Overseas Non-Korean Tadkwondo Masters Essays Ⅰ

     I was surprised to be asked to join Grandmaster Kwon in the Kukkiwon office of Dr. Un Yong Kim. Two days later, Dr. Kim made an unscheduled appearance at the awards ceremony. The grandmasters stopped presenting certificates and waited. He walked to the podium, picked up a certificate, called the next person to the podium. After his presentation, he left the building. That person was me. I could not believe it. There I was, standing in front of the highest-ranking person in the taekwondo world. What an absolute honor! Grandmaster Kwon and the other grandmasters later said that they did not know of his plans. They were as surprised as we were.

     We were scheduled to eat the next meal at the Kukkiwon cafeteria and visit the Taekwondo Museum(above the cafeteria) before heading back to the hotel. The museum housed the history of taekwondo, Kukkiwon and the WTF. As the tour was coming to an end, I heard someone call my name. My wife grabbed my arm and led me  to  a  display  case  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  “You  have  got  to  see  this!” she exclaimed. We stopped in front of a large photograph taken during the construction of Kukkiwon - almost thirty years earlier - high on a mountain top - surrounded by trees - far away from the crowded city streets. It took our breath away! That week we also visited the Olympic Stadium in Seoul. Grandmaster Kwon took us to the seating area where he watched the opening ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics.

     I have returned to Korea (with my grandmaster) on five separate occasions. I graduated from the 2nd Foreign Masters’ Symposium. I studied the disciplines of swordsmanship, archery and pottery making. We filmed an instructional video for the USNTF And at the age of fifty, I came out of retirement to compete in swordsmanship. I trained at the monastery in the mountains near Taegu City. Each trip I learned more about this beautiful country and returned home in the United States with renewed pride in being a student in the art of taekwondo. Most importantly, I spent valuable time at the side of my taekwondo father.

     There are similar experiences between both biological and taekwondo families. I remember Grandmaster Kwon saying that black belts often cause more problems than color belts. As my own students increased in rank and responsibility, my taekwondo family was no different. Grandmaster often reminds me that my students may argue or disagree with me. They may even think they are better off without me or the family name. He reassures me, “You will always be their father - their taekwondo father! They can never take that away from you!”

     LOYALTY is the product of the long term relationship that has developed between Grandmaster Duk Gun Kwon and myself. At first, I viewed him only as a business mentor. Then I became his student. Later he became my Grandmaster. We are now father and son.

     Like most fathers and sons, we have not always got along. We have hurt each other’s feelings. We even quit speaking until our tempers cooled off, and we both had to apologize. As we both get older, I become more protective of him.   Sometimes others try to take advantage of his kindness. They are often jealous of our relationship. I have been asked how I can do what he asks of me or accept his decision without even questioning him. I try to explain that sometimes it is for no other reason except that he said to do it. It is enough for me to know that he is the Master - I am not. When these same people find themselves in the position of authority, they rush to teach something that they have not even practiced yet - LOYALTY.         <The End>
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     Thomas Eugene Perry
   Date of Birth: Jun 24, 1953
   Country: USA
   Kukkiwon Seventh Degree Black Belt

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