Hapkido in the movies? You bet. Some of the best fight scenes on the big screen have been inspired by Hapkido. Following are some of those flicks and the martial artists who appeared in them. You can click the smaller images to view larger ones. Please use the "back" button of your browser to return.

Billy Jack 1971 Bong Soo Han (see below) doubled for star Tom Laughlin in the film's memorable fight scene. Billy Jack tells the town's bad guy, "You know what I think I'm gonna do then? Just for the hell of it? I'm gonna take this right foot, and I'm gonna whop you on that side of your face, and you wanna know something? There's not a damn thing you're gonna be able to do about it."

Hapkido 1972 A hard-to-find classic starring Angela Mao Ying, Carter Wong, Sammo Hung, Ji Han Jae, Whang In-shik, and Jackie Chan, back when he was just a stuntman. Haven't heard of Hapkido? Don't feel bad -- it was released in the west as Lady Kung Fu, to capitalize on the popularity of Kung Fu flicks.

When Taekwondo Strikes 1973 Another classic starring Angela Mao Ying and Carter Wong, who became a very successful action team. Jhoon Rhee, considered the father of Tae Kwon Do in the US, plays one of the leads. Legendary Hapkidoist Whang In-shik plays a Japanese villain. Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao also appear.

Game of Death 1978 Bruce Lee's final big screen appearance featured a fight scene with Hapkido Grandmaster Ji Han Jae.

Bong Soo Han, 1931- Although Bong Soo Han has appeared in only a handful of films, he has made his mark on action movies. He choreographed the thumb fight scene in The Presidio (1988), in which Sean Connery warns a barroom thug, "Now, are you sure you want to fight me? Because I'm only going to use my thumb. My right thumb; the left one's much too strong for you."

Bong Soo Han On the set of Billy Jack (1971) with Tom Laughlin. After the success of the first film, Laughlin cast Bong Soo Han as "Master Han" in The Trial of Billy Jack (1974).

Ji Han Jae, 1936- Pictured with Bruce Lee in Game of Death (1978). One of the highest ranking hapkido masters in the world, Grandmaster Ji was once the personal bodyguard and head of security for South Korean president Park Chung-hee.

Whang In-shik, 1940- Whang In-shik began learning Hapkido from founder Choi Yong Sool at the age of thirteen. Whang's movie credits include Hapkido (1972), Way of the Dragon (1972), When Taekwondo Strikes (1973), and The Young Master (1982). He runs Eagle Hapkido school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Jackie Chan, 1954- The number-one action star in the world, pictured here in Supercop (1992), got his firt black belt in Hapkido.

Sammo Hung, 1952- Actor, director, stuntman Sammo Hung has been a staple of Chinese cinema for decades. He also starred in the television series Martial Law (1998-2000). Like many of his peers, he learned Hapkido from Whang In-shik.

Angela Mao Ying, 1950- The first lady of the Hong Kong action movies was an accomplished Hapkidoist. She is pictured here in Enter the Dragon (1973).

Carter Wong Ka Tat, 1947- Pictured here in Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Carter Wong co-starred in several action pictures with Angela Mao Ying. Wong also served as a martial arts instructor for the Royal Hong Kong Police Department.

Sources:

• Hong Kong Movie Database
• Internet Movie Database
• Bootmasters Homepage!