Fun Foto of the Week!

It's a bird, it's a plane! No, it's black belt candidate Opher Mizrahi in a perfect flying sidekick!
Opher received his black belt last December 2008 and is still going strong.
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Fun Foto of the Week!

Some of our black belts present at our Belt Ceremony December of 2007. This was the last black belt ceremony at our old location.
In photo (top row from L-R) Jay S, Siaka H, Steve J, Dexter P, Richard A, Jun C, Nick C, Mason W, Greg W, Ada C, Jim G, Chul Jin K, (bottom row L-R) Kim, Raef C, Rila C.
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Korea/China Martial Arts Tour 2010!

If you’ve always wanted to visit the Far East and you love martial arts, why not share your passion for both and join us for our 3rd annual Martial Arts Tour!

Jun Chong Martials Arts, in collaboration with several schools across the country, will be hosting our annual trip to Asia to visit famous historial sites, museums and gardens, eat great food, and learn about new cultures and languages while bonding with fellow students, parents, and friends.And you do not have to be a martial arts student to attend!Hear what some families have experienced in the past:
"We definitely think the trip was worthwhile...they really make you feel like royalty!" -the Gerst family

"My wife and I have toured the Orient on our own, but with Grandmasters Chul Jin and Jun Chong, it takes it to a whole different level." -Phillip Blackman
Dates of Trip:
July 1-11, 2010

Agenda will include visiting sites in:
Shanghai, Jiaxing, Hangzhou (China); Seoul, Jaeju Island, Kukkiwon WTF Federation, Wonju Oak Valley (Korea).

The tour package includes:
*Round trip airfare *5-Star hotel accomodations *Three full meals of the local cuisine *All ground transportation and transfers

It Saves to Sign Up Early! (price per person)
$2500 before January 31, 2010 $2600 before February 28,2010 $2700 before March 31, 2010

No applications will be accepted after April 1, 2010. For more information or to sign up, call us at (323) 658-7570 or email us at junchong411[at]gmail.com.

DECEMBER 2009 TESTING RESULTS

Belt Ceremony will be this Friday, December 18th during your regularly scheduled class (eg. if you are a white belt and tested for your yellow belt, you will attend your white belt class and receive your yellow belt during that class).

Congratulations to everyone who tested!

YELLOW

Ava Hinojosa

Eric Perez – OUTSTANDING

Jacob Ruskin

Lucas Hron

Marcus Ho

William Mellein – OUTSTANDING

YELLOW, WHITE STRIPE

Benjamin Simon – OUTSTANDING

Cleo Walker

Henry Kraft – OUTSTANDING

Hunter Griswold

Miles Lin

PURPLE

Advik Paharia

Alex Munzon – OUTSTANDING

Catherine Denton

Y-Thien Lam – OUTSTANDING

ORANGE

Aerryelle Parker

Isabella Slimp

Joshua Garcia – OUTSTANDING

Lauren Kim – OUTSTANDING

Max Levotman – OUTSTANDING

Maya Lee – OUTSTANDING

Shriram Krishnamachari – OUTSTANDING

ORANGE, WHITE STRIPE

Noah Masliah

Rocio Rincon – OUTSTANDING

BLUE

Benjamin Lee

Harry Lake – OUTSTANDING

Jadon Gilliard – OUTSTANDING

Justine Halliday

BLUE, WHITE STRIPE

Alexander Alas-Arellano

Ariella Ahdout

Brian Lee

Oliver Seid – OUTSTANDING

Omri Vivat – SEE OFFICE

Shawn Ahdout

Valentina Maria

GREEN, WHITE STRIPE
Brenden Gleeson

GREEN, BLACK STRIPE

Jakob Adler – SEE OFFICE

RED

Kiernan Shipka

Valery Steinberg

RED, WHITE STRIPE

Alex Garcia

RED, BLACK STRIPE

Nikos Papagergas

BLACK BELTS

Bryan Maghen

Jacob Levy

Joe Zarif – OUTSTANDING

Joseph Grib – OUTSTANDING

Vissia Hidalgo

BLACK II DAN

Devin Maghen

Kip Ehanks

Nicholas Lee

Steven Kaplan

Fun Foto of the Week!

Students Linda P, Elizabeth B, Terry H, and Master Chong tried Iyengar Yoga at our Yoga Workshop last February.

We will be starting our Yoga program in January with another Yoga Workshop on Saturday, January 9th, open to adults, kids, moms, and dads!

For more information about our Yoga workshop, please call (323) 658-7570.

