Being aware of my body and mind—both my inner world
and my outward appearance—has been an important aspect
of my life since I was a child. When I was just a toddler, my
father would make me sit still and explore my inner self
through meditation. My dad—who I call ap-pa, “dad” in
Korean—is an eighth-degree Tae Kwon Do Grandmaster.
He trained in the South Korean Marine Corps and taught
Tae Kwon Do to the Korean Marine Corps and the US Army
in Korea. He then immigrated to America with $175 in his
pocket to continue teaching Tae Kwon Do at a friend’s
dojang in Queens, New York, which quickly turned into
his own enterprise. One of my earliest memories is of my
father having me sit in his Tae Kwon Do dojang with a bunch
of much older children to meditate and train with them.
My father was all about relentless work ethic, patience,
perseverance, business, good health, and taking care of
your mind.