Haehyun is a character of extremes. Her damage output is extremely high because she has ShinkenGuardMidStartup12-24Recovery24Advantage-11 (623K~1/4/7 aka Four Tigers Sword (Reverse)), a high damage, normal hit launcher that loops into itself. 2H and 6P will both combo into shinken - 2H in particular is very useful since Haehyun can gatling from 2K into 2H, which means she can connect her biggest combo tool from her fastest low.
After shinken loops, Haehyun can use her 3-hit H Tuning BallGuardAllStartup12RecoveryTotal: 48Advantage-16 to set up oppressive okizeme. Tuning Balls can be controlled simultaneously with Haehyun once they're active, and proper ball control can let Haehyun combo off her throw, her fast 5H(2) overhead, or various frame traps.
If Haehyun ever needs to block, she can rely on her extremely good 2P to mash out of pressure, or use her Enlightened 3000 Palm StrikeGuardMidStartup6+1-151Recovery41Advantage-24 (236236H) reversal super.
However, Haehyun's neutral and movement are extremely linear compared to most other characters. Her walk and run speed are slow, and her big hurtbox means she has trouble backdashing and trouble evading projectiles/pokes. j.2K and air hayabusa (j.214K) can change her air momentum, but they won't let her shortcut neutral entirely.
Haehyun's ground pokes - f.S, 5K, HayabusaGuardMidStartup13-41Recovery18Advantage-5 (214K aka Falcon Dive) - have decent range and size, but she has few options into or out of them. She struggles to make her neutral ambiguous and is often at the mercy of her opponent making a mistake. Her high effective health at least allows her to be patient and wait for a good opening.
Haehyun is slow and straightforward almost to a fault, but she has some solid defensive options that her opponents must respect - if they don't, she can easily turn the tide of a round in a single monstrous combo that sets up equally monstrous okizeme.
Kum Haehyun Kum Haehyun is a slow, balanced character with access to powerful okizeme and straightforward special moves. Kum isn't a neutral monster, but her sheer damage output and loopable setplay can turn any opening into a round win.
- Simple Neutral: 5K and f.S are straightforward pokes. If your opponent gives you space, set up a Tuning Ball.
- Pressure God(ess?): Strong, easy to use pressure and frame trap tools.
- Lots o' Damage: Extremely high damage potential. 60%+ from a single combo is not uncommon.
- Mixups: Consistent 50/50 mixups on knockdown using Tuning Ball.
- Mash-Happy Kum's 2P jab is absurdly good for mashing out of pressure.
- Controller: Can manipulate her projectiles, her air momentum, and even her opponent's position.
- Tanky: Very high effective health and very high stun.
- Unblockables: Kum has multiple unblockables that can be guaranteed with the proper setup and ball control.
- Large Body: Large hurtbox means she can be easily harassed by zoners, is vulnerable to more damaging combos, and cannot backdash well.
- Mediocre Defense: Lackluster defensive options. Her DP is not full body invulnerable.
- Mediocre Mobility: Aside from her divekick, Kum has slow and linear movement options.
- Poor Ranged Options: Haehyun's longest normals (f.S, 2D, 6H) have poor follow-up options or are outright unsafe.
Normal Moves
5P
Useful as a quick anti-air/neutral check. Works in situations where c.S won’t activate and Haehyun’s other anti-airs are too slow. Can't gatling to itself, so for abare you’ll want to look elsewhere (2P). Situational, but good.
- On air hit, Haehyun can gatling into a 5K/c.S/5H/6H depending on range and height.
- On air counter hit, Haehyun can combo into red shinken.
- Can stuff moves like Johnny 6K.
- Gatling Options: 5P, 2P, 6P, 5K, 2K, 6K, c.S, f.S, 2S, 5H, 6H, 5D, 2D
5K
Essentially a mini f.S: slightly less range, but faster startup and more active frames. A good move to use when approaching with 236S YRC that can also function as a niche anti-air. 5K has the most active frames of any of Haehyun's grounded pokes.
- On air counter hit, can combo into red shinken.
