00:00:04.000 - 00:00:18.260

Okay, what was the question again? Oh! Um, so you changed locations … to this location. Oh, changed location? Well, uh, this was, uh, my really intention to move here and

00:00:18.320 - 00:00:27.690

downtown location is around 5,000 square feet. I remodeled with, uh, one of my old, uh, U.S. Army—I taught in a lot of U.S.

00:00:27.690 - 00:00:41.810

Army in Korea, Korean Army, and many different organizations I taught. The one of the soldier, uh, whom I taught in Korea, you know, who’s stationed in Korea, and he—I met him

00:00:41.810 - 00:00:54.710

over here in—in Texas. So like, he came here in Houston, and personally, myself and him built this school. Remodeling. Not professionally, just remodeled the old building.

00:00:56.170 - 00:01:13.240

Then I start teaching. At the time, downtown area was like a slum area, nothing going on. Then 19—2011, uh … the Toyota Center—the city want to domain my building.

00:01:14.660 - 00:01:29.690

That’s why. I actually built this building is, uh—I had so many students in downtown area and, uh … opened this location as a branch. So I just moved back here.

00:01:31.360 - 00:01:48.580

Downtown is the—I really liked teaching over there. Then the Toyota Center now. So how did you first start getting new students? I been—’68 when I came here was, uh … I

00:01:48.580 - 00:02:04.000

was invited. Many different like television station— Channel 11, 13, Channel 2—I been doing lot of demonstration on the like the Show, the Morning Show, Chris Chandler Show, and

00:02:05.880 - 00:02:14.490

Show, and so many different like program, they invite me. I show the demonstration. Yeah, then the people know me.

00:02:14.660 - 00:02:25.200

Then also, the local martial art organization, whenever they have the demonst—the championship tournament, they invite me. They invited, so I demonstrated.

00:02:26.300 - 00:02:41.860

I didn’t have any school at the time, but in the future, I was going to open school in Houston, so I gladly demonstrated everybody for free, then people—I was well known at the time. Nowadays, a lot of people don’t know, but at the time, I

00:02:41.860 - 00:02:58.450

was very well known. Yes. So when I opened school in downtown after I got the green—you know, . That’s—as soon as I got my, uh, green card, open school.

00:02:59.700 - 00:03:17.090

I expected a lot of people coming. But surprisingly, just a few people sign up. I was starting a—very much struggling at the— at the beginning. At the downtown location.

00:03:21.890 - 00:03:41.770

When did you found Chayon-Ryu? Yeah, I … found the Chayon-Ryu. I organized Chayon-Ryu martial art in—in America. Uh, martial art was traditionally the educational thing, but, uh,

00:03:43.530 - 00:03:53.040

it has been changing. All day was the martial—when I studied martial art, it’s educational purpose, but, uh, also combat, but the educational purpose. But later on …

00:03:55.260 - 00:04:11.160

this tried to—people try to make it sport nowadays. So, I like to keep it original martial art, as a science and art. I like to keep it as a science and as an art.

00:04:12.490 - 00:04:23.600

So I come to United States. I … uh, open the Chayon-Ryu martial art. If I stay in Korea, there I cannot

00:04:23.600 - 00:04:40.540

continue because everybody want to make it as a sport. In America, it’s a sport too, but, uh … I keep it as—as a science, as an art. Not only game, it’s not only—not as a sport.

00:04:56.740 - 00:05:10.180

So, what year did you first teach it as a different style? I’m sorry? When did you first teach it as Chayon-Ryu? Like, this style.

00:05:13.100 - 00:05:29.800

Uh … I start teaching it Chayon-Ryu since 1970. Yeah. Then I been—I had the chance to study so many different Asian martial art. It’s like karate, and chuan fa kung fu, taekwondo, aikido—

00:05:29.800 - 00:05:42.430

many different Asian martial art. But, when I teach in karate, some people said, “I wanna learn some jiu jitsu.” After later on, I teaching jiu jitsu. Say, “I wanna learn some tae kwon do.” So they can

00:05:42.430 - 00:05:55.600

make ‘em as—all as one program. The Chayon-Ryu is a combined system, six different Asian martial art. And also, it’s more, uh, not as a game and as a sport.

00:05:55.690 - 00:06:11.820

I t—I like to help out the people, who need build their mental physical confidence. Not only just for the game. Then I making little bit different program called the natural way martial art.

00:06:13.580 - 00:06:29.930

Sports is just always talk about—sports …. In sports, it’s people—it’s important, like who get the first place, second place, third place. In Chayon- Ryu, there’s no such a thing.

00:06:31.910 - 00:06:52.720

Everybody—everybody could be a—a champion. Everybody—I tell everybody, “You could be a champion.” It’s a educational program. Um, is that the philosophy

00:06:53.580 - 00:07:05.590

of Chayon-Ryu? Philosophy of Chayon-Ryu. Chayon-Ryu is, uh, all the movements from the human movements already what we have.

