Grandmaster Doug Cook

8th dan, Publisher/Pemako Press

From the Publisher

Welcome to Volume III/Number 2 of HOONLYUN: The Journal of the United States Taekwondo Association.

Many years ago, as a green belt, I was gifted with a first edition of Tae Kwon Do: The Ultimate Guide to the World’s Most Popular Martial Art authored by Yeon Hwan Park in collaboration with his late brother Yeon Hee Park. I was overjoyed to find the Taegeuk poomsae depicted on its pages with such accuracy given that, at the time, I was in the process of learning Taegeuk Sam Jang. Now, decades later, I must confess that I cheated. I did something I was told to avoid and, to this day, discourage my own students from doing; I jumped ahead from where my instructor had left off, learning the final sequence of the poomsae from the illustrations in the book. Needless to say, I’ve never committed this atrocity again! Or, have I?

At the time, his was one of the first books, besides those by Grandmaster Richard Chun along with the Kukkiwon Textbook, that I was exposed to. Each time I referred to it, Grandmaster Park loomed larger than life; to me, he became a legend. The deeper I studied the art of taekwondo and the more I read, the more frequent Grandmaster Park would appear in major martial arts magazines. Eventually, I had the pleasure of meeting him in person at awards ceremonies, seminars and tournaments. Rather than diminishing in stature as familiarity with a hero often does, my respect for him only increased. So it is with great pleasure and gratitude that we at HOONLYUN feature Grandmaster Y.H. Park on the cover and in the pages of this issue. I have always posited that Taekwondo is a grand mosaic consisting of many and varied components. As in the past, we have attempted to gather some of these elements together here between the covers of this issue. In addition to an interview with Grandmaster Y.H. Park, you will find scholarly articles written by internationally known authors addressing the legal liabilities of being a martial artist, pedagogical practices, practical applications of techniques, and much more. And, since it is impossible to ignore the cultural influences Korea—Taekwondo’s nation of birth—has had on the art, you will discover artwork contributed by noted martial arts photographers, painters, and poets, recipes for Korean culinary delights, a book review, and news from USTA-affiliate dojangs.

But, this bi-annual periodical is not about any one individual; it is a representation of the academic and technical knowledge offered up by the collective efforts of the global Taekwondo community, unhindered by paid commercial advertising, relying instead for its survival through the dollars of its readers. Please alert your colleagues to its existence and invite them to visit our websites at www.hoonlyun.com and www.ustaweb.com where they can find information on past, present, and future issues.

Thank you for your continued support of HOONLYUN. With your help we look forward to disseminating a multitude of perspectives that define Taekwondo, in tandem with the rich heritage of Korea, for many years to come.

To all our members and fellow practitioners: Stay safe. Be well. One breath, one step at a time.

ABOUT THE UNITED STATES TAEKWONDO ASSOCIATION

Since its establishment in 1980, the United States Taekwondo Association was diligently overseen by its founder, Grandmaster Richard Chun, 9th dan black belt and one of the highest ranking master instructors within the borders of the United States. Shortly before his passing in November 2017, Grandmaster Chun appointed Grandmaster Doug Cook as his sole successor in leading the organization forward. During Grandmaster Chun’s tenure, Taekwondo dojangs across the country and around the world flocked to affiliate with the USTA based on its primary mission: to promote the traditional and evolving art of Taekwondo.

Sensing the encroachment of sport over art in Taekwondo early on, Grandmaster Chun chose to steer the USTA in a direction that many of the original kwans, or institutes, took during the formative years of the discipline, not the least being his root school—the Moo Duk Kwan, or Institute of Martial Virtue. Subsequently, the USTA curriculum is intended to support and enhance basic technique, self-defense skills, character enrichment, physical fitness, and, most urgently, poomsae, or formal exercise practice.

Today, under the direction of Grandmaster Cook, the mission of the USTA, while eager to recognize innovation, remains steadfast in its quest to preserve the rich traditions of Taekwondo as intended by its founder and forefathers.

USTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Grandmaster Doug Cook, President/CEO

Patricia Cook, CFO

Grandmaster Pablo Alejandro, Chairman, Technical Committee

Master Cheryl Crouchen, VP Dojang Relations

Master Kim Gylling, VP European Affairs

Mark Damia, VP Information Technology

Master Harold Pyke III, VP Marketing

Gary Schuster, Legal Counsel