A Korean martial art with no roadmap overseas
When Taekwondo first began spreading outside Korea, there was no global system in place. No international federation, no Olympic status, and no clear path for instructors working abroad. Much of the early expansion depended on individual masters willing to teach wherever opportunity existed.
One of the most influential among them was Lee Jun-gu (1932–2018), a Korean Taekwondo master whose work in the United States helped shape how the martial art is practiced internationally today.
In January, the Overseas Koreans Agency posthumously selected Lee as Overseas Korean of the Month, recognizing his role in globalizing Taekwondo and strengthening Korea–U.S. sports relations.
From Asan to Texas: an unlikely beginning
Born in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, Lee began training in Taekwondo at the age of 16. At the time, the art was still developing its modern identity. Years later, Lee traveled to the United States to study civil engineering at Texas State University.
In 1957, while still a student, he organized a Taekwondo club on campus. It was a small step, but an important one. Few Americans had ever seen Taekwondo before, and formal instruction was almost nonexistent. The club became one of the earliest entry points for the Korean martial art in the U.S.
Washington, D.C., and the spread into American institutions
Lee’s influence expanded significantly after he moved to Washington, D.C. in 1962. There, he opened a Taekwondo gym that soon attracted attention beyond the martial arts community.
Following a violent robbery involving a U.S. congressman, Lee was invited to teach self-defense techniques to lawmakers. That opportunity led to regular Taekwondo instruction within political circles and eventually to the establishment of a Taekwondo training space inside the U.S. House of Representatives.
Over the years, Lee helped establish nearly 60 Taekwondo academies across the United States, creating a foundation that allowed the art to move beyond immigrant communities and into mainstream American culture.
Embed from Getty ImagesTeaching more than just fighters
Lee did not limit his efforts to the U.S. Through embassies and diplomatic connections, he encouraged foreign officials to introduce Taekwondo to their children. This approach helped normalize the art internationally and opened pathways for Korean instructors to teach abroad.
In one of his most unusual achievements, Lee traveled to the former Soviet Union, where martial arts were banned, and successfully persuaded senior officials to allow them. It was a rare example of Taekwondo influencing policy rather than simply adapting to it.
Bruce Lee, Muhammad Ali, and global visibility
Lee’s reputation extended beyond traditional martial arts circles. He shared Taekwondo kicking techniques with Bruce Lee and trained Muhammad Ali, later serving as one of Ali’s coaches.
These relationships brought Taekwondo into global sports and entertainment conversations, connecting the discipline to audiences who may never have encountered it otherwise. The exposure helped position Taekwondo as both a martial art and a modern sport.
Safety, innovation, and lasting influence
Concerned about long-term athlete safety, Lee personally developed protective equipment for the head, chest, shins, and elbows. His designs later became the basis for modern protective gear used in international Taekwondo competitions.
In 2000, Lee returned to South Korea with a delegation of American Taekwondo officials and met former President Kim Dae-jung, alongside members of the U.S. Congress. He later served as an advisor to the National Assembly Taekwondo Federation, continuing to promote Taekwondo as a tool for cultural exchange.
Washington, D.C. formally recognized his impact in 2003, declaring June 28 as “Jun-gu Day.” While he is often referred to in the United States as the “Godfather of Taekwondo,” Lee Jun-gu’s legacy is best measured by the institutions he built and the generations of practitioners shaped by his work.