00:07:06.790 - 00:07:20.350

People wanna learn martial art, but they already—always tell me, “This is too hard. No fun. I don’t have any energy. I don’t have any good reflex.” People have excuses first, so

00:07:20.400 - 00:07:35.310

tell them, I organized martial art easiest way, for fun. I’m using natural human movement. It’s like walking movement, the running movement, body twisting. Any kind of movements, already what

00:07:35.310 - 00:07:49.740

you have as a part of, as a exercise program. I design it. So people learn it so easy. When you see the pictures like, one of ….

00:07:52.140 - 00:08:06.450

This is one of the program where I teaching at University of Houston program at 150, 160 people at all one time at the big auditorium. Only one person teaching, it’s myself.

00:08:09.790 - 00:08:21.150

I ask them there, “Do you know how to do this one? How to do this?” “Yes, all right, yeah I know.” “Do you know how to run? How to walk? That’s what you have to use here. This is natural way.

00:08:21.690 - 00:08:40.670

Everything already what you have it. I’m not trying to teach anything, something new, secret thing. But I want you just to find out what you have it. So, very accessible style.

00:08:41.940 - 00:08:55.150

I’m sorry? It’s—so, Chayon-Ryu style is very accessible to many. I think so. Chayon-Ryu is for natural movements. We use everything, already what we have. And as a—uh,

00:08:57.200 - 00:09:18.410

not only for physical self-defense. Mental-physical balance education. So, when you first came here, you know, you said that you got all this attention from the networks. How did they first hear about you?

00:09:19.560 - 00:09:33.530

How they what? The TV networks? The TV shows and stuff, how did they hear about you? Oh here? Yeah. Well I was a—before—actually, I was a—before I come to United States, I was, uh, known in

00:09:33.530 - 00:09:50.450

martial art world in the world. Uh, I was, uh … a writer for the Black Belt Magazine. It’s the only one magazine published in the world and in

00:09:50.450 - 00:10:02.190

English. I was Korean correspondent for that magazine. I wrote a lot of articles, activity, uh, when I was in Korea. So

00:10:02.190 - 00:10:14.320

people already know about me. And when I came here, I—I participated a lot of United St—you know, tournaments. As a re—as a demonstrator, and also as a judge.

00:10:15.900 - 00:10:26.830

So I was very well known when I came to America already. Then I decided to be a pioneer in Houston area. I do a lot of—participate in demonstration.

00:10:29.590 - 00:10:40.710

Then I still writing lot of thing, everything in Korea and here. Uh, I still writing. In English, I wrote a couple of books too.

00:10:51.360 - 00:11:01.180

Yeah that—my orange book, that was, uh, my textbook at, uh, Rice—when I teaching Rice. Oh okay. Yeah that’s the Rice PE department. That’s the textbook.

00:11:32.630 - 00:11:47.610

How did you grow your offices to such a large number? I think, currently, 43 across five countries? Right?

00:11:47.660 - 00:11:55.760

You have some international offices. Well, I’m the only one place now teaching. But, uh, my students stay with me 10, 20, 30, 40 years.

00:11:55.760 - 00:12:12.110

There’re people with me 40 years, 45 years even, training with me. You see, if I teaching only sports, they study and quit. But I teach it as art and science … there’re lot of things to learn. Just like a martial art is like they study as

00:12:13.940 - 00:12:30.310

a—just like a religion, stay with me long time. Then they go back to their hometown, move back to, you know, different country. Then I—they then teaching over there. They teach like even Russia,

00:12:31.670 - 00:12:48.350

even one in Japan. And, lot of places in America. It’s not—our system is lot of, uh, rich history. Lot of things to learn. So, you won’t grow so fast.

00:12:48.830 - 00:13:03.050

But slowly, you grow. You never—I don’t think you never disappear. In many different places in America, and many different places in—only three different places,

00:13:03.350 - 00:13:21.410

Korea, Japan and Russia, we have our systems going on now. Did you, um, visit those different centers, around the world? I’m sorry?

00:13:21.750 - 00:13:39.380

Did you go to visit those centers? Yes, uh, I visit Russia four times. And, nowadays I’m just … uh, going Korea. Uh, Korea for—this is

00:13:39.480 - 00:13:59.850

my third year. I’m going back again this, uh, late part of August. Teaching at university in—in Pusan area. Martial art is, uh … actually, it’s a time to really import. People think it’s Korea and Japan

00:13:59.850 - 00:14:14.960

have a lot of martial art going on, but they don’t do old martial art, not like old days. It’s most of them, martial art is a sport they’re doing. So they need, uh—they need, uh—they need to import

00:14:16.820 - 00:14:29.450

old martial art again. I have to go over there and teach them. I’m going back this, uh, fall, to teach. Do you have family

00:14:29.870 - 00:14:44.490

in Korea still? No, I don’t have any family in Korea. All of ‘em, I brought them to America. I have one sist— uh, I have a …

00:14:46.190 - 00:14:59.360

for three sisters and brothers, and I brought ‘em all, their family too. I’m the first person, as a pioneer here. Then I brought ‘em all here. I don’t have anybody in Korea now.

