How Did the Koreans Change Sabre Fencing? 

This video kind of veered off in a funny direction and didn't really answer the question in the title. I tried to include clips from many different Korean fencers* (I think at least 5 different Kims lol) to give a good taste of k-sabre.

Thanks for the vid! I’d expand a bit and say that after the shortened lockout time circa 2004, referees stopped calling any attack in preparation if one fencer was moving forward and the other backwards. The implicit logic was that if both lights were on, meaning both fencers hit within 1 tenth of a second, then the attack must have been initiated on time. That was refereeing’s biggest mistake, because it tied the definition of an attack to the lights.

My coach once said their absurd flexibility and athleticism completely changed the game. And because of those attributes, they were able to start quickly in the box while still maintaining control.

Loved your video. That being said, I'm not sure about 'athletes being able to train from very young age' part, since most fencers in RoK take up the sport while in middle school. Compared to those from other countries, this is a fairly late age to start. Fortunately, the fencing infrastructure in RoK has improved a lot since 2012, but we may be a generation away from really seeing the effects- world cadets and juniors went very well for Korea, but they gotta sustain that a bit more into years after that since few major national teams were away then.

Except it’s misleading to suggest there’s some turbocharged, national support infrastructure in place in Korea for the sport. Utterly false. There’s some funding available but those are relatively recent and came about only because the Koreans started doing well in world competitions, not the other way around, the funding itself is modest (archery, taekwondo, short track speed skating for example all enjoy funding literally orders of magnitude larger than fencing) and I assure you fencing of any variation is not in any shape or form known, enjoyed or popular in Korea. An excellent, thought provoking video marred by a ridiculous conclusion.

Well that last bit...Koreans start training from very young age -> that's true, but I am not sure if they receive a whole lot of "State Support". Our National team selection is going on rn, but there's no broadcast of any kind(well except for the teams finals for male and female saber). Our national saber team coach was fired few years ago because of the loooooong history of misconduct including illegally obtaining prize money from his athletes, and KFF doesn't seem to promote fencing as a whole that much even now when the whole country has realized how well our fencers doing in the international events. It's a whole lot more of our fencers' sacrifice that made Korean saber great, rather than the "State Support".

Ksabre changed fencing by making it more athletic, which I think is waaaaaay more exciting for (and improved) sabre, even though it (along with the various timing changes) introduced a host of problems (defense nerfed, lots of simultaneous calls, FIE experiments with the rules, etc, fencers purposely falling over...).

I really wish fencing would do a complete remake, and change the car antennas into something that has some resemblance to the weapons the categories are named after. Oh, and only give points for hits with edge and point.

It shows how much the rules and the directors influence the action. While physical training is greatly improved than previous generations, the current level of speed and aggression reminds me much more of Saber competition when the fleche was still allowed. I'm thinking specifically of Jarek Koniusz and Uri Gelman.

You're killing it man! Great work!!! I remember watching Won literally run Limbach over in the the 2010 WCH. I thought, finally the slow, refs punishing everything saber, take advantage of op's hand hold or footfall was over but little did I know they would f things up in 2016. Best era was 2010 to 2016.

did the Koreans change sabre fencing or did they capitalize on the changes that were inevitably happening anyway?

I fenced foil in college, in the day when foil was electric but sabre was still judged. I can still follow foil right of way reasonably well, but I was completely lost watching sabre at this last Olympics!

2:15

Great video but a bit disappointing in that I was expecting a review of the masterminds(trainers) behind the Korean Sabre revolution and why did they came up with these new ideas/ways

OH sanguk is genuinely going to be one of the GOATS in sabre fencing

Having been an éppée fencer some 20 years ago with not a lot of admiration of sabre back then, I have to say... this is what I call fencing... the attack at

I wish you would do these types of videos for foil and epée. I really enjoyed this

Okay, definitely seeing some influences from sport Taekwondo. The emphasis on mobility and staying light on your feet (hence the bouncing), as well as increased emphasis on mixups to create openings.

Is it just me or are a lot of the long lunge attacks in the video scoring on the remise after the foot lands? Not exactly sure how that helps when they're belting their way down the piste at you but something to note.

Best fencing channel on RU-vid. How does this not get more views? lol