--Old video--
☆☆ I think I believe I have discovered the inspiration for SNK in their creation of my favorite character Kim Kaphwan (金家藩 / 김갑환).
It should be no other than a man called Hwang Jang Lee (黃正利 / 황정리), a real-life Taekwondo master whose martial arts prowess, as quoted from a source, "has earned him a genuine fame among martial arts aficionados, especially due to the fact that he fought almost only with his legs, earning him nicknames such as 'King of the Legfighters'".
Notice that Kim hardly uses his hands and is a taekwondo practitioner of high standing as well.
And while both men are definitely of right character it is also possible that SNK imbued Kim's sense of morality from the traditional Chinese school of martial arts including that of the Shaolin (少林) for their joint emphasis on training not just for basic self-defense and mental buildup but more importantly, as a system of ethics that is called "Martial Morality" (Wude 武 德) - although in Kim's adaptation it is often overly-exaggerated and used as a means of comic interaction with his wayward disciples Chang and Choi.
While the members of Team Japan speak their language as usual (though it is hardly noticeable here cos I almost always hit them before they could really mutter anything :P :P)...
Kim Kaphwan finally speaks his moves and speeches in Hangul (Korean!!!)
He fights on his native Korean soil too! Chosun Spirit full-on!!!
金家藩 (what the Koreans call Hanja) - His name in Han Chinese characters (still used by the older generation of Koreans today)
김갑환 (what the Koreans call Hangul) - His name in Hangul (used by most of the younger generation of Koreans today)
Using the keyboard at Level 8 I make short work of them (they are the third opponents) getting 2/3 Perfect.
And even though I don't know Koreans and Hangul very well but I've always felt that fighting characters of various nationalities and races should speak their mother language.
Because the company that makes this game is now under a Korean company Eolith they made sure that Kim was at least somewhat restored to his former glory (ie KOF '98), removed Jhun Hoon (a right decision to make) and hired Korean voice actors for him and his Korean teammates May Lee, Chang Koehan and Choi Bounge.
Similarly, if a Chinese company took over the direction of this series Chinese voice actors will be found for Sie Kensou, Chin Gentsai, Duo Lon, Shen Woo, and Bao, AND, they would be given more moves and combos (some of them restored), that truly would have shown the world what Chinese Kungfu blended with psychic powers would really be in.
Of course, when SNK regrouped as SNK Playmore and regained the rights to KOF the Japanese market was once again prioritized over the other regions, and all their characters are voiced once again in Japanese.
Xenophobic domestic sentiment and foreign apathy seemed to have mostly prevailed over any will or desire towards authenticity these days, that's why such inaccuracies persist, are loved and tolerated, and continue to be masqueraded as the truth.
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2:30King of Fighters 拳皇 '96 - Kim Kaphwan Vs Kim Te...by SeventhSun13,629 views
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