00:15:00.110 - 00:15:14.330

Mm-hmm. And your parents? I’m sorry? Your—your parents too? Oh my parents is both, uh, passed away. Oh yeah. My

00:15:14.330 - 00:15:29.520

mom, uh, I—long time ago, I invited my mother to here. But she was—couldn’t be adjusted in American way of life. She just came here. “America is somehow this is heaven.

00:15:32.240 - 00:15:47.990

But, I cannot be adjusted here.” She went back, she said , “Korea is lot of fun. It hell, but a lot of fun’s over there.” That’s what she said. So when you

00:15:47.990 - 00:16:01.980

go back to Korea, are there any places you visit? Yes, Korea has quite different now. Not like old days. Old days was really nothing to … uh, not

00:16:01.980 - 00:16:17.860

many place to go. But now, Korea is a completely different country. So, uh, when I go back, I try to travel many different places. Yeah. I enjoy very much, but it’s … feel like,

00:16:19.150 - 00:16:37.190

Korea is, uh, like a foreign country for me now. When I’m coming back to Houston, feel more comfortable now. So when you—your first time in the U.S., you came directly to Houston?

00:16:38.070 - 00:16:51.830

Or did you stop― Yeah I come directly to Houston. On the way, I stopped by—well, at the time, I had to stop by anyway, because the airplane won’t come to directly, no direct flight. And stopped by Honolulu first,

00:16:52.580 - 00:17:05.460

then I visit one of my student, who study—as a U.S. Army soldier—who study in Korea, he lives over there. So, I stopped by to see him.

00:17:06.280 - 00:17:20.850

Then I come to, uh … Los Angeles. I visit my friends. My intention is just Houston. So I came to Houston. But I been doing lot of demonstration.

00:17:20.850 - 00:17:36.500

Before I come Houston though, my first demonstration was actually at Beaumont, Texas. In Port Arthur and Beaumont, I been traveling many places. So they want me stay in the College Station sometimes, in

00:17:36.570 - 00:17:48.710

Beaumont, wherever I go. But for me, that’s too small town for me. I like to stay at bigger town to promote martial art. Then I decided

00:17:48.710 - 00:17:59.420

to stay in Houston. Why, I was in homeless in Houston 1968! That’s why—that’s why I have a hearing problem. I used to hear the—you know, watch.

00:18:00.060 - 00:18:25.820

I could hear that. I lost 85 percent ‘cause—no food, no money, stressful. And I lost—both sides I have hearing problem. So, during the first years here, did you meet your wife?

00:18:26.910 - 00:18:42.230

No, I left—uh, before I come to United States, I opened the—I married in Korea. Then, I opened—after the university, I opened professional martial arts

00:18:42.270 - 00:18:58.570

school. I taught few years. Then … then I brought my family—I couldn’t. Actually, when I leave, I don’t have any, no green

00:18:58.960 - 00:19:15.090

card. I was just a visitor’s visa. It’s very, very difficult to get out from Korea. Uh, so I came without, you know, a visa. Not a visa, but it’s not a permanent visa, so couldn’t bring

00:19:15.090 - 00:19:25.690

any family. I left them in Korea, then I came by myself. Then I applied a—a visa here. As soon as I got it, I invited.

00:19:25.890 - 00:19:42.480

It take one year. But that was actually, uh, faster than anybody else. Most people take 10 years to get—sort out their own personal situation, bring the family for reunion. But for me, it took one year.

00:19:42.480 - 00:19:56.620

But I was very stressful meantime. That’s why I have this hearing problem. Almost I was, uh, , you know, didn’t eat properly.

00:19:56.730 - 00:20:05.320

I was so stressful. I was almost knocked out in downtown! My old building, you know? So I—prepared all this kind of paper.

00:20:06.450 - 00:20:19.050

Walk into the immigration office. So, I like to apply for the permanent visa, just to bring my family. I had an interview with a inspector.

00:20:20.430 - 00:20:37.800

That he, fortunately or maybe unfortunately, he was—he was—he was in charge for the, uh, deportation and— uh, deportation for inspector for Korean student who doesn’t have any good school grade.

00:20:39.240 - 00:20:51.290

Then inspector have interview with them, and they just kick ‘em out. I was supposed to have interview with them. But later on, he become my good friend.

00:20:53.650 - 00:21:09.240

I was uh, just like, very nervous when I had interview. He ask me …. He saw the couple of papers. “Why do you like to live in America? You have only visa, two months to go.” I was so

00:21:09.360 - 00:21:24.520

nervous. I just told him …. I forgot everything what the—what I was going to say. What my—what my intention was: I didn’t want to live in America here for myself. I just—America need me.

