Philosophy & Principles
Although recognized as a traditionalist, Mr. Kim views Taekwon-do as an art that must constantly evolve, requiring the dedication of practitioners to improve all of its facets.
Non-Political
We do not expend our time and effort on political matters, such as associations or federations. We devote ourselves solely to teaching and practicing the art of Taekwon-do. Anyone who shares with us the desire to become a good martial artist is welcome at our school, and can rest assured that there are no politics here.
Complete System
We teach Taekwon-do as a complete system. This includes hand and foot blocks, punches, kicks, sweeps, joint locks, grappling and throws. Some students may choose to specialize in one or more of the specific areas, but the school will always provide classes on all aspects of Taekwon-do.
Analytical Approach
Any technique used by a martial artist must make good sense and be based upon sound physical principles. The practitioner must have a clear understanding of why each technique is done a certain way. Therefore, technical discussions with other students or instructors are encouraged in our school. This approach is quite unique among martial arts schools, and Mr. Kim’s own experience at Harvard and MIT has attributed to instituting this approach at our school.
A Home For Martial Artists
We want each of our members to view the dojang as his/her home as a martial artist. Every member is allowed unlimited access to the school and classes during our extensive school hours. It is important to us that our members feel they can stop in anytime, for any reason.
The Jae Hun Kim Taekwon-Do Institute
Our institute is mentioned frequently as a premier Taekwon-do school in the world by various martial arts organizations. The school has been featured in numerous publications as a leader in the field. Our school was selected in 2009 as the top Taekwon-do school in the world by Mookas Media, the world’s largest martial arts media corporation, and we received the “2009 World School of the Year Award” from the same organization.
THE HISTORY OF OUR SCHOOL
The story of our school began with Grand Master Jae H. Kim moving to Boston in 1971 to attend MIT. He started teaching Taekwon-do at area universities, where his classes quickly filled with eager students as people took notice of Mr. Kim’s unique teaching style. They instantly recognized the value of Mr. Kim’s approach, which combines an analytical approach acquired through his academic studies at Western universities, with special expertise developed in the East by Taekwon-do masters. When Mr. Kim’s Taekwon-do classes at the universities could no longer hold the burgeoning number of students coming to him from all over the Boston area, and with encouragement from General Choi who wanted Mr. Kim to establish an exemplary Taekwon-do school in Boston for the world to see, Mr. Kim decided to open a Taekwon-do school of his own, where his students could practice under his supervision day and night. Thus, the Jae Hun Kim Taekwon-do Institute was born on July 15, 1974, on Brookline Avenue in Boston. The school has flourished at that location ever since, attracting Taekwon-do students of all ages and backgrounds, from around the world. The institute now operates 22 schools in the U.S., Singapore, Korea, Ireland, and China.
SHARED VALUES
We believe and abide by these school tenets
Improvement of Mind and Body
We strive to achieve a harmonious balance in ourselves. The purpose of our school is not to produce tough and dangerous people, but to provide the means by which students bring out the best in themselves both physically and mentally. We provide balanced development for our members.
Ethical Self-Conduct
We advocate contributing to making this world a better and safer place for humanity, not through vigilantism, but through ethical self-conduct. Our students are instilled with the importance of responsible behavior. As more people follow this path, the influence of ethical behavior will grow stronger.
Unity Among Members
Our dojang is a small international community in itself, with students from many nations and heritages. And yet, our love and practice of Taekwon-do have brought us together. When we treat each other as family in our dojang – regardless of gender, race, ethnic background, or religion – it allows us to do the same for others outside the school.
OUR SEATTLE BRANCH
Our Seattle Branch was established in 2005, headed by Ms. Gailyn Perrin, who was personally trained by Grandmaster Kim. Our Branch is proud to carry on the tradition of Taekwondo excellence established by Grandmaster Jae H. Kim.
WELCOME MESSAGE FROM GRANDMASTER KIM
It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you to our Seattle school website. Our Seattle school is headed by Ms. Gailyn Perrin. Gailyn was already an accomplished athlete in her field when I first met her in Boston. She had served on the US National Rowing Team, and she was in Boston to work as a coach of the Boston University women’s rowing team. She fell in love with Taekwon-do when she walked into our school, and she has been one of our most dedicated practitioners since then.
Gailyn excelled in Taekwon-do, becoming one of only two women to have received Jung Yeh Dan (full contact sparring) honors from this institute in the past 46 years. This is quite an accomplishment, especially considering we have over 3,000 active practitioners in our network. She has now been involved in the Jae Hun Kim Taekwon-do network for over 25+ years and has developed into one of my most precise and technical instructors. As a result, our Seattle school is consistently producing outstanding black belts.
Instructors from our worldwide network, including the Boston school and the Korea school, are assigned to teach in Seattle along with Gailyn, providing our students with the best quality of instruction available from both sides of the Pacific. I hope you will take advantage of having such an excellent school in your area, and become part of our Taekwon-do family on the West Coast.
Sincerely,
Jae H. Kim
Chairman, Jae Hun Kim Taekwon-do Institute
Ms. Perrin
Head Instructor
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