- Gatling Options: 5P, 2P, 6P (Won't combo on normal hit), 2K, 6K, c.S, f.S, 2S, 5H, 5D, 2D
c.S
c.S is Haehyun's go to pressure normal/Throw OS due to its fast startup and frame advantage. It is also a staple tool for continuing 236H okizeme. Gatlings into itself or 2D for easy ground combos or knockdowns.
c.S can function as an anti-air, but its short proximity range makes it unreliable unless your opponent is point blank. 5P and 6P are generally more reliable options.
- On counter hit, c.S will link into 2H and gatling combo into 6P.
- Gatling Options: 5P, 2P, 6P, 5K, 2K, 6K, c.S, f.S, 2S, 5H, 5D, 2D
f.S
Haehyun's longest range normal footsie tool, although its lack of useful gatling options is a bummer. Generally canceled into 214K for safety, a combo, or a miniature frame trap. Take care when using this move as its long recovery is prone to being whiff punished.
- Gatling Options: 6K, c.S, 2S, 5H
5H
Hits overhead on the second hit
The overhead twin of 6K and one of Haehyun's signature okizeme tools. The first hit has a ton of hitstop and a very distinct animation, so keen opponents will be able to stand up and block the second hit if they block the first.
To get the most out of 5H as a mixup tool, use another normal to push your opponent out of the first hit's range, then try to connect with only the second hit. This is usually done during H Tuning Ball oki, which both limits your opponent's counterattacks and enables combos from 5H(2) into full Shinken loops.
5H(1) has some use for air combos from 6P since it is jump cancelable. Can technically anti air, but Haehyun's other options are much better.
- Only the first hit is Jump and Super cancellable
5D
A risky but rewarding standing overhead that can also negate 1 projectile hit during the frames where the red Kanji is present.
One of the few 5D attacks that is plus on block. Heavily telegraphed due to its very distinct animation and slow with mediocre combo options midscreen, but great combos in the corner, including meterless unblockables with H Tuning Ball and 214[K]~4 or meaty 5H overhead setups. Against cornered opponents, hayabusaGuardMidStartup13-41Recovery18Advantage-5 RRC > dash 5D is a very scary threat that helps Kum's otherwise mediocre footsies game.
As for negating projectiles, 5D is functional but loses to projectiles with multiple hits or instant travel time, such as Ky's fortified Stun Edges. Has more than twice the startup of S Tuning Ball, but 1/4th its recovery. Therefore, 5D is best used against projectiles that are far away from the opponent, so that you have enough time to get 5D active safely and quickly return to neutral. If the opponent has YRC'd a projectile or is following their projectile towards you, it is probably better to S Tuning Ball YRC, escape, or simply block.
2P
Haehyun’s fastest normal, and her only ground normal that gatlings into itself. One of the best normals in the game for mashing due to its speed and range. Also good for block punishing, especially after an IB.
In combos, 2P is used for easier 2D confirms and continuing air combos on the ground (IAD combos, corner counter hit 6H, etc.).
- Kum's only true self-gatling that doesn't use the delay gatling system.
- Gatling Options: 5P, 2P, 6P, 5K, 2K, 6K, c.S, f.S, 5H, 5D, 2D
2K
As a 6f low that can gatling into 2H to start shinken loops, 2K is a fearsome mixup tool tempered by short range and initial scaling of 80%. Also used to combo into 2D and as a low pushback option for H Tuning Ball okizeme. Being plus on block is also useful for frame trapping or conditioning your opponent into blocking.
2K also has a very subtle animation and very little hitstop, so it's too fast for your opponent to react to if used in a blockstring.
- Gatling Options: 5P, 2P, 6P, 5K, 6K, c.S, f.S, 2S, 5H, 2H, 5D, 2D
2S
Useful move for pressuring opponents on okizeme and in blockstrings, in addition to being a decent low poke. It only combos into 214K from close range or on counter hit, but can gatling into 2D or f.S.
- Gatling Options: 6P, 6K, c.S, f.S, 2S, 5H, 2D
2H
2H is a meterless launcher and one of Haehyun's best combo starters because it reliably leads into shinken loops. Both hits combo easily, even from 2K, and the attack's fast startup makes it useful as a raw punish tool. I can even be powerful when thrown out during a blockstring every once in a while since you can jump cancel or special cancel either hit for safety or a combo.
Haehyun's hurtbox lowers slightly during the startup of 2H, and the second hit is an untechable knockdown on counter hit, which gives it some utility as an anti air. It's a huge risk to use 2H this way without meter or a Tuning Ball to cover yourself, though.