00:21:24.850 - 00:21:33.890

That’s what I came here. I told him about, America need me. That’s what I’m here. He looking at me, he thought I was kind of crazy man. And . “What did you say?”

00:21:36.150 - 00:21:50.100

I’m very nervous. I cannot say anything, but, uh, America need me. “Okay you come back one week later with, uh—for interview, uh, you know, again.” Then I have that even.

00:21:50.550 - 00:22:03.500

What I wrote it, I turned it him. He been reading, all the what I have prepared, the papers, what I taught. I was taught the—I taught the presidential bodyguard in Korea,

00:22:04.880 - 00:22:18.260

U. S. Army, Korean Army. I was—you know, like many places I taught important peoples. He looking at all these paper and also the, you know, I was—I wrote lots of the articles on the Vietnam

00:22:18.260 - 00:22:28.490

War and things like that. He been reading, looking at me. I thought, “Mm-mm.” What then? Then is he going to kick me out.

00:22:28.950 - 00:22:48.860

He say, “We need me—we need you like—like you for America.” He shake. Then I my green card without any—spending any money, and I really, really appreciate that. Since then, I’ve been teaching in—in martial art at—at

00:22:48.860 - 00:23:01.030

Rice University. Rice University actually I—my first class started 1968 September I started over there. Oh, okay. Yeah, the club—I found the club. That club is still going on.

00:23:01.470 - 00:23:19.400

I’m not teaching there. My student’s teaching there. That club is going on still. I taught the PE department since 1982 to 2008. And also I have a lot of old Rice club, uh … president

00:23:20.760 - 00:23:36.220

and also student that’s training here. You know, they told me, said, “whenever you need me, give me call.” So maybe if you need any information, want to talk about them, old days, I can give you his telephone number or maybe

00:23:36.220 - 00:23:55.410

email address. You can—you can hear from him too, what’s going on. This is one of the old Rice club president. He’s Dr. Thomas … Tom—Tom Cook. He’s a Rice student.

00:24:04.450 - 00:24:26.080

Well, excuse me. So at the time, when you came here, did you already have children? No, I just by myself. Then, uh, at the time, my son was two years old.

00:24:26.440 - 00:24:43.840

Okay. Then they left—I left here, nothing promised to country. I come here. One year later, I straighten up my situation, then I invite ‘em. Then they came. My son is a—he was

00:24:43.840 - 00:25:06.320

two years old now he’s 48! Um…what was it like as a family in Houston, in those days? Was there a good size Asian community? Well,

00:25:07.480 - 00:25:21.900

I have a lot of difficult, uh, communication problem with my children too, because they grew up in America. I’m still at old stay—old—old timers, you know, old mind. They’re not like, uh

00:25:24.710 - 00:25:38.110

… they’re not like a Korean. You know, you know, like American grown, American way. So, sometime we have a little bit communication problem. How many children do you have? Only two.

00:25:38.110 - 00:25:55.550

Two. One son is working here, is teaching martial art with me. Okay. And my daughter is—she’s, uh, working for Nokia. Senior designer. And she was born here. That’s her. She’s—her picture’s right there.

00:25:58.020 - 00:26:18.890

That’s my daughter. This is my son, and when he was a little boy. Mm-hmm. So they’re both—they both learned martial arts. Oh yeah, they—all of them martial art.

00:26:19.350 - 00:26:30.120

All my family is martial artists. And my daughter is a black belt, but she—you know, I don’t want my family, everybody stick with, like, teaching.

00:26:31.050 - 00:26:44.500

She’s, uh, working for Nokia, freelancer now, after she got married. And my son is, I have only one son. I have a big organization. He say he doesn’t have any choice.

00:26:44.610 - 00:26:57.240

He want to be instructors. Now he’s teaching. My granddaughter—I have one granddaughter. She’s in college now. Oh okay. She’s, uh, also a martial artist.

00:26:59.110 - 00:27:15.960

Not quite black belt yet. When your children were growing up, did you try to teach them, uh, Korean culture? I’m sorry? Did you try to teach your children Korean culture?

00:27:17.680 - 00:27:30.430

Well, they don’t have really much time. I spent most of my time in martial arts school, teaching. I just come here this country without any money, no—you know, nothing.

00:27:30.470 - 00:27:47.100

So, I’ve been working. Me and my wife working almost 12 hours a day, then didn’t have much time spending time with the family get together. Actually, I could say maybe I’m a failure, in a family-wise.

00:27:48.260 - 00:27:57.790

Yeah, didn’t have time together. I have a lot of family though. All my students, they are my family. Equally, I love everybody.

