A Study on the Utilization of Subak (手搏) by the Joseon Chako-Gapsa and Its Connection to Northern Hunting Body Culture: Focusing on International Branding Strategies for Traditional Martial Arts

This study investigates the historical and anthropological convergence between the institutional use of Subak (traditional Korean martial arts) in the military examinations for Chako-Gapsa (elite tiger-hunting soldiers of the Joseon Dynasty) and the oral testimonies of Kim Hak-cheon, the last practitioner of the Subak-chum (Subak Dance), which reflects the physical grappling traditions of northern hunters around Mount Baekdu. Moving away from conventional perspectives that restrict Subak to a primitive folk game or a mere precursor to modern Taekwondo or Taekkyon, this paper elucidates its identity as a tactical military system and a mechanism for survival in rugged mountain terrains. Furthermore, this study proposes a globalization strategy to brand Subak as a unique "Northeast Asian Northern Body Culture," establishing a competitive edge in the global martial arts heritage sector and facilitating its integration into international registries such as UNESCO and global open-access repositories (OER).