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Holiday Party 2009 Award Winners

Congrats to this year's winners of our Holiday Party Awards Ceremony held on December 5, 2009 at "A Cow Jumped Over the Moon" in Beverly Hills.

Most Dedicated Parents Award: Hunter Isaacson's parents, Todd Isaacson and Dawn Dumont

Most Dedicated Grandmother Award: Eli and Jakob Adler's grandmother Young Ai Park

Most Volunteering Parents Award: Shayna Garcia's parents Terry Hashimoto and Patrick Garcia, Cameron Ro's mother Sung Ro

Best Attendance Award: Brian Weinberg, Janette Shew, Y-Thien Lam, Alex Munzon

Most Dependable Award: Jack Lue

Most Dedicated Award: Stephanie Trott, Jonas Basom

Most Spirit Award: Renee Spei

Loudest Kiap Award: Joe Zarif

Most Improved Award: Josh Garcia, Crystal Miles

Most Perspiring Award: Harry Lake

Most Persevering Award: Elaine Sir, John Savas

Most Persevering Parents Award: Miles Lin parents Dan and Sophia Lin

Most Injured Award: Lily Chang

Most Positive Attitude Award: Andrew Jones

Makes It Look So Easy Award: Ramiro and Mateus Pare, Lauren Kim

Most Competitive Award: Ilya Tabarovskiy, Azia Calderhead

Most Humble Award: Sebastian Casalenuovo, Nikos Papageorgas

Most Challenging to Teach Award: Astro Halliday

Fun Foto of the Week!

Check out these bad-a$$ B's!
Red belts Saeyoung Kim and Elaine Sir were pumped up and ready to perform at our 15th Annual Martial Arts Championship as part of the demo team.

The demo team will be performing again on Saturday December 5th from 11am-4pm at Larchmont Charter's 2nd Annual World Fair. Feel free to come out and support our team!
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH!

Congratulations to our Students of the Month

Lily Chang and Y-Thien Lam!

Photo coming soon!


Full name: Lily Chang
Occupation: Transportation Engineer
Belt rank, training since: Red, since 2007

Q. Describe yourself in 3 words.
A. Optimistic, genuine, and conscientious.

Q. Name one thing you wish you knew before joining Tae Kwon Do.
A. I wish I had discovered TKD sooner!

Q. Your biggest vice.
A. Throwing the "rule book" out the window.

Q. Your favorite food?
A. Soymilk and KogiBBQ Burritos

Q. How has Tae Kwon Do changed you?
A. I am a good listener because of Tae Kwon Do. It is also a great outlet for me; I can blow off steam here and be more relaxed in day to day life.


Q. What is the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in TKD?
A. Occasionally, I have to rush to TKD from work and I show up wearing my top backwards; so the patch is on the backside instead of being in front. Hopefully the embarrassment from last time will keep me from doing it again next time!

Q. What are your hobbies?
A. I love my job, modern art galleries, DJing.


Q. What made you want to join Tae Kwon Do?
A. I was looking for anything to fill up time. I did a great job of picking something that takes up time!

Q. What are you best at in Tae Kwon Do?
A. I am considerate of others and I love learning forms.

Q. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A. Still at Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do, but a black belt with better roundhouse kicks!



Full Name: Y-Thien Lam
Education Level: 2nd grade
Belt rank: Yellow Stripe, since July 2009.


Q. Describe yourself in 3 words.
A. intelligent, honest, and nice

Q. Name one thing you wish you knew before joining Tae Kwon Do.
A. I don't know.

Q. Your biggest vice.
A. I watch a lot of TV and my dad tells me not to but i sneack and watch when he sleeps.

Q. Your favorite food.
A. Cheese or pepperoni pizza.

Q. How has Tae Kwon Do changed you?
A. It made me stronger.

Q. What is the most embarassing thing that happened to you in Tae Kwon Do?
A. Nothing yet...

Q. What are your hobbies?
A. Sleeping

Q. What made you want to join Tae Kwon Do?
A. My sister was doing it and while she was in class, I started kicking the bag and liked it.

Q. What are you best at in Tae Kwon Do?
A. Judo sweep

Q. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A. In middle school learning, maybe a black belt.

Fun Foto of the Week!

Congratulations to these lovely ladies, Lily Chang, Crystal Miles, and Afsaneh Safavi, who competed at the "Battle of the Desert" tournament in Arizona earlier this month.

They each took home 1st or 2nd places in their sparring divisions, and Master Chong was very proud!
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Fun Foto of the Week!