- Combos to red shinken on normal hit.
2D
One of Haehyun's longest range ground normals, although her only options out of it are mediocre special cancels (hayabusa) or outright unsafe. 2D is useful for securing knockdowns midscreen and in the corner and can be gatlinged into from 2P, so it's not all bad news - just don't go using it as a poke. At certain ranges, it might be Haehyun's only meterless punish option for faraway moves like Ky's Stun Dipper or Greed Sever.
Special canceling during recovery is useful for two reasons, both of which are for Tuning Balls: delay cancel into S ball YRC on block for a pressure re-buy, or into H ball on hit for Haehyun's signature okizeme.
- Special cancelable during recovery.
- Moves Haehyun forward slightly.
- Pops up opponents enough to allow combos into blue shinken if Haehyun is close enough.
6P
An anti-air move with an odd mix of upper body invuln and a few frames of high profile, since Haehyun lifts herself off the ground briefly during startup. She can actually evade extremely low moves by doing this, such as Potemkin's SlideheadGuardLow[Unblockable]Startup25[29]RecoveryTotal 54Advantage-11 and Slayer's 2KGuardLowStartup6Recovery8Advantage+4.
Because Haehyun crouches during the move's startup, 6P can beat moves like Beak DriverGuardMidStartup11-33
[34-251]Recovery29
[19]Advantage-16
[+4], Faust f.S and Scalpel Pull, and evade some projectiles. Naturally, this is pretty risky, but it's an option.
6P is also a launcher that combos into red shinken or 5H on normal hit. Since it launches higher than 2H, using 6P instead of 2H to launch the opponent into shinken loops has the benefit of being burst safe.
- Has a hitbox on both sides, which can be useful against moves that can cross up (Elphelt and Millia's rolls) and destroying Jack-O houses that are behind Haehyun.
6K
A slow, low-hitting move with a similar startup animation to 5H. Plus on block, but its primary use is as a mixup option that supplements 5H(2). Note that this attack has shorter range than 5H(2), so depending on your opponent's hurtbox and position, it may whiff in situations where 5H(2) would hit.
- Staggers on normal hit
6H
6H is a high risk, moderate reward move. At a blistering 7f startup, it can punish many things outside the range of Haehyun's other normals, especially after using FD to force your opponent to whiff something during a blockstring. Sadly, punishing this way will send your opponent nearly fullscreen, which can be troublesome against characters who dominate Haehyun in neutral (Sin, Ky) or who want to run away (Millia, Jack-O').
Counter hitting with 6H will allow Haehyun to combo, but she has much safer ways to fish for counter hits. Not useless, but extremely situational due its complete lack of cancel options making it extremely unsafe on block.
Can be used as a gimmicky movement option when YRC'd.
- Knocks down and away on normal hit.
- Tumbles opponent on midscreen counter hit and wallbounces on corner counter hit.
- Midscreen counter hit can combo to 623[K].
- Corner counter hit can combo to 2P.
j.P
Haehyun's fastest and only self-gatling jump normal. Her prime way to extend air combos, either into j.K for a jump cancel or j.H for a knockdown.
Solid air-to-air because of its speed, upwards hitbox, and self-gatling option, but don't expect a lot of damage.
- Gatling Options: j.P, j.K, j.S
j.K
A longer hitbox than j.P, but with no gatling options. Haehyun's only jump cancelable air normal, which helps when using it in combos. Combos to Falcon Dive (j.214K) on counter hit, which is nice as it gets a knockdown, just enough for Kum to setup S Turning Orb oki.
j.S
j.S has the most downward hitbox of Haehyun's air normals, making it good for jump-ins or IAD An air dash performed from a standing position as quickly and as low to the ground as possible from a jump. Done by inputting 956 754, and depending on the game, using a dash macro right after a jump.s, especially against crouching opponents. The short active frames and long recovery make it dangerous to whiff, though.
- Gatling Options: j.H
j.H
Haehyun's air blockstring and combo ender. The hitbox is pretty large and reaches downward, so it can actually stuff some 6Ps, but Haehyun's linear air mobility and large hurtbox sort of tarnish j.H's use as an approach tool.
