Head protector

The head protector (호면, homyeon; hanja 護面) is the part of kumdo protective gear (호구, hogu) that guards the head and neck. The 호구 has four pieces: the 호면, the 호완 (howan, which protects the hands), the 갑 (gap, which protects the torso) and the 갑상 (gapsang, which protects the waist and lower abdomen).

Parts and features

• The face area is a metal grille, called 면금 (myeongeum), which stops the bamboo sword (죽도, jukdo) from reaching the face. A Korean author describes it as the most important part for safety, and says it is made of titanium or duralumin.
• The gap between the sixth and seventh bars from the top is wider than the rest. This gap should sit at eye level when the protector is worn.
• A part hangs below the grille to protect the throat from thrusts.
• The padding of the 호면 is thicker than that of the 호완 and the 갑상, because it protects the head.
• It protects the face and the front of the head, but not the back.

Wearing it

• The order for putting on the gear is 갑상, 갑, 호면, then the left and right 호완. A towel or cloth goes on the head before the 호면. It absorbs sweat and softens part of the impact.
• The face goes in chin first, and the cords are tightened so the protector fits snugly against the head. One manual says the cord ends should be no more than 40 cm from the knot.
• It advises leaving some room around the ears to prevent eardrum damage.

Origin

According to the Korean Wikipedia, a prototype of the protective gear existed in the mid-17th century, and the modern form was established in the Meiji era.