Gotta love the creative Halloween costume of instructor Yong Chong! Can anyone guess who this martial artist is??? If you were at our last Movie Night, you would know! It's Dae Han from "Best of the Best!"
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Demo Team to Perform at Larchmont 12/5

Make sure not to miss our JCTKD Demo team in action as they perform at the Larchmont Charter 2nd Annual World Fair on Saturday December 5th!
They will be adding to their outstanding performance they had at the 15th annual WUMAO championship in October, which will include board-breaking and weapon fighting! They are scheduled to perform at 1pm, so pelase come and support!

Martial arts students and families are also welcome to stay and enjoy the activities at the fair. "Enjoy an explosion of exotice aromas, an array of international gifts, arts and crafts, an assortment of multicultural and multilingual music an dance, games and sports from around the world."

Larchmont Charter School
Hollygrove Campus

815 N. El Centro Ave. Los Angeles, 90038

Saturday, December 5, 2009 from 11am-4pm

Tickets are available starting November 23rd. Contact Alison Graham, World Fair Chairperson, for more info, alison[at]ajgpr.com. We hope to see you all there!

Fun Foto of the Week!

This photo was actually emailed to us from a former student who trained at the North Hollywood school back in 1980!

Berenice Nuñez Maldonado is now a mother of three and says that her training has always helped her be "self-confident, disciplined and able to use self-control."
Thanks, Bernice! And we hope you'll visit us soon!

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH!

Congratulations to our Students of the Month!

Bruce Olsen & Shriram Krishnamachari

Full Name: Bruce Olsen
Occupation: College Instructor
Belt Rank: Blue

Q. Describe yourself in 3 words:
A. Witty, determined, empathetic

Q. Name one thing you wish you knew before joining Tae Kwon Do:
A. That learning Tae Kwon Do doesn't require any special "ability" or "talent." People of all ages and from all walks of life can benefit from TKD. If I had known this, I would have begun my TKD training years earlier.

Q. Your biggest vice:
A. Losing my temper.

Q. Your favorite food:
A. Asian (except sushi)

Q. How has Tae Kwon Do changed you?
A. I feel more self confident. I also feel more relaxed and seem to have more energy. It's better than any other form of exercise!!!

Q. What is the most embarassing thing that happened to you in Tae Kwon Do?
A. Getting so nervous that I "forgot" the form I was doing.

Q. What are your hobbies?
A. Reading, companion birds, house plants.

Q. What made you want to join Tae Kwon Do?
A. I saw a play based on Bruce Lee at the "East West Players" in Downtown, LA.

Q. What are you best at in Tae Kwon Do?
A. Stretching? Seriously, I am still trying to improve in ALL areas of TKD, so I don't think I am better at anything compared to the others yet.

Q. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A. I certainly would like to be a black belt, but the most important thing is not the belt, but to be constantly training and improving.

Full Name: Shriram Krishnamachari
Occupation or education level: Grade 1
Belt rank, training since: Purple, 2008

Q. Describe yourself in 3 words:
A. Friendly, talkative, normal kid

Q. Your biggest vice:
A. Eating sweets

Q. Your favorite food:
A. Jelly bread, pancakces, french toast

Q. How has Tae Kwon Do changed you?
A. It made me stronger.

Q. What is the most embarassing thing that happened to you in Tae Kwon Do?
A. I really needed to go to the bathroom in the middle of class.

Q. What are your hobbies?
A. Drawing, biking

Q. What made you want to join Tae Kwon Do?
A. Bruce Lee movies

Q. What are you best at in Tae Kwon Do?
A. Im good at kicks but not the best at it.

Q. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A. Black belt.

Fun Foto of the Week!

These students here are gathered together for our June 2007 Belt Ceremony. Many of the students here just received their black belts, including Cruz Calderhead and Matthew Gooden.

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

TESTING RESULTS ARE IN!

TESTING RESULTS

YELLOW
Cameron Khosravi
Coltrane Mueller
Ezra Frain
Hendrick Koster
Henry Kraft – OUTSTANDING
Jacob Accardo
Joseph Ko
Oshea Chilton – see office
Robert Polgar
Terry Ayzman

YELLOW STRIPE
Advik Paharia – see office
Alexander Munzon
Catherine Denton
Heather Ye
Y-Thien Lam – OUTSTANDING

PURPLE
Aerryelle Parker – see office
Aidan Lee – OUTSTANDING
Alicia Richards
Joseph Lee
Josh Gelman
Joshua Garcia – OUTSTANDING
Lauren Kim – OUTSTANDING
Tatiana Guerin – see office
Yuval Meron

PURPLE STRIPE
Erik Garcia
Isabella Slimp
Max Levotman
Maya Lee – OUTSTANDING
Shriram Krishnamachari