When comboed into properly (around max normal jump height, as Haehyun is descending), j.H will enable meaty H Tuning Ball okizeme.
- Knocks down from around the max height of a normal jump.
j.D
Reminiscent of Iori's command crossup from the King of Fighters series, hence the image caption.
Looks like a crossup and can hit as one, but can also hit from the front. The wide hitbox can help j.D beat some 6Ps. Furthermore, this attack has some use in IAD crossups, or when used with j.2K and/or air hayabusaGuardAllStartup21Recovery10 LandingAdvantage+1.
j.2K
An unusual move that seemingly has no use on a grounded opponent, unless you do something like 2H > j.2K > crossup j.D.
It's a different story against an airborne opponent. If you jump right on top of them - say, after a red shinken - and they choose to tech immediately, Haehyun is perfectly positioned to throw the tech. Not particularly useful in most situations, but it's there if you're feeling saucy.
- Pops Haehyun into the air on hit or block.
- After making contact, Haehyun can steer herself forward and backward similar to Falcon Dive/Air hayabusa (j.214K).
- Can only be used once before returning to the ground.
Universal Mechanics
Ground Throw
- 65% Forced Proration
Throw grants Haehyun universal H Tuning Ball okizeme midscreen. Haehyun can still control Tuning Balls during the throw animation, which enables her to combo off of throw if she has one active. This makes throws extremely rewarding both for starting and continuing offense.
For a combo, you can RRC and start red shinken loops.
As Haehyun's 6H is extremely punishable on whiff/block, it is extremely important that you option select Haehyun's throw with c.S.
Air Throw
- 65% Forced Proration
Air throw grants Haehyun universal H Tuning Ball okizeme midscreen
Although air throws are a universal anti-air option in Guilty Gear, Haehyun's large aerial hurtbox, low aerial mobility, and lacklustre combos from j.P mean she takes a bit more risk than the average character when going for an airthrow. Additionally, since her CH anti-air confirms are more damaging you might want to consider a grounded anti air unless absolutely necessary (such as against Bandit BringerGuardHigh/AirStartup32Recovery9+4 after landingAdvantage±0 and other disjointed, downward-reaching attacks).
Dead Angle Attack
Uses Haehyun's 5K animation. Slow and and punishable, but one of the more invincible Dead Angle Attacks, making it a viable defensive option.
Blitz Attack
- Partial charge version causes horizontal blowback on hit, wallsplats in corner.
- Max charge version (and counter hit partial charge) crumples on ground hit, floats and wall sticks in corner on air hit.
- Steals a small amount of burst gauge on hit.
- Proration: 55% (partial charge only)
Haehyun generally doesn't need to gamble with blitz since she has 2P and a reversal super, but a crumple will enable red shinken loops, which are tempting enough to be worth considering blitz occasionally.
Special Moves
Tuning Ball
236S/H
- Disappears if Haehyun blocks or is hit.
- Can be steered left and right with directional inputs after the ball leaves Haehyun's hand.
- 236S
Classic midrange space control projectile with a twist: MORE control! Steerable Tuning Balls mean safer approaches versus characters without projectiles, and sometimes making unsafe moves like 6H or 623[K] more palatable to use in neutral. Still, this projectile has long startup, and the initial hitbox is a bit in front of Haehyun, meaning an opponent can often jump over the fireball and cleanly hit her. Furthermore, it is very unsafe in blockstrings and general stagger pressure unless YRC'd.
Sometimes used for okizeme in situations where the H version would take too long to start up.
- 236H
The linchpin of Haehyun's okizeme. H Tuning Ball forces an opponent to block the projectile for one hit, and then have the fireball float behind them with two additional hits to strengthen Haehyun's pressure. Safe pressure, combos from normal throw, and multiple 50/50 high low mixups can be inflicted from a single knockdown with proper conditioning and ball control.
However, Haehyun won't always be able to prepare the H version after a knockdown. In those cases, she must choose between considerably weaker S ball okizeme or YRC'ing an H ball.
