Taekwondo School Teaches Art of Self-Defense, Self-Control, Discipline, Confidence; A Way Of Life To All Ages
In a world flooded with assorted schools for martial arts, Woori is not your average school. It stands apart as a place for family, community, and excellence. I am returning to complete my journey.
By John W. Fountain
INSIDE THESE SOLEMN WALLS of this dojang called Woori Martial Arts, the sound of wind purses through the mouths of students as they hone their kicks, blocks, punches and other techniques. Watchful instructors lead them, ensuring that they master the fundamental skills of taekwondo in this school, where some students are younger than age 6 and others well into their sixties and beyond.
During some sessions, parents look on proudly as their children, garbed in traditional taekwondo uniform, practice their techniques and also forms, also known as poomsae in Korean martial arts, or as kata in karate. Each poomsae is a series of choreographed kicks, strikes and blocks that almost mirrors a graceful dance.
“Khi-ap! (pronounced kee-yah)” students yell upon executing a kick or punch with force and focus.
This is the Woori way. And it is a scene that plays out each day across the Chicago area behind the walls of Woori Martial Arts Academy, founded in December 2021 by Grandmaster Kwanpil Kim, 47, a 7th degree black belt in Taekwondo and also a 7th degree black belt in Hapkido.
In a world flooded with assorted schools for the martial arts with as many claims about their quality and prowess, Woori is not your average martial arts school. Indeed it stands apart as a place for family, for community, and excellence in the martial arts as both a skill and a way of life.
Inasmuch as Grandmaster Kim and his host of instructors teach the ancient martial art of self-defense, the school emphasizes humility and grace. In fact, its mantra is courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, indomitable spirit.
“Definitely the discipline. Self-discipline is very important,” said Grandmaster Kim. “It doesn’t matter the age. We are helping people’s lives, especially kids, even adults. Whenever they’re training, they’re learning not just techniques.”
Thirteen years after opening Woori, Grandmaster Kim—a humble unassuming man with a heart for taekwondo and its virtues, and a well-proven martial artist—has also demonstrated his commitment to the community.
In fact, Woori has raised more than $152,000 over 12 years in its annual “Kick for The Cure” fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Woori continues to host free after-school taekwondo training workshops and camps at several elementary schools. And Woori employs former students who have themselves become instructors at the martial arts school.
Proof Is In The Pudding
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art whose name translates as the way of the foot and fist. Woori is affiliated with Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo headquarters founded in 1972 in Seoul, South Korea, and the sanctioning body for the Olympic sport taekwondo.
For the Woori faithful, the proof is in the pudding.
“On behalf of the Southeast Students and staff, I’d like to say, ‘thank you’ for your generous donation to Southeast Elementary School,” writes Scott Liska, principal, in a letter to Woori. “We would like to thank you for bringing your Woori Kids Program to Southeast. Our students have an increased capacity to exhibit focus, respect and self-control.”
Parents also testify to the impact of Woori on their children.
“My son Gabe been going her for couple years and each passing month he loves it even more,” Rebecca Flores writes in an online review of Woori. “This place is so helpful and great with the kids. Can’t ask for more on how supportive they are with the families. Thank you, for everything you guys do.”
Since its beginning, Woori has expanded to five locations: Evergreen Park, Chicago, Midlothian, Matteson (where the original school was founded), and Homewood, its newest location, at 18029 Dixie Hwy, which opened this month.
Among Woori’s youngest instructors is Andriy Soto, 13, who lives in Posen. He has earned his 2nd degree black belt at Woori and is now an instructor, even as he continues his study of taekwondo at Woori. Andriy said he wants to someday become a taekwondo master and that teaching martial arts is something he has long dreamed of doing.
“I always wanted to see how it feels,” Soto told me recently while preparing to teach one afternoon. “I’m right here experiencing it right now with the kids, teaching the kids.”
Regarding the virtues of taekwondo, Soto is a believer. He said that teaching children martial arts helps children learn “defense, just in case,” adding that it “will help (control) your emotions.”
Of Grandmaster Kim, Soto said, “He’s a really cool person, nice. I love him.”
A Dream, Woori And Me
AS FOR ME, I came to know Grandmaster Kim more than 14 years ago when I started looking for a martial arts school for my young son. I had taken taekwondo in college, although I advanced only a few belt ranks before quitting. I vowed to someday finish what I had started.
I had been searching for a while for the right school for my son and I before hearing about a martial arts program at the now defunct Bally Total Fitness. The program was known as Total Martial Arts or TMA.
I happened upon Master Kim one late-spring afternoon, having visited other clubs and observed the teaching at other clubs, or, in some cases, the lack thereof. Not to mention a lack of discipline and structure—horseplay or bad attitudes—that left me feeling queasy.
But at TMA, it was clear from the start that Kim, born in Seoul, Korea—and among dozens of bona fide Korean martial artists who studied taekwondo in their homeland—was the right one. Highly trained, he was gentle but stern, authentic and kind, and also challenging with a certain style and grace.
When TMA folded, according to Grandmaster Kim, many of those instructors in the U.S. on work visas had to return to Korea. Kim chose instead—with the support of parents (me included), students and community—to launch his own school.
He did just that, naming it Woori Martial Arts Academy—“woori,” a Korean word meaning, “our.”
“I wasn’t sure,” Kim told me years ago about his decision to launch. “I was really nervous,” he added, explaining that he had never run his own business.
“I just brought the taekwondo and my country’s culture,” Kim has said of his dream for building a life as an immigrant in America who is married with two children. “It was my best.”
Since launching Woori, his gift continues to flourish and his American dream lives on. Through Woori, he teaches children and adults alike—aside from the discipline of taekwondo, Korean culture and language—other lasting lessons. They are lessons perhaps fitting for this season:
That “family” knows no boundaries—geographic, cultural or otherwise. That life is what you make it. That home really is where the heart is. That anything worth starting is worth finishing. And that it’s never too late to get back down to business.
It is a lesson I am embracing now at age 63, as I return to Woori to finish what I started long ago and that I came a step closer to completing at Woori before I fell off. With a dream of teaching martial arts someday, I am beginning training to to earn my second-degree black belt. And I can think of no better place than Woori Martial Arts.
Woori Philosophy: “Woori is a community of martial artists with the same goal. That of striving toward excellence in martial arts and in every aspect of our lives. The true spirit of Woori is embodied in our mission statement, which reads in part: ‘At Woori Taekwondo and Hapkido Academy, our primary mission is dedication to health, strength, and longevity. …To educate and train our students and families so that they are empowered to protect themselves and maintain optimal health...’”
Email: Author@johnwfountain.com
