By STEVE HENSON, Times Staff Writer

To the death!”
Benny (the Jet) Urquidez’s eyes nearly shot out of their sockets when he heard the words. Foam collected on his lips and sweat slipped off his chin. Across a dark, dingy ring without ropes in Hong Kong, a squared jawed Chinese champion kick boxer had his arms thrust upward as he slowly approached Urquidez.
Above the spirited banter of hundreds ,of onlookers, most of them wielding handfuls of cash, and music sounding like a thousand screeching cats, Urquidez heard his opponent scream again, “To the death!” “Bits and pieces of my life flashed before my eyes,” recalls Urquidez, 33, a World Karate Assn. champion kick boxer..
Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Urquidez often had to fight his way out of fixes. Half-Spanish, half-Mexican and all-American in a martial arts world dominated by Asians, having defended world titles in four continents, he was accustomed to being in strange places.
But this was different. He was alone in Hong Kong in November, 1980, only to promote a karate movie on a talk show. Look what had transpired in 24 hours, he thought. Someone in the TV studio audience had stood up and called him nothing but an actor, a sham of a fighter. The man-who turned out to be a Hong Kong kick boxing champion – challenged Urquidez to a death match.
Urquidez demanded $20,000 and a mink coat, calling the man’s bluff. The challenger’s promoter met Urquidez the next day, however, handed over the cash and the coat and drove him to the noisy warehouse. A horn sounded, the opponent shouted and Urquidez sprang out of his corner. He sent a shin kick to the cheekbone, another to the ribs. Spinning 360 degrees, Urquidez then landed a backfist to the face.
“By the third round, he looked like the Elephant Man,” says Urquidez, who declines to reveal the opponent’s name.
In Round 4, repeated rib shots laid the guy on his back, wheezing for air. The crowd clamored around the ring, shouting and whistling.
Says Urquidez: “I was confused. They wanted a kill and I wouldn’t give it to them. The promoter pulled me into an adjoining room, where ~I stood for four hours waiting for the riot to end.”
Although Urquidez’s death match didn’t follow the form of most of his fights in the Far East, Europe and North and South America, the outcome was the same. This modern-day conquistador claims never to have been defeated in battle.
“I have traveled to many lands, fought the best men, eaten the best food and returned with riches,” he states softly with a characteristic chop of his hand.
Comparing Urquidez’s exploits to those of early Spanish conquistadores Hernando Cortes or Francisco Pizarro-who are remembered as much for spilled guts as glory is not completely fair to the Jet, however. His ‘machismo is tempered with the discipline required in the martial arts.
“Control is the key to understanding,” ‘Urquidez says. “Control of the body, of the mind, of the spirit and of the heart.
“I don’t fight out of anger. I am a sportsman. Through my sport I have learned self -respect and discipline.”
He speaks of spiritual understanding in the same controlled cadence that he tells of his grandmother riding with Pancho Villaand of his Valley upbringing.
Urquidez roamed the streets of Van Nuys, San Fernando and North Hollywood as a youngster along with four brothers and four sisters, fighters all. Benny’s mother supported the family with work as a professional wrestler at venues like the Olympic Auditorium; his father, who left the household when Benny was 8, was a professional boxer.
Benny’s sister, Lilly, 37, has been a world champion super bantamweight kick boxer. At 21, she married Benny’s 15-year-old friend, Blinky Rodriguez, who has been a super middleweight kick boxing champion.
“When we fought in the street, we fought for real,” Urquidez says. “We didn’t believe in leaving the other guy standing, because he might come back with a 2-by-4 and cave in our skulls.
“We owned the Valley. We would walk the streets and a hundred kids would follow behind.”
Urquidez, in turn, followed the teachings of North Hollywood-based karate and judo instructor Bill Ryusaki from ages 9 to 13. Ryusaki remembers Benny as a born brawler.
“Benny was from a bad area and he had a bad attitude,” said Ryusaki. “He had a complex about being small and felt he had to prove himself by fighting. I wouldn’t let him fight. I made him work on form and learn discipline.”
Urquidez attended Grant and Polytechnic high schools before graduating from North Hollywood High in 1969. He wrestled at Poly and played football at North Hollywood.
“My football coach would tell me, ‘See that guy, put him out of business.” Urquidezi says, “ I was a hyper little defensive back.”
Now, Benny, all 145 pounds of him, commands the rapture of the martial arts world. In Japan, he is the great “Yukiide-san,” and is claimed to be half Japanese.
“The Japanese are a proud people and there is no other acceptable
explanation to them for my domination over their best martial artists,” Urquidez says.
Urquidez’s exploits are chronicled in Japanese “Benny the Jet” comic strips. Art imitates life; The Jet always wins.
He has been named Full-Contact Fighter of the Year five times by the Standardized Tournaments and Ratings Service (STAR) and is listed by STAR as having a 56-1 record, although the Urquidez camp vehemently disputes the loss.
Currently, he holds the super lightweight (140 pounds) title and is planning to fight for the welter- weight (147 pounds) title against No. 1 contender Tom LaRoche in October.
Says Paul Maslak, a kick boxing authority who heads STAR: “Benny Urquidez is the only active great from the early days of full-contact karate. He is unquestionably a legend in the Orient, and in parts of South America and Europe. Benny’s stature is similar to that of Muhammad Ali about the time he fought Joe Frazier in Manila-still the greatest, but perhaps slipping a bit.”
In the late 1970s, Urquidez fought six to 10 times a year. He has cut down to two bouts a year since 1980, and his last fight was a fifth-round technical knockout over European Muay-Thai Neder- landimiddleweight champion Iwan Sprang on Jan. 15, 1984.