Four Tigers Sword
623K (Hold OK)
Version | Damage | GuardHow this attack can be blocked. | StartupThe number of frames between inputting an attack and when the attack becomes active. Includes first active frame. | ActiveThe number of frames for which a move has hitboxes. Occurs after Startup. | RecoveryThe number of frames after a move's active frames during which the character cannot act assuming the move is not canceled. | On-BlockThe difference between the attacker's recovery and the period that the opponent is in blockstun. This Frame Advantage value is based off the fact that the very first active frame touches the opponent. | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Normal | 44 | Mid | 8 | 14 | 20 + 8 landing | -23 | 1~4F Upper Body 5~7F Above Knees 8~15F All |
Charged | 9 × (1-4), 44 | Low × (1-3), Mid | 15 | 2 (6) 2 (6) 2 (6) 2 (5) 15 | 19 + 8 Landing | -23 | 1~4F Upper Body 5~42F Above Knees 45~57F All |
Max | 9×(5-6), 15×3, 30 | Low×(4-6), Mid×4 | 14 | 2 (6) 2 (6) 2 (6) 2 (6) 2 (6) 2 (5) 6 (6) 3 (9) 3 (6) 3 | 32 + 8 Landing | -45 | 1~4F Upper Body 5~60 Above Knees 61~66F All |
- 623K
A kick uppercut with upper body invulnerability. Not a true invincible reversal since it only shrinks Haehyun's hurtbox instead of removing it (until the active frames). As an anti-air, however, this move is quite solid due to its long active frames and high reach - it'll even work against dive kick moves like Elphelt's Air Bridal ExpressGuardAllStartup26Recovery7 after landingAdvantage+6.
On hit, you can RRC > 214[K] > red shinken loops.
- 623[K]
High risk, low reward low profile slide reminiscent of Grand Viper. Do keep in mind that this move’s hurtbox is not quite as low as Grand Viper so it will clash with some mid hitting attacks instead of cleanly evading them. If you carry your opponent to the corner, you can combo with RC > 214[K]> red shinken loops.
Four Tigers Sword (Reverse)
623[K]~1/4/7
Version | Damage | GuardHow this attack can be blocked. | StartupThe number of frames between inputting an attack and when the attack becomes active. Includes first active frame. | ActiveThe number of frames for which a move has hitboxes. Occurs after Startup. | RecoveryThe number of frames after a move's active frames during which the character cannot act assuming the move is not canceled. | On-BlockThe difference between the attacker's recovery and the period that the opponent is in blockstun. This Frame Advantage value is based off the fact that the very first active frame touches the opponent. | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Normal | 45 | Mid | 12-24 | 6 | 24 | -11 | 1~4F Upper Body 5~11F Above Knees 12~17F All |
Charged | 60 | Mid | 25-61 | 6 | 24 | -11 | 1~4F Upper Body 5~60F Above Knees 61~66F All |
Colloquially referred to as "Shinken". Normal version is blue, and charged is red. Attack connects 5f after K is released.
The reason you play Haehyun. A high damage, normal hit launcher that links into itself and can be comboed into from Haehyun's primary mixup options and which also lets Haehyun combo into a knockdown with j.H to set up more okizeme and do it all over again. Haehyun can usually get 2-3 red shinkens from a simple 2K > 2H starter. Both versions wallbounce, but the red version has much more hitstun and can link into itself.
Aside from being a monstrous combo tool, shinken has some other uses: it can function as a slow but powerful anti-air due to inheriting the startup upper body invuln from 623K, and can be used as a high risk counterpoke (usually with 25 meter to YRC it if your opponent doesn't bite). The blue version is usually done from a red shinken or from 2D, where it will enable a short air combo into j.H to set up H Tuning Ball okizeme.
Canceling into this move from 623[K] has lenient timing, which actually allows Haehyun to cancel from a connecting 623[K] into shinken as a combo. This "shi-shinken" technique is often used with dash momentum to stabilize combos.
- Upper body invul 1-4f, above knee invuln from frame 5 for as long as K is held.
- Changes to red version on frame 25.
- Cannot be held longer than 56f total.
- Can YRC at any point during startup or while K is held.
Falcon Dive
214K (Hold OK)
Colloquially referred to as "hayabusa." Normal version is blue, charged is red. Blue version connects 6f after release and red version connects 4f after.
One of Haehyun's primary neutral tools because it can hit airborne opponents and go over lows; use it enough that your opponent is worried about it, but don't be predictable. Haehyun generally cancels into this from f.S, which doesn't have any gatling options and isn't jump cancelable, so you'll need to use other pokes to make your neutral ambiguous.
