The Hwa Rang Do system as taught by Master Kim Myung Man emerged from his vast and comprehensive exposure to a wide range of styles, techniques and principles during the 1960s and 1970s. Much of the material was explicitly transmitted to elite groups set up within the Korean military during this time, and as such is fairly heterogenous. Master Kim led one such elite group.
Nobody really knows the details of any bare hands arts used by the original Hwa Rang from Silla (southern end of Korea), or indeed the rest of Korea. There are known influences from a mix of Chinese styles and in C20, from Japanese Karate.
There is no formal connection between the Australian Hwa Rang Do Academy, and the World Hwa Rang Do Association (Joo Bang Lee's organisation). The material indeed is very similar (as explained here), but this does not imply any direct lineages, commonality of principles or business practices. Both Grand Master Lee's style and the Australian Hwa Rang Do Academy pay homage to the spirit of the original Hwa Rang.
The most recent developments and concentration of martial technique appears to come from a collective of specialised Military elites in Korea during the last 40 years. While normal bare hands training for soldiers was aimed at simple competencies and preparation for combat (where the soldier was expendable), the elite groups sepnd most of their time researching and concentrating the material which was available in Korea and from Japan, China and Okinawa. Both internal and external technques, as well as Eastern and Western medicine and psychology were part of the project.
The normal "Basic Training" styles of Tae Kwon Do emerged from the basic training of normal soldiers (ie, military training, 10 week "boot camp", and daily drills). More advanced styles with longer, and ongoing training, were developed and fostered to cover a much greater breadth of technique and refinement of technique to much higher levels (eg, Hap Ki Do, Hwa Rang Do, Kuk Sool Won, some parts of Tang Soo Do, and other lesser known arts). In the military, these were not provided to general ranks, but only to specialist squads (commandos, body guards, and other elite roles). The re-formulation of these styles into some military themes extended over the 1960s and 1970s.
The history of Hapkido is fairly well documented (Choi learnt Daito Ryu Jiu Jitsu from Takeda sensei, and subsequently some Tae Kyon kicking was added. After this beginning, more material, mainly of Chinese origin broadened the system (both internally and externally). Additional material came from other styles including Southern Mantis, parts of Shaolin, some internal styles, etc. Some Korean "Hap Ki Do" instructors were primarily Judo (Yudo) experts with some additional locks and kicks. Some were mainly TKD stylists who added extra skills.
Naturally, there was some fertilisation of basic Tae Kwon Do from the more 'complete' styles, but since students in the "basic" styles were grounded in the basics of the simplified material, they tended to specialise in that, rather then broaden their base. Indeed, the simplification meant that a high level of skill was possible in a shorter timeframe. Inclusion of Tae Kwon Do into the school system and as a competition sport saw a development of Sport Tae Kwon Do, which omitted many aspects including throws and locks, vital point work, Ki training, and finishing techniques - in many styles, the knowledge of more dangerous material was restricted to 5th Dan and above. For some individuals, this is exactly what they want, and no loss what so ever. For others, the quest is for both mastery, and something beyond the current repertoire.
Tom Osborn.