00:27:58.610 - 00:28:14.490

I don’t specially my—you know, love to my children. So, that part is some missing. I’m spending too much time for everybody—I’m still—still teaching. I’m still

00:28:14.550 - 00:28:26.330

demonstrating, I’m still …. And it’s my age. When I go to Korea, visiting, most places, my age is nobody really teaching and demonstrating.

00:28:27.180 - 00:28:39.820

I’m still doing that. What did your wife do? Sorry? What did your wife do? She’s, uh, helping for paperwork Okay. Yeah, two times a week.

00:28:40.240 - 00:28:58.550

Okay. So, when your family came here, for—to the US, when you were able to bring them here— Yes. —where did you live?

00:29:00.580 - 00:29:12.960

That’s a good question. Yeah, I used to live, uh—when they—when I—when they— I invite them, one year, exactly one year. I left 1968 January, then I brought them 1969 February. They came.

00:29:13.810 - 00:29:24.300

At the time, still, I don’t have any apartment. I don’t have any money. Just barely start school, you know? So, I stayed …

00:29:26.770 - 00:29:36.600

first one of my students said, um, “Why don’t you, uh, to live the, uh …” he— he left his apartment. He want me stay over there, you know?

00:29:36.700 - 00:29:47.980

So I think, maybe. I don’t know why he said …. So I invite my—my—br—I brought my family to there, uh, West Main—not West Main—West Alabama, or somewhere in that area.

00:29:51.240 - 00:30:03.890

Then little—my boy was a little boy, was—he jumping around, and the next door man—I think it’s landlord lady was hit broomstick, So, I didn’t know what it was. So we couldn’t—no freedom.

00:30:05.020 - 00:30:14.820

Yeah, kind of a nervous, you know, she was, uh, quite often hit stick with broomstick. So we decide to move to the downtown, to where I—my building.

00:30:15.580 - 00:30:29.830

There’s no A/C, nothing but there was, uh, no furniture, no …. Actually it was an empty building, old empty building, and no A/C, nothing. We would live—used to live over

00:30:30.070 - 00:30:44.210

there. At the downtown, that’s the—this is the place right here. You know, this is the backside of another building. We live upstairs. We live and … that’s my first

00:30:44.270 - 00:30:57.620

home. How long did you live there? We live over there … mmm, around three year—three years, living up there, then after that, we moved to the Spring Branch area.

00:30:57.980 - 00:31:14.350

Bought a house. Okay. Are you still there? We—we moved. Did—not there anymore. Okay, yeah. So, your children also changed schools a couple of times, yeah?

00:31:15.040 - 00:31:28.750

Mm, no. Same school? No, same school. They grew—went to the, uh, Spring—I don't know what they call it. Gessner and Kempwood area, there’s a Terrace Elementary.

00:31:30.080 - 00:31:45.460

Both of them went to the Terrace Elementary and then Spring Wood High School. And then went to, uh, Art Institute. They went to the Art Institute, my daughter went to the Art Institute in—Art

00:31:45.460 - 00:32:03.640

Center in California. Did you feel comfortable in that neighborhood? At the time it, uh—the Spring Branch area was a good school district.

00:32:04.310 - 00:32:18.090

That’s what I—my students recommend to buy the house this area. So we bought it. It was a very good area at the time. It’s still—still good, but, uh, at the time it was a very good area.

00:32:19.740 - 00:32:35.270

Spring Branch. Were your neighbors friends? I’m sorry? Were you friends with your neighbors? I didn’t really—didn’t have much time to with, uh, have the fun with neighbor.

00:32:35.820 - 00:32:51.510

My—all my spending time with the fam—uh, at the school, with the school students, and this activity. That’s what I—I’m really little bit a failure in life sometime, you know, spending too much time with

00:32:51.710 - 00:33:03.110

martial art all the time. I—I don’t have any—any other activities going, with me. But you followed your passion. I’m sorry?

00:33:03.390 - 00:33:16.060

But you followed your passion. Maybe. Yeah. That’s all my—my life. I’m spending time in the martial art.

00:33:19.550 - 00:33:33.650

So I lost—sometime I—you know, my family like … not like other—other people. Too much time with my martial art family.

00:33:46.330 - 00:33:58.330

So in Houston, what is the Korean community like? Korean—Korean community? Yeah. Korean community. I don’t really much participate the Korean community.

00:33:59.780 - 00:34:14.160

They ask me …. Well, they ask me, “Well you’ve been teaching here in Houston martial arts so long, and you must making a lot of money, and why don’t you just delegate your

00:34:14.160 - 00:34:29.600

job? Come on and help out some Korean community, and meeting, participate activity.” They think it’s I’m too greedy to make more money. That’s what I’ve been doing this.

00:34:30.810 - 00:34:42.820

I’m not doing this for to make money. If I want to make more money, looking for my safety, I even didn’t come to the United States. I left everything, with $100, without no green card, that come to America.