ORANGE
Daniel Burns
Harry Lake – OUTSTANDING
Justine Halliday
Maxim Grinfeld
Rocio Rincon – OUTSTANDING

ORANGE STRIPE
Djimon Regis
Elliot Korzen
Isabella Samuel
Jadon Christon Gillard
Leah Korori

BLUE
Aaron Ye
Renata Lovetman – see office
Renee Spei – OUTSTANDING

BLUE STRIPE
Afsaneh Safavi
Christina Campisano – OUTSTANDING
Crystal Miles - OUTSTANDING
Fernando Vargas
Jack Lue
James Jung – see office
Layla Chessman
Roy Vivat
Sindhu Sundar

GREEN
Aaron Ghermezi – see office
Azizi Hamilton - OUTSTANDING
Bryce McMullin – see office
Nick Seidenschnur

GREEN STRIPE
Nicky Grib

GREEN DOUBLE STRIPE
Eli Adler

RED
Mateus Pare – OUTSTANDING
Noam Firestone – see office
Ramiro Pare – OUTSTANDING

RED STRIPE
Brian Weinberg

RED DOUBLE STRIPE
Nicolas Ryu - OUTSTANDING

Congratulations to everyone to tested! The next testing will be in December.

Fun Foto of the Week!

Jun Chong's other huge passion: Making movies. Here Master Chong looks through the camera on the set of "Street Soldiers" (1991), a movie he produced with Jeff Rector, Johnathan Gorman, and Fabian Carrillo (one of our black belts!).

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Aidan Lee Wins Grand Prize from Open House!

Congratulations Aidan Lee, for winning the Grand Prize at our Open House last month! Jun Chong Martial Arts held their first Open House event that invited all new friends and family to try free martial arts classes and stay for the festivities afterward. This included a bounce house for the kids, free sno-cones and fresh popcorn, and free massages offered by City Sports Health Center in Los Angeles. The KogiBBQ truck, famous for their kimchi tacos and other Asian-Latino fusion delicacies, came over for the lunch hour.

The Grand Prize of choice was awarded to a student who brought the most friends to Open House, and as the winner, Aidan chose the Mongoose Kapow 16" Boys Bicycle! He was very excited to receive his prize and couldn't stop smiling!

Aidan's Brand New Bike, courtesy of Jun Chong Martial Arts

Thanks to everyone who attended our Open House and who invited friends to share in their martial arts world. We sincerely appreciate your confidence in us and hope to continue providing our services to you and your friends.

Fun Foto of the Week!

Happy Halloween!!! Here is Mrs. Chong in her witch costume during last year's Halloween Cooking Show! Kids can come dressed in their costumes and enjoy obstacle courses, games, and a fun cooking show of disgusting gross things that only a martial arts schol can find!

Make sure you attend this year's Ghoulish Cooking show, Friday the 30th at 5:30pm! Call (323) 658-7570 for more info!

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Fun Foto of the Week!

Jun Chong Martial Arts is everywhere!!! Master Luis Ucelo (seated in center) trained in Los Angeles with Master Chong before heading back to Guatemala, where he began his own school under the Jun Chong system. His school has grown exponentially and now he and his son Luis own additional schools in Arizona.

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Fun Foto of the Week!

This vintage photo was submitted by Master Greg Williams. Master Chong bought the old Wilshire school from Chuck Norris, so pictured here (L-R) is Greg Williams, former student of Chuck Norris who received his black belt with Jun Chong, Jun Chong, Chuck Norris, and Simon Rhee, one of Master Chong's first instructors.

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Fun Foto of the Week!

Here is a classic picture of Master Chong with Sensei Suzuki, circa 1979. While Master Chong was making a movie in Kyoto, Japan, he trained at this dojo for about 2 months. Master Chong remembers being very impressed by Sensei Suzuki's school, it was the largest he'd ever seen. It was 3 stories high: the first floor taught Judo, the 2nd floor was for Aikido, and the top floor was for Karate and Kendo.
Sensei was also a very good Karaoke singer.

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Watch "Best of the Best"

You're invited to our last Movie Night of the Year, featuring "Best of the Best" (1989) with Master Phillip Rhee!

(bring some tissues, this one is a tear-jerker!)

Enjoy Free Popcorn and Soda! If you'd like some of the amazing Rocco's Pizza, please bring $5 in advance.
Don't miss the exclusive Q&A interview with instructor Master Phillip Rhee after the movie.
And as always, free Raffle Prizes afterward!

