Our Family & Instructors

I began my martial arts journey at just 4 years old. The dojang wasn't just a place I trained — it was my second home. But I wasn't always the confident instructor you see today. I was shy, struggled to make eye contact, and was afraid to speak up. Outside the dojang, I was bullied — for being Asian, for being small, for being different. There were many times I wanted to quit.

But I stayed. And that decision changed everything. Martial arts gave me something nothing else could — confidence, resilience, and the belief that I could achieve hard things. Growing up under my father, Grandmaster Kim, wasn't easy. He was strict, and his expectations were high. But looking back, I understand something powerful: he believed in me long before I believed in myself.

Today, I carry that same responsibility forward. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a child transform — a student who once couldn't stand still, now focused; a child who was too shy to speak, now leading. Those moments never get old. To every parent with a shy or struggling child, I always say: we track grades, scores, and performance — why not track confidence? Because confidence changes everything.

At USK, we are more than a school. We are a second-generation, family-owned academy built on values, leadership, and community. Outside the dojang, I'm a mom, a wife, and a business owner — and yes, I speak three languages, love to sing, and once won the Strawberry Festival Pageant Queen crown. This is more than martial arts. It's about building confidence, character, and resilience that stays with you for life.

Growing up smaller than most kids and one of the only Asian students in my school, I had to decide early whether to shrink or stand my ground. As my father's only son, the weight went beyond personal — I was carrying a name, a legacy, and a responsibility to be strong for my family.

There were times I wanted to quit. But those years in the dojang — showing up whether I felt like it or not — shaped who I became. Martial arts taught me to endure, to stay when things get hard, and to become someone others can rely on.

Everything shifted when I helped lead a scholarship program for local students. I watched kids walk in unsure and withdrawn, and week by week saw them come alive — more confident, more themselves. That's when it clicked: this isn't just training. This is transformation.

Today, I strive to be the instructor my students feel comfortable approaching — someone who holds high standards, but also understands them, supports them, and believes in who they can become. Strength isn't given. It's built — one decision at a time.