This is a list of notable practitioners of Taekwondo.
Grandmasters
Choi Hong Hi and Original Twelve Masters of Taekwondo
Choi Hong-hi (Chung Do Kwan → Oh Do Kwan → KTA → ITF) – Founder of International Taekwon-Do Federation. While contested,Son, D. S. (1959): Letter in Seoul Shinmoon newspaper (16 June 1959) Retrieved on 20 September 2007. Choi is still regarded by many as the "Founder of Taekwon-Do". (Headquarters Korea which is officially recognised by Korean Government on 24 June 2009).International Taekwon-Do Federation (under Choi Jung Hwa, based in the United Kingdom). Retrieved on 15 January 2008; updated version retrieved on 9 October 2010.International Taekwon-Do Federation (formerly under Trân Triêu Quân; now under acting President Pablo Trajtenberg, based in Italy). Retrieved on 15 January 2008; updated version retrieved on 9 October 2010.International Taekwon-Do Federation (under Chang Ung, based in Austria). Retrieved on 28 January 2008; updated version retrieved on 9 October 2010.General Choi (ITFNZ) Retrieved on 15 January 2008. Nam Tae-hi (Chung Do Kwan → Oh Do Kwan → KTA → ITF → ATF) – was a pioneering South Korean master of taekwondoWorld Taekwon-Do Alliance: Grand Master Nam Tae-hi Retrieved on 22 February 2009.Grandmaster Van Binh Nguyen, IX degree Retrieved on 8 January 2010.Burdick, D. (1990): A history of Taekwondo Retrieved on 8 January 2010.Van Binh Self Defense Academy: History of Taekwon-Do Retrieved on 8 January 2010. and is known as the "Father of Vietnamese Taekwondo". With Choi Hong-hi, he co-founded the "Oh Do Kwan" and led the twelve original masters of taekwondo of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association (KTA).A tribute to the original masters (c. 2007). Retrieved on 13 June 2007; link has expired, as at 1 July 2011. He founded the American Taekwon-Do Federation (ATF) in Chicago, Illinois in 1969. Choi Chang-keun (ITF) – began his martial arts training in the South Korean army in 1956, studying taekwondo and karate.Tae Kwon Do Pioneers: Grand Master C. K. Choi Retrieved on 5 January 2010. Choi taught taekwondo in Malaysia from 1964, and moved to Vancouver, Canada, in 1970. In 1973, he held the rank of 7th dan. Choi was promoted to 8th dan in 1981 by H. H. Choi, and attained the rank of 9th dan in 2002. He is still based in Vancouver. Choi Kwang-jo (other/Choi Kwang Do) – Following a career in the South Korean military, he emigrated to the United States in 1970. Choi is the founder and head of the Choi Kwang Do international martial art organization, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.Choi, H. H. (1972): Taekwon-Do: The Korean art of self-defence. Mississauga: International Taekwon-Do Federation.A tribute to the original masters (c. 2007). Retrieved on 13 June 2007; link has expired, as at 1 July 2011. Han Cha-kyo (Oh Do Kwan → ITF → UTF) – Following a career in the South Korean military, he emigrated to the United States in 1971 with his wife and newborn daughter. After teaching taekwondo for many years in Chicago, he died in 1996. Kim Jong-chan (ITF) – based in Vancouver, Canada. Kim Kwang-il (ITF) – contributed to the introduction of taekwondo into West Germany.Kampfsportclub Dojang 78: Wir über uns . Retrieved 15 January 2010. He was head instructor of the ITF in West Germany, but was relieved of this duty in October 1971.Taekwondo Homepage: Geschichte des Taekwondo . Retrieved on 5 January 2010. In 1975, Kim was ranked 6th dan. He promoted Rolf Becking, head of the ITF Germany Technical Committee, to the rank of 2nd dan in 1976 in Stuttgart, West Germany.International Taekwon-Do Federation Deutschland: Rolf Becking . Retrieved 5 January 2010. Between 1974 and 1977 Kim had a restaurant in Stuttgart and had completed training as a Brewmeister prior to 1974. Kong Young-il (ITF) – Following a career in the South Korean military, Kong emigrated to the United States just before or in 