In 1960, the martial way of Hwa Rang Do was brought to the public when Dr. Joo Bang Lee, the Founder of Hwa Rang Do, began teaching the skills he learned in the mountains of Korea to students in Seoul. This marked the return of the ancient Hwarang skills to the public. From this time to the present day, Hwa Rang Do has spread all throughout the world, impacting thousands of people who have benefited from the physical and mental framework provided in this traditional martial system.

As the progression and development from the original land of Korea has occurred over the past 40 plus years, there still exists quite a connection to the birthplace of this system for present day practitioners. In the distance past of Korea, the Hwarang warriors walked, studied, and bled across the Korean peninsula. The many mountains, rivers, and other places of natural beauty played a role in shaping the perspective and philosophy of these ancient warriors. Just as the terrain lead to the development of specific battle tactics and combat skills, the land also inspired the character and personal development that occurred within. To step on this land, to walk where the Hwarang ancestors walked, to see the horizons, to breath the air, and to sit in the presence of that land of the morning calm, one cannot help but resonate with the values, principles, and actions that occurred in years' past, as well as yearn for their implementation in the present and future.

In August 2004, Hwa Rang Do practitioners throughout the world returned to the homeland of Korea - the birthplace of Hwa Rang Do!

The following pages contain the highlights of travels and experiences for the many individuals that converged in this historic land. Note: For those of you who attended the trip and have not yet submitted your pictures to the collected archive please email koreatrip@hwarangdo.com for information on how to submit them. There is also an ongoing collection of testimonials that is held here on this site. Please click the above link for further information and add your comments!

This trip was an amazing experience! Truly an eye opening and unforgettable experience for those who participated. We hope to see you all back in Korea on the next trip!

We hope you enjoy the many pictures shown here and stay ready for the video galleries coming soon!