Culture of Hamgyeong Province: A Preliminary Study on Hand-Striking Traditions, Mindung-Ssireum, and Subak

This preliminary study explores the possible relationship between the traditional body culture of Hamgyeong Province in northern Korea and the early physical practices associated with Rikidozan (1924–1963), the Korean-born wrestler who later became one of the most influential figures in Japanese professional wrestling history. Particular attention is given to oral testimonies and published remarks attributed to Rikidozan regarding hand-striking practices during his youth in Hongwon, Hamgyeongnam-do. The study examines these accounts within the broader context of traditional Korean body culture, including Subak (traditional hand-striking culture) and Mindung-Ssireum (beltless traditional wrestling historically practiced in northern Korean communities).