When? Friday, October 2, 2009

What time? Seating starts at 8pm. Bring chairs (no pointy legs) or blankets for more comfy seating! Movie begins at 8:30pm

Where? Jun Chong Martial Arts school, 6340B Wilshire Blvd. LA, 90048

Who can come? This isn't just for martial arts students. Everyone can enjoy a good martial arts movie!!! This movie is rated PG-13, so parents must sign a consent form for kids under 13.

How do I reserve my spot? Just email us at junchong411@gmail.com or give us a call at 323-658-7570 (I like to know how many pizzas I need to buy).

Hope to see you there!!

Who are these sexy black belts!??!!?
You might recognize (L-R) Simon Rhee, Jun Chong, Chuck Norris, and Greg Williams standing in front of the old Wilshire school. Circa 1976.
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Interview with Instructor Phillip Rhee

Master Phillip Rhee began martial arts at the age of 4. Raised in San Francisco, he and his brother Simon both trained with Master Mark Choi, brother of Master Seo Choi, who was Jun Chong and Bruce Lee’s Master in Hapkido. Check out his website here.

His Background:
An instant bond was made between Master Jun Chong and the Rhee brothers when they traveled to Los Angeles to help teach classes at his new school. It was in Los Angeles that Master Rhee got into filmmaking by being an extra in Master Jun Chong’s earlier films. Since then, he has gone on to become a film actor, director, writer, and producer and is responsible for creating the “Best of the Best” film franchise. Through his many successes, he has still stayed committed to teaching at Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do and considers Master Jun Chong as his martial arts master, mentor and big brother.
His Teaching Philosophy:
To teach harmony between Mind, Body and Spirit through the martial arts.

What to Expect in His Classes:
Hard work… Fun and discipline.

Fun Foto of the Week!

Our North Hollywood Demo team of Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do performs at the Los Angeles Times Health and Fitness event in Los Angeles. Some students you might recognize is Yong Chong (2nd from right) and Stephen Howison (far right), who teach on Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons.

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Fun Foto of the Week!

A phenomenal photo of Jun Chong black belt Robert Alonzo drop-kicking a black belt competitor from Argentina in the Men's team sparring event at our annual WUMAO Tournament. Circa 1997.
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

You're Invited to our First OPEN HOUSE!

Bring all your friends to celebrate our first OPEN HOUSE!

Invite everyone to try a FREE martial arts class and stay for the festivities afterward!

We've Got...

A Bounce House!!
Free Sno-Cones and Fresh Popcorn!!

Music!!

Martial Arts Demonstrations!!

Free Giveaways!!

KogiBBQ Truck at 11:30am!!

And did I mention for every friend that you bring that signs up, you get

1 MONTH OF FREE CLASSES!?!?

...And that the person who brings the MOST friends that day will get

a GRAND PRIZE of their CHOICE!!??

Date: Saturday, September 26, 2009

Time: Kids festivities start at 9:30am; Adult festivities start at 11:30am

Location: Jun Chong Martial Arts, 6340B Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, 90048

Contact: (323) 658-7570 or junchong411[at]gmail.com

Pick up invititation tickets at our office or send us your email address so we can email them to you.

Don't miss all the fun, the more the merrier!

Fun Foto of the Week!

This week's pictures is just your typical Jun Chong Martial Arts Park Testing...over 30 years ago!
It's nice to know that some traditions never change...except for the big white tarp thingy I suppose.
If anyone can give me a year on this, I'd appreciate it!

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Students Kick Butt at Sparring Seminar!

The WUMAO annual Sparring Seminar was held Saturday, August 29, 2009 at the Wilshire branch of Jun Chong Martial Arts. Master Lion Choi, 7th dan in Taekwondo and Hapkido and the former Head Coach of the Korean National Demo Team instructed the 2 sessions with drills and combos to better your sparring technique and strategy.Over 50 students attended, each ready to learn the rules and how to win a point style and Olympic style sparring match. As the tournament approaches, this seminar will no doubt vastly aid each student in preparing for their individual sparring matches.As an attendee, students received their Certificate of Participation personally signed by Master Lion Choi and Grandmaster Jun Chong, who hosted the event on behalf of WUMAO. Each student also got to take home their souvenir gift, a martial arts workout towel that bears the slogan: "No Sweat, No Tears, No black belt." These towels can now be purchased at the studio for $5 each.For more pictures, please check out our media page.
Save the Date! Our WUMAO tournament is Sunday, October 11, 2009 at Pasadena City College!

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH!

