To Korean Readers - Between Hapkido Training and Philosophy Studies
Introduction - The Only Goal of a Modern Dancer
Another thing to remember - To put out a fire that has fallen on your feet with empty hands

I aim to be invincible

1 The goal of a martial artist is to be invincible
2 True Survival Skills
3 The essence of dance is care
4 Marriage and Hapkido
A commune called Dojo 5
6 Education is not for the learner.
7 Nationalists and Patriots

II What the head does not know, the body asks.

8 What the head does not know, the body asks.
9 My body is good with my head
10 Bricoleur's Mindset
11. Catch the player or get pushed back
12 Schools are not suitable for training
13. Education that is mired in meritocracy
14 There is no time limit in dancing.

III No meeting

15 It's better to give up halfway and live.
16 You can't know what's beyond the door unless you open it.
17 The strength to continue comes with practice.
18 Dancers do not meet
19 Writing and Dance Training
20 Become a transfer agent
21 Novelist and Dancer

IV. Learn the usefulness of trivial things.

22 The Usefulness of Fighting
23 Learn how to lose
24 The Usefulness of Aging
25 The Use of Courage
26 The Uselessness of Delusion
27 The Usefulness of Broadening the Base
28 The Usefulness of Anxiety
29 The power to perceive the unknown
30 Those who sense survive
31 Communication with the Non-Existent

+ Unusual Q&A from the Hapkido Counseling Room

The word that comes out - the meaning of 'unruly'
Translator's Note - We Already Know
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About the 'strength' most needed in a society in crisis, enlightened through philosophy, martial arts, study, and training.

A new book has been published by Tatsuru Uchida, a philosopher who has shattered the stereotypes of countless readers with works such as "The Pleasures of Ignorance" and "It's Better for Libraries to Be Empty."
Tatsuru Uchida studied French philosophy and thought for over 40 years, with French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas as his lifelong mentor.
Philosophy is the study of the fundamental principles of humanity and the world and the essence of life.
People often talk about philosophy as 'the study of a better life.'


Life is full of problems that need to be solved.
Knowledge accumulated honestly will undoubtedly help solve those problems.
Some say that wisdom is more important than knowledge.
Many people say that real studying goes beyond just studying at a desk and involves hands-on activities.
But in today's society, where we can't see even an inch ahead, there are times when knowledge, wisdom, and experience are useless.
It will be even more so in the future.
So how can we cope with the problems and crises that will come our way in the future?

Since martial arts is a means of training, it basically assumes that the enemy will attack me.
The goal of training is to develop the strength to survive in any crisis.
Tatsuru Uchida began studying philosophy and martial arts in his twenties, and discovered commonalities between the two.
Both help us develop the wisdom to sustain life and the strength to survive.
The teacher has been emphasizing this very enlightenment through his many books.
There are fundamentals in life that cannot be developed through desk-bound study alone, and there are wit and intuition that cannot be acquired through martial arts as a sport alone.
This book is a compilation of Uchida Tatsuru's "Martial Thought" and his "Martial Theory," and it conveys his own unique solutions and insights for maximizing survival in an unpredictable, crisis-ridden society.


The only goal of a modern-day dancer is care, coexistence, harmony, and love.

The topics covered in this book are not limited to martial arts.
It covers a wide range of topics, from educational issues to politics, literature, and history, and even concerns about marriage and family.
Because all of these topics can be considered 'unconventionally'.
'Invincible' means 'there are no enemies in the world', but the teacher says that the goal of training should not be to defeat all enemies in front of you.
Rather, I argue that the goal that today's martial artists should pursue is to redefine the concept of 'enemy' and thus reach a state where there is nothing in the world that can be called an 'enemy'.
In that sense, martial arts is a skill of coexisting with others, a skill of caring and love that takes the side of others and empathizes with their position.
This is why even those who are ignorant of martial arts or have built up a wall around training throughout their lives need to try ‘thinking from a martial arts perspective’ at least once.


This book is a translation of 『Martial Thought』, which was published in Japan in 2010 and has been read consistently for over 15 years. However, it includes numerous messages specifically addressed to Korean readers, including the author's preface to the Korean edition.
South Korea and Japan will celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025, but many issues remain to be resolved in their relationship.
When asked by an ordinary person who visited his hapkido studio, “How long will it take for Japan to apologize to Korea?”, he gave a clear answer of his own.
This is an example that shows that even a problem that is difficult to solve due to the complex and entangled relationships of interest can be solved simply by approaching it with a martial arts mindset.
The teacher says that martial arts thinking is the most 'rational' way of thinking.
An attitude of taking any option that increases one's chances of survival without hesitation, aiming for invincibility, doing whatever one can, and never doing anything useless.
In an age where values ​​like fairness, equality, and rationality have become so polluted that even pondering what is truly rational has become meaningless, the teacher's "dualistic thinking" will serve as the simplest yet most refreshing standard and guide.