Also known as

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

  linkITF Taekwondo 3

  Confirmed

  TKD Seattle site confirms Kim trained personally with General Choi

  (1971-1978)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  TKD Seattle site confirms Kim trained personally with General Choi

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

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

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

  linkITF Taekwondo 3

  Confirmed

  TKD Seattle site confirms Kim trained under Grandmaster Park

  (1967)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  TKD Seattle site confirms Kim trained under Grandmaster Park

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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

Students (2)

• 
  Michael J. O'Malley

  linkITF Taekwondo 3

  Confirmed

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

  (1972)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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 - CNHIlinkinfo

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

  linkITF Taekwondo 3

  Confirmed

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

  sports_kabaddiJae Hun Kim Tae Kwon Do Institute badge (1982-1988)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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 Instagram post crediting Jae Hun Kim TKD Institutelink

Honors (1)

• receipt_longGrandmaster 3

  Confirmed

  TKD Seattle site confirms Kukkiwon Grandmaster rank in 1993

  Title (1993)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  TKD Seattle site confirms Kukkiwon Grandmaster rank in 1993

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  Grandmaster Kim biography - Kukkiwon ranklink

Sources