Totally Tae Kwon Do Magazine - Issue 17 - Usadojo

newly formed ITF-Korea.
Master Kim is a man
beset on all sides by
indifference, ignorance
and disapproval of
change. His efforts to
re-introduce the style
of ITF taekwondo in
Korea are driven by a
true love of, and
passion for,
taekwondo. Sadly, this
is an attitude not
shared by everyone
here in Korea. Since
the ITF/WTF split and
the exodus of Gen.
Choi from Korea, it
seems taekwondo
history has been
unofficially re-written,
to the point where
most Koreans don’t
even realize that there
are two styles of
taekwondo. One of my
Korean friends even
told me I should not
tell people I train in
ITF, as it is a ‘North
Korean’ style and
people might judge me
badly for being a
sympathizer!
Facing an entire
culture that is not only
unaware of the
differences between
the styles, but also
hostile to ITF, he has
still had some
measures of success.
Working together with
officials from various
universities and the
Kukkiwon, ITF-Korea
has successfully
organized the
upcoming 2010 World
32 - Totally Tae Kwon Do
Master Kim Hoon
Championships to be held in Cheongju,
South Korea. He has
also spread clubs
throughout the country;
as well as Seoul, there
are ITF dojangs in
Daegu, Busan and
several other major
cities in Korea.
Unfortunately, the
attitude of Koreans
towards ITF
taekwondo has led to a
serious problem
recruiting students for
his dojang. Most of
Master Kim’s students
are expats living here
in Seoul. Only a small
minority of the
students are Korean
natives. However,
Master Kim does not
let this bother him, he
welcomes all students,
whoever they are, and
whatever their
background. He treats
all students equally,
men, women and
children, regardless of
age. He simply wants
to teach, and share the
art that he loves so
much. I feel very
privileged to have an
instructor like this, and
though my taekwondo
experience is now
different, I have
definitely found
somewhere I feel I
belong. Master Kim is
an instructor that is
truly embracing the
‘international’ side of
Taekwondo, with
students from South
Africa, the U.K.,
America and Korea.