CONGRATS TO OUR STUDENTS OF THE MONTH!
TAYLOR WIEMER & ELAINE SIR

Full name: Taylor Wiemer

Education Level: 5th grade

Belt Rank: Red first stripe

Q: Describe yourself in 3 words
A: Happy, funny, and playful

Q: Name one thing you wish you knew before joining Tae Kwon Do

A: I wish I knew how to jump rope when I started Tae Kwon Do

Q: Your biggest vice:
A: No major vices yet

Q: Your favorite food:

A: Pizza

Q: How has Tae Kwon Do changed you?

A: It gives me more confidence

Q: What is the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in Tae Kwon Do?

A: I did the form incorrectly when I was 5 years old.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A: I like sports cars and tae kwon do

Q: What made you want to join Tae Kwon Do?

A: My dad

Q: What are you best at in Tae Kwon Do?

A: Kicking

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: Black belt in a Lamborghini

Full Name: Elaine Sir

Occupation: Attorney by trade, Fox Music exec.
Belt Rank: Red with white stripe.

Q: Describe yourself in 3 words.
A: Curious, loyal, uninhibited

Q: Name one thing you wish you knew before joining Tae Kwon Do.

A: My body as a teenager and its limitations are different than [this] one. Merits by repetition in adulthood are sloooowed.

Q: Your biggest vice:

A: Hard on myself, perfectionist, obsessive, ambitious

Q: Your favorite food:

A: Korean, Indian, Sushi

Q: How has Tae Kwon Do changed you?

A: It has taught me the significance of setting an example, of being patient and courteous with myself and others, and being receptive to criticism. TKD has (ironically) taught me to slow down.

Q: What is the most embarassing thing that happened to you in Tae Kwon Do?

A: Knocked someone down in sparring before the “START” whistle went off.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A: Music shows, writing, reading, learning drums, soundartla.org

Q: What made you want to join Tae Kwon Do?

A: Every Sat morning during childhood, my sister and I involuntarily attended Korean school. After school, the boys learned taekwondo -- while the little girls were thrusted into an auditorium to learn the Korean Fan dance (and forced to tick tock our lighthearted smiling faces back and forth). Tomboy-hood started at age 2 for me -- so the fan dance wasn't working for me. I ditched the room to watch the boys.

Q: What are you best at in Tae Kwon Do?

A: Commitment. Concentration. (I'm working on precision/accuracy.)

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

A: Black belt, showrunner, mom.

Fun Foto of the Week!

Who remembers that old yellow sign we used to have at the old Wilshire location? Here's a photo of our storefront to celebrate the coming 1993, our 21st anniversary at Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do. Hard to imagine the school still there without us in it...but life is change, and change is always good. =)
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Fun Foto of the Week!

Who is this cute kid?? A very young Jun Chong poses with a bright-eyed Erik Morrissette at the old Wilshire studio. If anyone knows the year this might be, let me know!
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

JCTKD Testing Results for August 2009

Congratulations! Receive your new belt at our Belt Ceremony is this Friday, August 21st at your usual class time.
Stay afterward for our Movie Night at 7:30pm, featuring "5 Fingers of Death!" (1973)

YELLOW
Alexander Munzon-OUTSTANDING
Alicia Richards
Astro Halliday
Benja Simon
Catherine Denton
Cleo Walker
Gregory Forston
Hunter Griswold-OUTSTANDING
Joon Boo
Josh Gelman
Joshua Garcia
Joshua Spivey
Noah Velasco
Peter Moon
Pierce Freebairn
Robby Rey
Sydney Rey
Y-Thien Lam

YELLOW I
Kaleo Golden

PURPLE
David Hazany
Harry Lake-OUTSTANDING
Isaac Abecassis
Isaac Amsterdam
Isabella Slimp-OUTSTANDING
Jaeho Lee-OUTSTANDING
Justine Halliday-OUTSTANDING
Juwon Lee-OUTSTANDING
Lucas Lovegrove-Leak
Shayne Liggins
Shriram Krishnamachari-OUTSTANDING
Steven Aceti
Yaakov Sadeghi-OUTSTANDING

PURPLE I
Ethan Esrawi
Daniel Burns

ORANGE
Jackson Gross
John Alamillo
Leah Korori
Renee Spei Heislop-OUTSTANDING
Shayan Hazany

ORANGE I
Cosima Lovegrove-Leak

BLUE
Afsaneh Safavi-OUTSTANDING
Ariella Ahdout-See Office
Crystal Miles-OUTSTANDING
Joshua Mehrdad
Ryan Nikravesh
Shawn Ahdout
Valentina Maria-OUTSTANDING
Yael Balakhane

