Jun Hyeog Lee
Jun Lee is a Korean American Taekwondo Grandmaster 9th dan and the founder of Black Belt World, a Taekwondo school of the Korean Martial Arts. He has been referred to as one of the top ten martial artists in the United States. He holds the world record for breaking 5,000 one-inch thick boards in seven hours. The Kukkiwon named Grandmaster Lee its spokesperson for International affairs on February 22, 2021.
Early life
Jun Lee was born on November 17, 1962, in the village of Ansan, Gochang County in the North Jeolla Province located in the Southwest of the Republic of Korea. He was the third of six sons. His father, Inkyu Lee, was a civil servant and local politician. His mother, Yo Soon Lee, was a housewife.In middle school, Jun Lee met Master Kang, who was his first Taekwondo master. Master Kang ran the Oh Do Kwan Dojang in Gochang. Jun Lee became one of Kang's top students, earning his black belt at the age of 13.
In the early 1970s with the Vietnam war winding down, many young Korean Taekwondo masters immigrated to the United States, including Jun Lee's older brother, Hyeon Kon Lee. Hyeon Kon Lee opened one of the first Taekwondo dojangs in Virginia.
Taekwondo activities
First dojang
Jun Lee emigrated to America in 1982. He and his brother Hyeon Lee believed that the Research Triangle area in North Carolina would be an ideal location to open a dojang. The Triangle was a growing area of educated middle to upper-class families, who would be keener on and better able to afford Taekwondo lessons. In February 1987, Jun Lee left Virginia and moved to Raleigh. He opened a dojang there.Teaching philosophy
To Jun Lee, Taekwondo was and still is a way to better the person and society as a whole. Taekwondo extends far outside the dojang and into the community where masters and students can contribute to the betterment of all. Jun Lee developed his martial arts philosophy on these principles: 1. to instill loyalty to one's country, 2. to honor to one's parents, 3. to respect for elders, 4. to care for juniors, 5. to build positive relationships with teachers, 6. to treat all things with care, 7. to never seek advantage over the weak, 8. to use Taekwondo to benefit others, and 9. to finishing what you start.Jun Lee believes that if all people practiced Taekwondo and introduced these qualities and values into their lives, not only would society be better off, but it would be much more liberated. As Jun Lee puts it, "there would not be a need for the laws that govern."