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| Jhoon Rhee | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jhoon Rhee |
| Birth date | 1932-07-16 |
| Birth place | Asan, Korea |
| Death date | 2018-04-30 |
| Death place | McLean, Virginia, United States |
| Nationality | Korean / United States |
| Occupation | Martial artist, instructor, author |
| Known for | Introduction of taekwondo to the United States |
Jhoon Rhee
Jhoon Rhee was a Korean-American martial artist widely credited with introducing taekwondo to the United States. He established schools and organizations that influenced generations of practitioners, taught public figures and athletes, and promoted martial arts through demonstrations, books, and media. His method blended traditional Korean techniques with innovations aimed at American students and popular culture.
Rhee was born in Asan, South Korea during the period of Japanese rule and came of age amid the aftermath of the Korean War and the division of Korea. He trained in indigenous Korean arts and studied under senior instructors associated with schools active in Seoul, Busan, and other Korean cities. Rhee later emigrated to the United States, where he continued formal studies while interacting with institutions such as Georgetown University, Howard University, and community centers in the Washington, D.C. area. His early associations connected him indirectly with organizations and figures from the broader postwar martial arts resurgence that included influences from Japan, China, and the Philippines.
Rhee's formative training drew on traditional Korean systems that evolved into modern taekwondo and intersected with schools linked to masters from Seoul National University, regional kwans, and former practitioners from the era of the Japanese occupation of Korea. He trained with instructors who had contacts with practitioners in Tokyo and Osaka, and his approach reflected comparative exposure to karate lineages and techniques associated with figures in Okinawa and Kyoto. Rhee emphasized speed, practical self-defense, and the psychological aspects of combatives, aligning his pedagogy with principles valued by instructors in Chung Do Kwan, Moo Duk Kwan, and other kwans. His philosophy placed importance on character development alongside technical skill, resonating with tenets promoted by institutions such as the Kukkiwon and the World Taekwondo Federation.
After establishing schools in the United States, Rhee founded organizations and promotional structures that helped standardize taekwondo instruction in North America. He organized seminars and invitational events drawing participants from New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, Philadelphia, and international cities such as Tokyo, Seoul, and London. Rhee's efforts intersected with the professionalization trends seen in organizations like the Amateur Athletic Union, the United States Olympic Committee, and international federations, and contributed to taekwondo's inclusion in multi-sport forums. He promoted curricula and rank systems that paralleled those of the International Taekwon-Do Federation era while engaging with American school athletics, law enforcement training programs, and collegiate clubs at places such as University of Maryland, Georgetown University, and American University.
Rhee operated flagship dojangs that produced instructors who went on to teach across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. His students included athletes and public figures who later interacted with institutions like the White House, United States Congress, and professional sports franchises such as teams in the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the Major League Baseball. Rhee instructed celebrities and politicians, connecting him with names known in Hollywood, the Pentagon, and diplomatic circles based in Washington, D.C.. Many of his black belts established schools in metropolitan regions including San Francisco, Dallas, Miami, Boston, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Denver, expanding taekwondo’s footprint nationwide.
Rhee performed high-profile demonstrations at venues such as arenas in Madison Square Garden, exhibition halls in Los Angeles, and cultural festivals in Chicago and Washington, D.C.. He authored books and instructional materials that circulated among practitioners and were referenced in martial arts literature alongside works by authors connected to Black Belt (magazine), Inside Kung Fu, and other periodicals. Rhee made appearances on television programs and talk shows, linking him to producers and networks in New York City and Los Angeles; he participated in documentary projects, charity events associated with organizations like the American Red Cross and civic celebrations tied to municipal governments. His media presence intersected with other martial arts personalities and proponents who helped popularize combat sports in American culture.
Rhee received recognition from civic groups, martial arts associations, and municipal proclamations that acknowledged his role in bringing taekwondo to America. Honors included lifetime achievement acknowledgments from regional federations and invitations to serve as guest of honor at tournaments affiliated with the World Taekwondo, Kukkiwon, and pan-American associations. His legacy is evident in the proliferation of taekwondo academies across North America, the sport’s presence in the Olympic Games, and the institutional frameworks maintained by governing bodies such as the United States Taekwondo Union and successor organizations. Rhee's influence persists through his published teachings, the networks of instructors he trained, and the cultural integration of Korean martial traditions into American sports and popular culture.
Category:Taekwondo practitioners Category:Korean emigrants to the United States Category:1932 births Category:2018 deaths