BLUE I
Nima Nikravesh-See Office

GREEN I
Alper Ulus
Matthew Jefferson

RED
Kyle Pari-See Office
Noam Firestone-See Office

RED I
Alejandro Urquiza-OUTSTANDING
Bennett North
Cameron Ro
Gwynn Lewis Lawrence
Saeyoung Kim
Samantha Rawlins
Taylor Wiemer-OUTSTANDING

Interview with Instructor Mason Williams

Master Mason Williams is a 4th dan Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido and a Jun Chong black belt since 1985. His natural teaching abilities have come through since he began teaching at the Wilshire location in 1990. Master Williams’ martial arts awards have included 1992 National Collegiate Silver Medalist (Finweight Division), 1993 California State Silver Medalist (Finweight), 1993 National Collegiate Bronze Medalist (Flyweight), 1993 California State Silver Medalist (Flyweight), 1995 N ational Collegiate Forms Silver Medalist, 1995 National Collegiate Bronze Medalist (Flyweight). He was a member of the University of California, Berkeley Taekwondo Team from 1992-1995, and the Team Captain in 1995. He was also the Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do Wilshire Chief Instructor from 1998-2000.

His Background:
Mason Williams began studying at the age of 5 after being introduced to the art by his father, Master Greg Williams. Mason achieved his black belt at the age of 10 and decided that martial arts would be an integral part of his life from then on. He began teaching classes at the age of 15 and in college was a nationally ranked fighter for the University of California, Berkeley Tae Kwon Do team. After graduating, Mason returned and became Chief Instructor at the Wilshire Studio. In 2007, Mason achieved the mastery level of 4th dan and is thankful to be a part of Grandmaster Chong's legacy as he teaches the system that has made him who he is.

His Teaching Philosophy:
Martial arts training is the delicate balance between having a fun, enriching time while being conscious of the discipline, philosophy, and cultural legacy that separates the martial arts from other "sports." Physical training is a gateway to unlocking inner potential and gaining greater understanding of our higher mental and spiritual selves. Immersing oneself in the martial arts heightens the life experience and can improve our lives and those we interact with. Through training we learn form, function, feeling, and freedom. The path to mastery is endless and each step should be cherished.

What to Expect in His Classes:
Master Williams' students can expect a fun, rigorous class where they walk away feeling accomplished each time. Kids classes are taught with a balance of youthful excitement and old-school discipline. Adult classes are taught with the desire to help each student achieve his/her utmost physical and mental potential.

Fun Foto of the Week!

If you were around for this one, you might say that this was one of the most BEAUTIFUL martial arts facilities in the world!!
Our very first Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do Santa Monica school opened in 1992 on Santa Monica Blvd. and Cloverfield. The big earthquake damaged this school pretty hard, and when the lease was up and non-negotiable in 1997, we relocated to our present and fabulous location on Santa Monica and Armacost Ave.
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

Movie Night "5 Fingers of Death"

Prepare yourselves for a blast from the past!
This month's Movie Night showcases one of the first successful martial arts movies in America, "5 Fingers of Death" (1973). One of Master Chong's favorites and an inspirational movie for later stars like Bruce Lee and Quentin Tarantino, this film paved the way for Kung Fu films to mainstream into American cinema.
Date: Friday, August 21, 2009 (after the Belt Ceremony)
Time: 7:30pm Open Seating, Movie starts at 8pm
Food: Free popcorn and soda!
If you wanna eat some delicious Rocco's Pizza, please bring in $5 in advanced!
Seating: Bring blankets and chairs (no pointy legs) to enjoy more comfortable seating on the mat during the movie.

Don't forget to RSVP at the office by calling (323) 658-7570 or emailing us at junchong411[at]gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you there!

Interview with Instructor Siaka Harding

Mr. Siaka Harding recently received his 3rd dan black belt in 2008 and has been teaching at Jun Chong Tae Kwon do since 2004.His Background:
Born in Washington DC to parents from Sierra Leone, Mr. Siaka Harding was then able to live in several countries because his father was an Ambassador. He began training in Kenpo Karate where he received his first black belt and became exceptionally good at sparring. He later received another black belt in Tae Kwon Do while living in Colton. When he moved to Los Angeles permanently, he shopped around at several schools before he found Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do. He liked the traditional values, the discipline, and the similar sparring styles. Mr. Harding has now become fully integrated into the Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do system, testing for his 2nd and 3rd dan black belts and even teaching adult group classes, exclusive black belt classes, and private lessons at the school. Mr. Harding has competed in numerous tournaments with many wins including an Amateur World Championship and has represented Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do several times in Men's Team Sparring. When Mr. Harding is not at the studio, he's found pursuing his other passions in acting and producing.
His Teaching Philosophy:
“I love to help students reach their full potential and realize that as they excel, the lessons they learn can be used in training and in life to have complete balance.”