1968. He and his younger brother, Young-bo Kong, founded the Young Brothers Taekwondo Associates in 1968. Kong was promoted to the rank of 9th dan in 1997 by H. H. Choi in Poland. He is based in Las Vegas. Park Jong-soo (ITF) – In 1968, Park settled in Toronto, Canada.Grand Master Jong-soo Park: Biography Retrieved on 22 February 2009. In 1973, he held the rank of 7th dan.International Taekwon-Do Association Slovenia: ITF history Retrieved on 3 February 2010. Park and Choi went their separate ways after Choi insisted on establishing relations with North Korea during a politically sensitive period.Gillis, A. (2003): Tiny master Toro, June–July 2003:100–107. Retrieved on 31 January 2010. Park Jung-tae (ITF → GTF) – Park moved to Toronto, Canada in 1970.TaeKwonDo Times: Taking the Wheel – More with Grandmaster Linda Park Retrieved on 14 February 2009. During the 1970s, Park established the Manitoba Tae Kwon-Do Association.Global Winnipeg Taekwon-Do: About Our Club Retrieved on 17 February 2009. In 1975, he was ranked 6th dan.Derby School of Taekwon-Do: Forty years of Taekwon-Do in the United Kingdom Retrieved on 13 January 2010; link updated on 25 January 2012. At the time, he was ranked 8th dan in the ITFIIMA: Bernie Korent Retrieved on 16 February 2009. and in November 1984, Park was elected Secretary-General of the ITF. Retrieved on 17 February 2009. He also held the position of Technical Chairman of the ITF.Global Taekwon-Do Federation: Style Retrieved on 3 February 2010. Park founded the Global Taekwondo Federation (GTF) on 14 June 1990, the year after his departure from the ITF due to North–South Korean political issues.Younglai, R. (2002): Obituary of Grand Master Park Retrieved on 14 February 2009.Global Taekwondo Federation: GTF Retrieved on 14 February 2009.NP Tae Kwon Do Academy: History of Global Tae Kwon Do Federation Retrieved on 14 February 2009. He created six additional hyung to be practised along with the earlier ITF patterns. Amongst those who affiliated with the GTF was Sabree Salleh in 1998. Retrieved on 17 February 2009. Shortly before he died, Park promoted Salleh to 9th dan (GTF). Park Sun-jae alias S.J. Park (ITF → WT) – a pioneer of taekwondo in Italy.Lee, K.-M. (2000): Taekwondo on the world stage Koreana: A quarterly on Korean art and culture, 14(4):20–23. Retrieved 18 January 2010. He introduced taekwondo to Italy around 1968.Fumarola, M. (c. 1998): Taekwondo Magazine: Il Taekwondo in Italia . Retrieved 18 January 2010. In 1968, he was ranked 5th dan,Sport & Recreation in Croatia: Taekwondo Retrieved on 17 May 2010. and in 1975, he was ranked 7th dan. He was elected vice-president (Italy) in the European Tae Kwon Do Union (within the World Taekwondo Federation) at the union's inaugural meeting in 1976.Anonymous (1977): "European Tae Kwon Do Union inaugurated at first European meet." Black Belt, 15(1):11. In 2002, he was a member of the arbitration board for the WT's World Cup Taekwondo championship in Tokyo.World Taekwondo Federation: 2002 World Cup Taekwondo (2002). Retrieved 22 April 2010. On 15 February 2004, the Executive Council of the WT elected him as Acting President of the WT following Un-yong Kim's resignation from the presidency of the organisation.World Taekwondo Federation: History (2009). Retrieved 17 May 2010. He is Vice President (Italy) of the WT.World Taekwondo Federation: Council (2009). Retrieved 17 May 2010. Park was President of the Federazione Italiana Taekwondo (Italian Taekwondo Federation) around 1998, and still held the position as of 2008Roma 2008: European Taekwondo Championships (24 April 2008). Retrieved 20 May 2010. and 2009.Kang, S.