00:34:43.920 - 00:34:57.880

I’m still teaching for years. You know, I’ve been doing almost a six days a week. They come—they want me come to their meeting and usually the evening time, like, uh, during the week day.

00:35:00.860 - 00:35:15.890

When I go over there, the people come and they—they see me from the—some people from Pasadena, some people come from Galveston, some people in from Beaumont. They come out to see me and to training under me. I don’t want to sit down at the meeting over there, sit down talking

00:35:15.890 - 00:35:28.340

with people. I believe this is my mission. I like to help out the people this way. I like to teach people! I don’t want to go over there, you know, talking with the Korean community, talk about

00:35:28.340 - 00:35:44.000

some other thing. This is the way I can dedicate it. This is the way—eh, you know, my mission in my life. They don’t understand me sometime. They think it’s I’m still greedy, that’s what I’m still

00:35:44.060 - 00:36:07.000

teaching. It’s my niece—you met while ago— Gigi Lee. She’s, uh—she’s, uh, very active in Korean community. So, you came to Houston before

00:36:07.920 - 00:36:19.810

most of the Korean community? Yes, when I came here, there was only handful Korean student. I don’t see anybody at Rice students at the time.

00:36:19.810 - 00:36:35.240

Most of them went to—going University of Houston. It’s around—maybe around 10 people. And, no businessmen. Few people who marry the American lady and they living

00:36:35.240 - 00:36:52.770

here. And I met one man who—who used to station in Korea. He met his wife in Korea. They live here. But, uh, there wasn’t really many big Korean community at all, only handful student.

00:36:54.880 - 00:37:13.980

I’m the one of the first pioneer, actually in Korean, uh, community. First businessman, I think. Even Korean consul, uh, office wasn’t here. When I came—when I was in Korea I decided,

00:37:14.470 - 00:37:27.480

this will be very, eh … someday will be very important place. I like to be a pioneer. I did decide to come to Texas. The people always say, “Why Texas?

00:37:28.310 - 00:37:41.290

There’s no—no people.” I think that Texas will be very important place. I came—Korean communit—Korean Consul General’s office they come 1968?

00:37:42.620 - 00:37:58.280

Six months later, I came. So I had the chance to introduce Korean Consul General, Mr. Ahn, at the, uh, uh—what’s it? My … mentor retired—retired—children’s

00:38:00.230 - 00:38:14.710

some … big demonstration. At the time I introduce them, then also on Korean television—not Korean television—channel 13 television, I—I introduced them, while I was doing

00:38:14.710 - 00:38:37.580

demonstration. So, do you think Texas has become an important place? I’m sorry? Do you think Texas has become an important place yet? Very unknown in Asian people, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese people.

00:38:39.680 - 00:38:55.010

Texas wasn’t known at all. Known as “wild west” and also very—lot of people using gun after watching television cowboy movie. Things like that, like a John Wayne fighting movie

00:38:55.010 - 00:39:08.510

and lot of cowboy movie people. Texas, lot of car, uh, lot of cows and ma—you know, whores, and—rough area. Asian people, they don’t wanna come here. Why?

00:39:08.600 - 00:39:19.390

‘Cause. Why? You know, it’s a good place to live like, New York, San Francisco and L. A. Nobody wants to go down South.

00:39:19.710 - 00:39:38.530

There hot weather, rough, lot of cockroaches, no reason to go over there. That’s what I came here. People ask me, “Why you Texas?” “Because nobody wants to go over there. That’s what I came.” Some people think it’s I’m crazy.

00:39:38.880 - 00:39:45.950

“You should go to L. A., there’s, you know, open school. You’re a well-known person. You go over there, you know, you’ll be

00:39:45.950 - 00:39:59.490

famous!” Yeah, I could be a famous student. I was used to be—I was supposed to do demonstrate with in 1964. my picture right here. Uh, not clear, but

00:39:59.630 - 00:40:21.890

here, that’s his first debut demonstration. I couldn’t go—I couldn’t come at the time, but my picture’s still here. So, what do you think about yourself?

00:40:22.010 - 00:40:37.640

Do you think you are a Houstonian or a Texan? Houstonian, Texan. It’s a very—first my impression to Texan is very kind. Very kind, good

00:40:37.640 - 00:40:51.740

people. Yeah, at the time the, who—who helped me is all Texans. My friend was Eddie Krickson, also Mr. Nick Hawkins.

00:40:54.250 - 00:41:08.580

Original Texas people are very, very kind and friendly. Now is so many people to coming just like New York, you know, everywhere! But, the people originally who, you know—Texas people are very friendly and nice people.

00:41:09.690 - 00:41:23.460

Are you a Texan? Yes! Are you a Houstonian? I am Houstonian. I’m proud to be—proud to be a Houstonian and Texan. Yes. When I go, uh,

00:41:24.290 - 00:41:38.330

speech and I talk at some big tournament time, when I’m up judging people sometime they’re laughing at me because, “You speak like a Texan!” They—I think they feel, uh, my Southern accent.