What to Expect in His Classes:
“Students in my class know that I come with an open heart and an open mind to pour out knowledge and care in order to help them develop into great martial artists.”

Interview with Instructor Rila Chartier

Ms. Rila Chartier is a 2nd dan Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido and Jun Chong black belt since 2004. She has been teaching with Master Chong since 2006, working with the Little Tigers and children's classes.Her Background:
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Ms. Rila Chartier started Tae Kwon Do in an afterschool program while in elementary school at the age of 5. Once she decided she loved the sport and wanted to take it more seriously, she moved to Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do in Santa Monica and achieved her black belt at 11 and her 2nd dan 2 years later. She has competed in over 8 tournaments including 1 in Korea, and has won many gold medals including representing Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do, Santa Monica in Women’s Team Sparring.

Her Teaching Philosophy:
“My philosophy of teaching is to make people learn as much as possible but while having fun.”

What to Expect in Her Classes:
“Students can expect a fun but firm class in which they will get exercise and information.”

Fun Foto of the Week!

Master Jun Chong poses here with actress Linda Blair ("The Excorcist") while shooting a feature film "Silent Assassins" (1989).
The movie also included actors Sam Jones ("Flash Gordon") and of course, our very own Phillip Rhee and little Joanna Chong (who was only 8 years old!).
If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!

August Students of the Month

Congratulations to our Students of the Month

SAEYOUNG KIM

&

ALEJANDRO URQUIZA!

FULL NAME: Saeyoung Kim

OCCUPATION OR EDUCATION LEVEL: Advertising (Broadcast Production)

BELT RANK, TRAINING SINCE: Red, July 18, 2007

Q: Describe yourself in 3 words.

A: Goofy, random, and animated

Q: Name on thing you wish you knew before joining Tae Kwon Do.

A: That it requires so much patience for yourself. Also can't be too hard on yourself. Patience is the key.

Q: Your biggest vice:

A: Addicitve personality, my latest addiction, Tae Kwon Do.

Q: Your favorite food:

A: Impossible to pick one. To name a few, sushi, steak, korean, mexican, and thai.

Q: How has Tae Kwon Do changed you?

A: Changed everything, changed my body, my mind, my soul and I really mean it.

Q: What is the most embarassing thing that happened to you in Tae Kwon Do?

A: Besides falling on my a$$ a thousand times, hmm... I consider myself pretty damn tough, but I actually cried when I got kicked in the head and lost balance and was out of it. But I'm a warrior and a true warrior never quits, so I finished the fight.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A: Besides Tae Kwon Do, watching movies and playing cards.

Q: What made you want to join Tae Kwon Do?

A: I've always wanted to and one day I woke up and thought I had to do it before it was too late. (But I realized it's never too late).

Q: What are you best at in Tae Kwon Do?

A: I don't know yet but I can tell you I'm getting pretty good at learning/analyzing/improving myself at all levels, as a person and as a martial artist.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

A: Probably have just earned my 2nd degree black belt and in the process of getting myself to start training for my 3rd degree black belt.

FULL NAME: Alejandro Anibal Urquiza
OCCUPATION OR EDUCATION LEVEL: Student
BELT RANK: Red

Q: Describe yourself in 3 words.
A: Smart, Athletic, Friendly

Q: Name on thing you wish you knew before joining Tae Kwon Do.
A: How to play soccer

Q: Your biggest vice:
A: I watch wrestling instead of doing homework.

Q: Your favorite food:
A: Double cheeseburger

Q: How has Tae Kwon Do changed you?
A: Taught me how to defend myself and help me focu

Q: What is the most embarassing thing that happened to you in Tae Kwon Do?
A: When I peed on the mat

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Playing soccer, xbox, and practicing Tae Kwon Do.

Q: What made you want to join Tae Kwon Do?
A: Because I used to watch "Power Rangers" and loved it.

Q: What are you best at in Tae Kwon Do?
A: Forms, techniques, and sparring

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: I see myself being a black belt and going to Junior High school.

Fun Foto of the Week!

This week's fun foto is a fairly recent but memorable one. This was our first martial arts field trip to Korea in 2007. We spent about 10 days traveling to different parts of Korea and had a tour group of over 50 people!
We are making plans for our 2010 Korea trip which may include stops to Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Thailand. If you are interested in getting information, please contact us at the email below to be put on the list.

If you have any good photos that you'd like to submit, email them to me at junchong411[at]gmail.com. Enjoy!