-W. (2009): Choue re-elected as WTF head The Korea Times (14 October 2009). Retrieved 20 May 2010. Chong-chul Rhee (KTA → Rhee Taekwondo) – South Korean master of taekwondo who arrived to Australia in the 1960s.An interview with World Master Chong-chul Rhee, 8th Dan, the Father of Australian Taekwon-Do Australasian Fighting Arts (March 1985). Retrieved on 13 June 2007. He is the founder of Rhee Taekwon-Do, which is widely publicised as Australia's first and biggest taekwondo school.See the Martial Arts section of the Yellow Pages telephone directory from any Australian state capital city since at least the 1980s.See the back cover of Australasian Fighting Arts since at least 1995, including volumes 17(6) from 1995, 18(4) from 1996, and 19(1) from 1997.Rhee Taekwon-Do: Brisbane and Sunshine Coast Regions (c. 2009). Retrieved on 1 August 2009. Rhee holds the title 'World Master' and the rank of 8th dan in taekwondo.Rhee Tae Kwon Do: Mildura/Sunraysia Region (c. 2009). Retrieved on 1 August 2009. Rhee Chong-hyup alias C.H Rhee (KTA → Rhee Taekwondo)– In the mid-1960s, he contributed to the introduction of taekwondo to Malaysia and Singapore. He arrived in Australia in 1970 and settled in Melbourne, Australia. Rhee is in charge of Rhee Taekwon-Do operations in Melbourne.Anonymous (2005): Crunch time for students Latrobe Valley Express (29 August 2005). Retrieved 5 January 2010.Rhee Taekwon-Do (Victoria): Training centres and times Retrieved on 5 January 2010. Rhee Ki-ha (ITF) – widely recognised as the 'Father of British Taekwon-Do' for introducing the martial art to the United Kingdom since arriving in 1967.Grand Master Rhee Ki-ha, 9th Dan Retrieved on 29 July 2007; link has expired, as at 25 January 2010. New version retrieved on 25 January 2010. He is also considered the 'Father of Irish Taekwon-Do'.Republic of Ireland Taekwon-Do Association: Grand Master Rhee Ki-ha, 9th degree black belt Retrieved on 30 January 2010.
Other Notable Grandmasters Sun-hwan Chung alias James Sun-hwan Chung (WT → Moo Sool Do) – one of the highest-ranking Tang Soo Do, Hapkido, and taekwondo grandmasters in the world. He is founder of the Moo Sool Do (Martial Arts United) form of martial arts and is president of the World Academy of Martial Arts, LLC. Yun Dukan (Moo Duk Kwan → Oh Do Kwan → KTA → ITF → United Martial Arts Association → ATF → United Tae Kwon Do Federation → D.A.Yun's TKD) ㅡ South Korean Taekwondo Pioneer and Grandmaster who, with the encouragement of Choi Hong Hi and Sang Kyu Shim, introduced Taekwon-Do to the United States of America in 1968 and founded the first Taekwon-Do school of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Easley, Saul (May 2014). "Being the Ground Floor Grandmaster Dukan Yun" (Issue #199 ed.). Tae Kwon Do Times Magazine. pp. 24–25. Kim Ki-whang (WT) Sang-chul Lee (WT) Hong Sung-chon (WT, 9th Dan) – is an early proponent of Taekwondo in the Philippines.Master Monsour under GM Hong's tutelageYoung Senator Poe under GM Hong He is the vice-president of the Philippine Taekwondo Association.Born on 03 MAY 1945 Sang-kee Paik (WT) Park Dong-keun (WT) Park Yeon-hwan (WT) Park Yong-soo (WT) Tae-hong Choi (WT) Brenda Sell (WT) Choi Jung-hwa (ITF) Robert Howard (martial artist) (ITF) Frank Massar (WT) Tran Trieu Quan (ITF) Nguyễn Văn Bình (judoka) (ITF) Haeng Ung Lee (ATA) Kwang Sung Hwang (ITF → KATU) Kyongwon Ahn (WT → UTA) Jhoon Rhee (Chung Do Kwan → ITF → Jhoon Rhee TKD) – South Korean master of taekwondo who is widely recognized as the 'Father of American Taekwondo' for introducing this martial art to the United States since arriving in the 1950s.Grand Master Jhoon Rhee returns home to serve as Youngsan Univ.'s Chair Professor The Seoul Times, September 2004. Retrieved on 28 July 2007.Kang, S.-W. (2008): Taekwondo grandmaster lectures at Yonsei University The Korea Times (10 January 2008). Retrieved on 26 January 2010. He was ranked 10th dan. S. Henry Cho (other) Hee Il Cho (other) Kim Pyung-soo (other) Hwang Jang-Lee (other) Allen Steen (Chung Do Kwan) Skipper Mullins (Chung Do Kwan)
Olympic medalists All the practitioners listed in this section are part of World Taekwondo. (Link has expired, as at 28 February 2010.)