00:41:40.510 - 00:41:57.890

I don’t know. That’s what they say! Did you ever consider leaving? I’m sorry? Did you ever consider leaving?

00:41:58.320 - 00:42:13.040

Leaving? No. No, I like to, uh …. I like to here. I like to die in Houston, ‘cause all my students, uh, they’re here.

00:42:13.720 - 00:42:30.980

They’re my family. Wow. I don’t want to move. I came over, you know—intentionally I come to Texas. I like to stay here. I—past five mayors give me, uh, proclamation of Grandmaster Kim Soo Day in Houston.

00:42:31.900 - 00:42:47.990

Started out from: Kathy Whitmire, then Lee Brown, Bob Lanier, Bill White, and this one is Annise Parker. Who’s your favorite mayor?

00:42:50.240 - 00:43:04.190

I—I love them, all of ‘em. All of ‘em good people. And … Kathy Whitmire, she’s a—she’s a very beautiful mayor. When I see her, she was—she was really beautiful.

00:43:06.590 - 00:43:32.590

And last year, two times, I got Senate Resolution 989. They talk about Rice University here, too. Want to see that? I used to give—I always go high school, university.

00:43:33.280 - 00:43:51.150

I give a lot of speech. I’ve been talking … about the martial art, uh, this kind of thing. But, somehow since I have—since I lost my hearing, 85%. It’s all from—most people, when they come and ask

00:43:51.180 - 00:44:04.220

me, “You got hurt because of the martial art training? Somebody hit you, something?” No. This because of the old days when I started in America. Hot weather, this

00:44:04.220 - 00:44:19.460

kind of hot weather, no A/C, and lot of stress. That’s what I got this. Mm-hmm. What were some of the most difficult parts about starting and running your own business, here? I have to learn everything like,

00:44:21.550 - 00:44:32.810

uh—everything from the beginning. First—first, language. I don’t know really any business in America. Cultures between Korea and America at the time—was

00:44:33.530 - 00:44:45.380

’68—was around 100 years different. Nowadays, is—Korea is pretty much developed its wealth, yeah, good business now. But at the time, was—Korea was a very poor country.

00:44:48.340 - 00:45:02.030

I have to learn everything from the beginning like a baby. That’s what I stressful. I don’t have any place to go have consultation, no Korean lawyers, no nothing.

00:45:03.940 - 00:45:22.800

Now it’s easy. Even no Korean restaurant to eat at the time. No Korean restaurant, no Korean community. Everything have to start it from the beginning. How did you learn English?

00:45:24.090 - 00:45:38.320

Learning—? English. Well, I had the chance to study and learn English in high school days. I can write English better than American. Yes, but … conversations, completely

00:45:39.230 - 00:45:53.230

different. But I … my dream was teaching martial art in the world. So, I s—I went to the, uh, U.S. Army. I opened the club over there.

00:45:53.230 - 00:46:06.730

I taught the—wanna learn mainly for the teaching GI. Same time I wanna learn English from them. So I had, eh—I learn some English from while I was teaching.

00:46:07.910 - 00:46:19.640

I wasn’t good at it, and also writing, neither, but I become the first writer for the—this magazine. And I have, uh—I wrote lots of articles on the Black Belt Magazine.

00:46:19.800 - 00:46:43.330

I have a—quite a—quite a few in there. Let’s see, maybe I have, uh, here,

00:46:48.240 - 00:47:06.110

some over here. This is a lot of articles about me and what I wrote it. About me and what I wrote it. Just, yeah, for example here, this is, uh, some magazine.

00:47:06.140 - 00:47:16.640

It is published in Los Angeles. This is martial art magazine … publishing in—in America. This is only one magazine in the world at the time.

00:47:16.820 - 00:47:31.010

I was representing Korea. So I wrote about all this. I introduce what—what’s going on in Korea, what’s going on in Japan, and that kind of thing.

00:47:34.640 - 00:48:05.990

That’s my demonstration in the newspaper. Yeah, this is some of my—I have more but, uh, no room to put it in! Wow. If you need any, uh—you know, this is one assignment for the—from Black Belt Magazine. If

00:48:05.990 - 00:48:30.750

you need any copy or anything like that, and let me know. I can make it for you. So, do you like that now, there’s more Korean opportunities, Korean store, Korean restaurant,

00:48:31.010 - 00:48:42.660

here in Texas? Of course, yes. So I have a chance to go eat some Korean food and I go to the restaurant. But I enjoy all—all food though, not only Korean food.

00:48:46.080 - 00:48:59.000

Were you able to eat any Korean food, um, when you first came here? No, no. There’s no Korean food. There was a handful of Korean students go to U of H,

00:48:59.720 - 00:49:15.520

and some—some of ‘em invite their, uh, wife. Uh, they are here. So … I—sometime I visit. There wasn’t really Korean food at all.

