Jae Hun Kim · Lineage tree

Also known as

Jae H. Kim · Grandmaster Jae Hun Kim

Description

South Korean-born taekwondo grandmaster and founder of the Jae Hun Kim Tae Kwon Do Institute. He was personally trained by General Choi Hong Hi, founder of modern Taekwon-do, and Grandmaster Jung Tae Park. He received his Grandmaster rank from Kukkiwon in 1993. Joe Rogan trained under him at the Boston institute, earning his black belt at age 15. Kim earned a B.S. from MIT and an MBA from Harvard Business School, later serving as Vice President at General Electric. He served as a Captain in the Korean Air Force and coached the US National Taekwondo Team in 1979. His institute grew to 22 schools across the US, Singapore, Korea, Ireland, and China. He was named Grandmaster of the Year by Taekwondo Times in 2013.

Teachers (2)

• 
  Choi Hong-hi

  sports_martial_artsITF Taekwondo Probable

  Probable

  TKD Seattle site states Kim trained personally with General Choi; own account only

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  (1971–1978)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  TKD Seattle site states Kim trained personally with General Choi; own account only

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “He was especially fortunate to receive personal teachings from General Choi, Hong Hi”

  — Grandmaster Kim biography - learned from General Choilink
• person
  Park Jung-tae

  sports_martial_artsITF Taekwondo Probable

  Probable

  TKD Seattle site states Kim trained under Grandmaster Park; own account only

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  (1967)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  TKD Seattle site states Kim trained under Grandmaster Park; own account only

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Mr. Kim invited a leading Taekwon-do Master, Mr. Jung Tae Park, to move to Winnipeg and open a school. Mr. Kim's academic pursuits required much of his time, but when the new school opened, he continued to teach under Mr. Park, and also learned from him.”

  — Grandmaster Kim biography - learned from Grandmaster Parklink

Lineage

• ITF TaekwondoPark Jung-tae ← Choi Hong-hi · 2 generations

Students (2)

• 
  Michael J. O'Malley

  sports_martial_artsITF Taekwondo Confirmed

  Confirmed

  CNHI article confirms O'Malley trained under Jae Hun Kim from age 14

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  (1972)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  CNHI article confirms O'Malley trained under Jae Hun Kim from age 14

  “He looked around for martial arts schools and found one near Fenway Park run by Jae Hun Kim, an MIT student who was the first person to bring authentic Taekwondo to New England.”

  — Enos, Caroline. (2025). One last kick for Master O'Malley in Peabody - CNHIlink history info

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Jae Hun Kim (Mr. O’Malley’s instructor, Founder of the Jae H. Kim Tae Kwon Do Institute)”

  — Wu, Fei. (2014). Michael O'Malley on Tae Kwon Do Competition and the Path to Resilience - Feisworld Podcastlink history info
• 
  Joe Rogan

  sports_martial_artsITF Taekwondo Probable

  Probable

  Joe Rogan explicitly credited Jae Hun Kim as his TKD teacher on Instagram

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  location_onJae Hun Kim Tae Kwon Do Institute badge (1982–1988)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Joe Rogan explicitly credited Jae Hun Kim as his TKD teacher on Instagram

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “I was very fortunate to learn Tae Kwon Do under the tutelage of the Jae Hun Kim Tae Kwon Do Institute in Boston”

  — Joe Rogan. Joe Rogan Instagram post crediting Jae Hun Kim Tae Kwon Do Institutelink info

Honours (1)

• receipt_longGrandmaster Probable

  Probable

  TKD Seattle site states Kukkiwon Grandmaster rank in 1993; own account only

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Title (1993-07)

  granted by Kukkiwon

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  TKD Seattle site states Kukkiwon Grandmaster rank in 1993; own account only

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Mr. Kim received the rank of Grand Master in July, 1993, from the Kukkiwon world Taekwon-do headquarters in South Korea.”

  — Grandmaster Kim biography - Kukkiwon rank link

Sources