Hayabusa is mostly safe on block due to pushback, but a well-timed IB can ruin that. Fortunately, slightly delaying hayabusa can throw off IB timing. The red version is plus on block, and a good way to re-buy pressure against an opponent who's just sitting still.
The blue version doesn't do much on normal hit, but on counter hit it will link into 2D, which generally sets up decent okizeme. The red version will wallbounce on air hit, which can lead to red shinken loops or any of Haehyun's air combo options.
- Haehyun’s hurtbox alters when she lifts up her leg before the kick, so this move can go over low attacks if timed properly.
- Can inflict varying knockdown momentum on airborne opponents depending on which hitbox connects.
Falcon Dive (Reverse)
214[K]~1/4/7
Normal version is blue, charged is red. Both versions connect quite a while after releasing K.
Big overhead with big startup and big damage. One of Haehyun's least useful moves outside of starting combos against someone stunned or crumpled. If you ever manage to hit someone with this raw, do a few red shinken loops and then check for a pulse.
The red version unblockable is mostly a gimmick, but Haehyun can use her Celestial Tuning Ball super after a 5D6 corner combo to force her opponent to sit still long enough to charge it up and combo from it.
- First hit of blue version wallbounces, first hit of red version is unblockable even if your opponent is standing.
- Haehyun's hurtbox shrinks as she lifts her leg and stays shrunk as long as you hold K.
Air Falcon Dive
j.214K
Colloquially referred to as "air hayabusa."
A steerable dive kick that suplement's Haehyun's otherwise limited movement. Can be used to bait anti-airs like any dive kick, but will often outright lose if your opponent doesn't take the bait. Despite its shortcomings, air hayabusa is one of Haehyun's only ways to maneuver while airborne, so don't be afraid to use it.
Can be comboed from on normal and counter hit; the latter is generally easier and can allow for a microdash into a ground combo or red shinken loops.
- Spikes and groundbounces on hit, and even more on counter hit.
Overdrives
Enlightened 3000 Palm Strike
236236H [236236D]
- Fully invulnerable 1-8f.
- Haehyun has hyper armor while holding down H, but is throwable and vulnerable to supers.
- Unblockable after charging for 151 frames.
- Can hit slightly behind Haehyun.
7f reversal super and combo tool. Not quite as unsafe as it looks, since you can play a gimmicky game of chicken with your opponent by moving them around, but still very unsafe.
A large circle appears around Haehyun as long as you hold down H: while your opponent is in this circle, you can move them around by using the stick. If done in a combo, your opponent is put into a capture state and you can move them around freely. Tumbles on hit, which can lead to combos in the corner or if you hit behind Haehyun's back, since your opponent will be sent tumbling into her.
Unblockable setups can be started from corner 5D6 combos.
Celestial Tuning Ball
236236S
- Drastically reduced tension gain while the ball is active.
- Stays onscreen even if Haehyun is hit. Cannot be controlled in hitstun.
- Can be controlled up, down, left, and right by using the stick once the ball is active.
- Player 1 ball is blue, and player 2 ball is orange/red.
What's better than 3-hit Tuning Ball? A 5-hit Tuning Ball you can control up and down! A great okizeme tool for all the same reasons as H Tuning Ball, with more damage and hits. The projectile is so large and obnoxious it can help obscure what Haehyun is doing, especially something like 5D.
Slow to start up and pretty slow to maneuver, but the ball builds up decent speed once it gets going. A great way of steamrolling through neutral if you have the meter and breathing room to set it up. An H ball and one of these will show any zoner you are not to be trifled with.
Because Celestial Tuning Ball is a super, your opponent can't burst out of it, which can be useful at the end of a round if you want to tack on more damage.
Instant Kill
Sundering Chord
In IK Mode: 236236H
- [ ] Indicates when match point for you, opponent in Hell Fire state, and you have 50% Tension.
- IK Mode Activation: 84F [5F+5F].
- Uses the animation of her 5D, but without the added effects.
Yep, it's an instant kill.
Haehyun generally has good ways to spend meter, especially given how combo-friendly her supers are. Her enormous damage output also means she doesn't really benefit from stockpiling meter and fishing for IK combos to end rounds.
External References