaekwondo.net and Torbay Taekwondo both mark pairs 3–4 and 22–23 as fast and 5–6 and 37–38 as continuous, but dotaekwondo.net links only 9–10 smoothly, while Torbay Taekwondo also links 29–30.

The kata in different styles

Meaning of the name

Per Brendan Doogan (kidokwan.org), the diagram of Ge-Baek forms a character with a single vertical stroke. He admits its meaning is hard to pin down, and suspects it relates to things strong, bright and hot. He says it is easier to grasp from how it is drawn: a single powerful, uncompromising stroke. Per Doogan, the 2nd-dan tul Eui-Am also has one stroke as its diagram; we have not been able to determine from his text whether it is the same character.

Creator and history

The English Wikipedia lists the general as Kyebaek (계백, 階伯) and states he died on 20 August 660; dragonsspirit.co.nz gives 9 July that year. When in 660 some 50,000 Silla soldiers backed by 144,000 Tang troops marched into Baekje, Kyebaek faced them with only 5,000 men on the Hwangsanbeol plain. He won the first four clashes, then was outnumbered and defeated. Before the battle, per Wikipedia, he killed his wife and children so they would not fall into slavery after defeat; itftaekwondotheory.com attributes to him the words that he would rather die than be a slave of the enemy. The tul already existed in a 1965 version, listed by kidokwan.org as Kae-Baek and with the Paehchae dynasty, likewise with 44 movements. Per Wikipedia, Kim Bok-man said he had some, but far less, influence on Gye-Baek than on the fifteen tuls he created with General Choi Hong-hi between 1962 and 1964.

Technique Sequence — ITF Taekwondo

Breakdown source: dotaekwondo.net

1. #1
   Niunja SogiKyocha Sonkal Kaunde Makgi(both)
2. #2
   Bituro Chagi(R)
3. #3
   Gunnun SogiKaunde Jirugi(R)
   Fast
4. #4
   Gunnun SogiKaunde Jirugi(L)
   Fast
5. #5
   Gunnun SogiPalmok Chookyo Makgi(L)
   Continuous
6. #6
   Gunnun SogiNajunde Bakat Palmok Makgi(L)
   Continuous
7. #7
   Gunnun SogiDoo Bandalson Nopunde Makgi(both)
8. #8
   Guburyo Junbi Sogi A
9. #9
   Annun SogiSonbadak Duro Makgi(L)
10. #10
    Annun SogiKaunde Jirugi(R)
11. #11
    Annun SogiDung Joomuk Ap Taerigi(L)
12. #12
    Niunja SogiSonkal Daebi Makgi
13. #13
    Yobap Cha Busigi(L)
14. #14
    Nachuo SogiOpun Sonkut Tulgi(L)
15. #15
    Nachuo SogiOpun Sonkut Tulgi(R)
16. #16
    Yop Cha Jirugi(R)
17. #17
    Niunja SogiKaunde Palmok Daebi Makgi
18. #18
    Niunja SogiKaunde Palmok Daebi Makgi
19. #19
    Niunja SogiSonkal Daebi Makgi
20. #20
    Annun SogiGutja Makgi
21. #21
    Gunnun SogiSonkal Najunde Makgi(L)
22. #22
    Dollyo Chagi(R)
    Fast
23. #23
    Twimyo Yop Cha Jirugi(R)
    Fast
24. #24
    Gunnun SogiSang Joomuk Sewo Jirugi(both)
25. #25
    Gunnun SogiDoo Bandalson Nopunde Makgi(both)
26. #26
    Gunnun SogiSang Joomuk Dwijibo Jirugi(L)
27. #27
    Gunnun Sogi
28. #28
    Kyocha SogiNopunde Doo Palmok Makgi(both)
29. #29
    Annun SogiSonbadak Duro Makgi(R)
30. #30
    Annun SogiKaunde Jirugi(L)
31. #31
    Annun SogiDung Joomuk Ap Taerigi(R)
32. #32
    Gunnun SogiSonkal Dung Ap Taerigi(R)
33. #33
    Dollyo Chagi(R)
34. #34
    Gunnun SogiSang Joomuk Sewo Jirugi(both)
35. #35
    Niunja SogiKaunde Jirugi(R)
36. #36
    Annun SogiGutja Makgi
37. #37
    Annun SogiSonkal Dung Najunde Daebi Makgi
    Continuous
38. #38
    Annun SogiSonkal Najunde Daebi Makgi
    Continuous
39. #39
    Annun SogiBakat Palmok San Makgi
40. #40
    Annun SogiBakat Palmok San Makgi
41. #41
    Gunnun SogiPalmok Chookyo Makgi(R)
42. #42
    Gunnun SogiKaunde Jirugi(L)
43. #43
    Gunnun SogiPalmok Chookyo Makgi(L)
44. #44
    Gunnun SogiKaunde Jirugi(R)