00:49:16.810 - 00:49:29.970

Did your wife bring any ingredients from Korea, when she moved here? Yeah, she did. She brought some. Was it nice to have some Korean food finally?

00:49:29.970 - 00:49:47.210

Yeah, but she can make it here, and all the materials here, and she could cook here. Yeah. Were—there were some Chinese stores then? Yeah, there was a, uh, Chinese—there was only Chinese community when I come

00:49:47.620 - 00:49:59.410

to here. Uh, there’s I guess is, uh … they been living here over, a long, long time, I think, from China. Chinese people is everywhere in the world.

00:50:00.340 - 00:50:12.010

There were quite a few Chinese restaurants. So I go sometime, Chinese food. Mm-hmm. It’s only—there’s no

00:50:12.010 - 00:50:25.430

Vietnamese people at all, at the time. 19— middle of 1970, they move in. After the war is over and they coming from…from the camp, they

00:50:25.540 - 00:50:39.760

move down. But, 1960, no Vietnamese. When did most Korean people come over? Was it more gradual? I’m sorry? Koreans? When did they come over mostly?

00:50:42.630 - 00:50:55.690

They— Was it more gradual? You, mean what, graduation? Gradual, like, over time more? Well, because, Kor—Texas was well-known, first of the south part of, you know, this

00:50:55.750 - 00:51:14.050

United States, people—no relationship, like no relatives, and no—they heard about something, bad weather, or something. People afraid to come, I guess, no friends. Then start … uh, maybe late part of, uh,

00:51:14.440 - 00:51:25.680

1980? Okay. Yeah, they start coming, slowly. But still, the community’s not that big. Right. Comparing other—other community like, uh, Vietnamese community was

00:51:26.280 - 00:51:34.410

a lot of people, but the Korean community was not big at all. They—most of ‘em, they living in L. A. Some L.

00:51:34.410 - 00:52:02.980

A., some New York area. What are the things that you want your students to remember the most? I want them remember martial art is not only physical part. Martial art is a science … art …

00:52:04.530 - 00:52:18.340

philosophy. Yeah. I don’t teach martial art is just only sports. Sports last not long. I want them ….

00:52:18.380 - 00:52:37.350

I want all my students grew up and be happy and be successful with the—this martial art, you know, training. I don’t want to make only just, uh, a few people champion, you know. I want them als—I

00:52:38.030 - 00:52:54.960

want them successful in their field. At Rice—at Rice University, when I’m teaching my student in class, I tell them, “I want all of you be successful in your field. You don’t have to be a martial art instructors or don’t have to be a

00:52:55.900 - 00:53:11.370

champion.” In the old days this class, even Rice student, they’re very intelligent, all of ‘em intelligent. But even—while I train them was no—very so quiet. Not even yelling.

00:53:12.510 - 00:53:24.670

When I teach them yelling, they go “Yuh.” Not strong. And I tell ‘em, “Even you have intelligent. You have master’s degree.

00:53:24.670 - 00:53:40.380

Even you have, pH degree, if you don’t have any mental, physical confidence, you cannot put it out—your knowledge out! So you got to yell, become—become a positive attitude!

00:53:42.030 - 00:53:55.230

Where you get it? Through the training.” Yeah, I want them be successful in their business, in their—what their fie—their field, not only become a sportsman. The martial art is not only sports, really.

00:53:55.230 - 00:54:17.980

Do you have anything else? What do you hope will be your legacy to Houston? My …? Your legacy? My legacy in Houston?

00:54:18.670 - 00:54:34.400

… My legacy in Houston. My knowledge, my Chayon-ryu—my, uh, my Chayon-ryu, my knowledge, my system.

00:54:35.810 - 00:54:47.160

This the unique system in the world. Most people do martial art as combat strategy, as a sports. But I teach martial art.

00:54:47.160 - 00:55:01.080

This Chayon-Ryu, is mental- physical education, and … using natural body movement. So whenever I go to other, uh, places, even

00:55:01.080 - 00:55:17.740

I go to Korea, the big Master’s convention, I talk about … theory of martial art. Using our human natural movement. Most people try to teaching some secret movement,

00:55:18.200 - 00:55:32.530

some … very talented . I say martial art is very natural thing, already what you have everything but you just don't know what you have it.

00:55:34.480 - 00:55:45.230

Natural way. That’s my legacy. That’s what I like to hand them out to my student. I don’t know maybe—I don’t know—I don’t really good speaker so it’s very difficult

00:55:45.690 - 00:55:59.650

for me to … Not at all. No, that was good! Do you understand what I say? Yes, yes. I hope you can some editing what I’m saying. Anyway, thank you very much.

00:56:00.230 - 00:56:01.890

Thank you. Oh, you’re welcome.