What is the meaning behind the Hapkido Eagle symbol?

If you’ve ever trained Hapkido, then you will understand that there are various logos and symbols that help represent the martial art. Most Hapkido schools have their own distinct patch which is meant to show their core values. Often, these symbols will show Korean words which are due to the art originating from the country. Similarly, logos will often show pictures of the world which are again linked to Hapkido being a global art.

Whilst these symbols make sense, less is known about the reoccurring eagle that is often featured in many Hapkido logos. This bird is not on every gym’s logo, but it does feature heavily throughout the world of Hapkido. The significance of the eagle can be summarized roughly good place to start is through the Google definition which states “It signifies inspiration, release from bondage, victory, longevity, speed, pride, father and royalty; it is often an emblem for powerful nations.” Below we shall analyze why this is as well as its importance to the art

The Eagle is a key animal in Korean culture that is used to represent the country

Korea has a diverse selection of wildlife due to its broad climate. One of these animals is the Korean eagle and this particular bird is celebrated in the country. For instance, the eagle is a powerful and gracious animal that can hold its own in the animal kingdom. In short, the eagle isn’t an easy target, nor is it seen as overly aggressive. Instead, it is no pushover but is also not always a brutal creature, only when it needs to be. Because of this, Koreans often use the eagle as a mascot. This can be seen through the use of various displays of eagles in Korean media.

For instance, there is the Korean black eagle flying squad. These are similar to the UK’s famous Red Arrows and often perform technical, exciting skills and stunts in the skies. There is also the use of eagles within the Korean soccer league. The K-League has a number of teams that use eagles and birds on their badge to display their team. For example, the first-ever soccer team in the K-League was called ‘Hallelujah FC’ which featured an eagle as its logo which was also their nickname. In brief, if you look around Korean culture you are sure to find a picture of an eagle which is seen as a powerful and brave symbol.

If you look at this in the context of Korea’s recent history then this is understandable. North Korea and South Korea have been at war for years and so there’s a large element of patriotism on either side. Within this context, it makes sense that Hapkido would use the eagle to display the country of South Korea proudly. In short, the Korean eagle is linked with Korean pride and so it makes sense that it is used to show off Hapkido in all its glory.

The eagle is also famous in North America

Unlike Korean history, most people in the western world will already understand the cultural significance of the eagle in the USA. It is also a bird that is native to the country and also represents the power and integrity of the country. It’s not uncommon to see patriotic US flags displayed with pictures of eagles on them to display North American pride.

However, what does this have to do with Korea? Well, actually the two countries are united in a few different ways. For instance, South Korea and North America have long been friends since the Korean war which saw the US support the South. Even today, the USA are close allies with South Korea and the two countries have good relations with each other.
There is another, less political reason as well. The founder of Hapkido, Choi Yong-Sul visited the USA in 1982 to help spread the art that he created. Because of this, Hapkido is massively popular in the US where it is practiced by many to this day.

As a result, many of the North American Hapkido gyms also proudly display the eagle on their badges and logos. This is a sign of respect towards the origins of the art and is used to display gratitude towards Korea. However, it also makes sense from the US perspective that the eagle is also their own mascot so in that sense it has a double meaning and shows the bond between both countries.

The eagle with the arrow

Often, some badges will feature an eagle holding an arrow with its talons. This is meant to represent the swift nature of the eagle and also the danger of the arrow. As arrows are precise, this can be used to show the precision used in Hapkido with techniques such as kicks and throws. In brief, this shows the elegant nature of the animals alongside its dangerous side. This is a good representation of Hapkido which is just that. On the one hand, it can be seen as philosophical and spiritual. On the other hand, it can also be seen as a brutal form of self-defense if needed to be called upon.

Final thoughts

The eagle is an appropriate analogy for Hapkido. It helps show the strong and aggressive side of its native Korea as well as being a thing of natural beauty and grace. What also helped spread the reputation of the eagle was the introduction of the martial art to the USA which also helped popularize the art in the west whilst simultaneously ran with the eagle image. It may be part-coincidence that the USA also glamorizes the eagle as a symbol of power and nationalism. Nonetheless, the result was that the eagle became a very common image associated with Hapkido which explains the common use of the animal shown throughout the martial art.