Despite its popularity abroad, kick boxing has mostly drawn yawns in the United States. Cable network ESPN broadcasts Professional Karate Assn. bouts.
Similarly, Urquidez hasn’t been able to capture the imagination of American sports fans. You won’t see him in a breakfast cereal ad like Mary Lou Rattan. or Pele Rose, smiling over a bowl of Urquidez.
Only four of Urquidez’s fights have been broadcast on network TV, and his purses have rarely exceeded $10,000 in the United States. He has earned as much as $50,000 for bouts in Japan, Canada and Holland. Yet Urquidez, who lives in Tarzana, says that he is not rich, not poor, but very comfortable.”
So, while the Jet has kept his spinning kicks and backfists flying, Lick boxing promoters have spun their wheels. And one of the world’s most colorful sportsmen is virtually anonymous in his homeland.
Urquidez’s greatest recognition 11 the United States came while delivering a barrage of leaping leg kicks during a WKA lightweight title bout at Madison Square Garden in 1975. A spectator stood and screamed, “He looks like a Jet!” Whereupon the crowd stomped its feet and chanted, “Jet, Jet, Jet.” Urquidez won the title and thanked the crowd for its rousing support by doing a back flip in the center of the ring.
The nickname and back flip have remained Urquidez trademarks.
“Benny Urquidez has become Benny the Jet,” Benny says. “In other countries, my wife and I are addressed as Mr. and Mrs. Jet.” The Jet moniker was a play on the popular 1974 Elton John song, “Benny and the Jets.” A “Benny the Jet Theme” was released as a single in Japan in 1978, a song Urquidez’s manager Stuart Sobel says sounds like the theme from Rocky.
“I should have gotten residuals from the Elton John song, too,” Urquidez says. “I’ve signed thousands of those records.”
Life has been weird and wonderful for Urquidez ever since he donned the traditional karate gi and earned his black belt at 14.
“My oldest brother, Arnold, would send the family out to seek new fighting techniques,” Urquidez says. “We would return and share our knowledge with others others. Judo, karate, kick-boxing, western boxing-we blended them into a family style.”
Benny was the runt of the family (at 5-6, he is still shorter than his brothers) and was often challenged.
“Guys would always fight Benny because of his baby face,” says Rodriguez, Benny’s ‘brother-in-law. “They would all end up in I the same position-on their heads.”
Says Urquidez, “I developed spinning kicks and back knuckles in elementary school. Soon, my reputation preceded me. The biggest kids would stand aside.”
In 1974, the Urquidezes rose from the Valley and went nationwide.
Chuck Norris, a pioneer of full contact karate, had begun the National Karate League. His team, the Los Angeles Stars, included 22-year-old lightweight Benny Urquidez and middleweight Blinky Rodriguez. Two of Benny’s brothers, Adam and Manuel, were alternates and two others, Arnold and Ruben, were trainers.
Benny’s first five professional full-contact karate bouts came later that year, in the World Series of Martial Arts, a two-day extravaganza held in Honolulu. R
Recalls ,Urquidez “There were street fighters, boxers, every kind of martial artist, sumo wrestlers, western wrestlers-about 200 in all. There were no rules and no Weight divisions. I won my three fights the first day and my first fight the second day by knockout. I had to beat Dana Goodson for the title.”
Goodson was a 6-1, 225-pound Hawaiian heavyweight kick boxing
champion. Urquidez knocked him out in the third round.
“I attacked him like a leech sucking blood,” Urquidez says. “I
am a stone survivor and that day I proved it to the martial arts. world.”
With the WSMA title under his black belt, the J et’s career took off. He captured the NKL lightweight title in 1976. I
Urquidez’s most discussed fight, of course, is the purported loss. When a fighter is 56-1, attention is focused on the defeat. Did the Jet really lose?
That depends on who you believe. Benny scowls at the mention of the August night in 1980 in West
Palm Beach, Fla. when a virtual unknown from Texas named Billye Jackson took a seven-round decision.
Stuart Sobel, Benny’s manager, offers this version: “Thirty minutes before the fight, Jackson said he wouldn’t get in the ring unless Urquidez agreed not to use leg kicks-Benny’s specialty. I told Benny, ‘This is ridiculous, we can walk.”
“There were 6,000 people in the stands and the promoter nearly fainted. Benny agreed to the change, but without leg kicks his rhythm was off. The last couple of rounds; Benny pummeled the guy. If the fight would have went one more round, Jackson wouldn’t have been standing.”
Jackson wouldn’t fight with leg kicks because of a leg injury, Jackson’s manager told Official Karate magazine in February.
Jackson retired from kick boxing last year with a 22-2 record. WKA President Howard Hanson denied Sobel’s formal appeal for a no-contest ruling. He says the Jet was grounded fair and square, but adds that the loss revealed more about Urquidez’s integrity than any win.
“Benny lost the fight,” Hanson says. “Sobel’s version is essentially correct, but a loss is a loss. Benny proved what kind of gentleman he is, though. When Jackson requested no leg kicks, rather than leave the promoter with as riot on his hands, Benny stepped in the ring.”
The calm in Urquidez’s voice and the dignity in his demeanor leave a deep first impression on a visitor. His tone is a decibel above a whisper and conversation invariably steers to his family.
“My family is the source of my strength,” says Urquidez, looking at photos of Sara, his wife of 11 years, and Monique, his 7-year-old daughter. “My wife and daughter, my brothers and sisters, my parents-We are a strong tribe.
Urquidez returned two years ago to his birthplace, Ban Nuys, to build what he beleves is the consummate martial arts facility. He, Rodriguez and Jan Sirchuk, a contractor and friend, are partners in Benny the Jet’s Jet Center. Similar Jet Centers have opened in Japan, Canada and Holland.
The Urquidez family remains deeply involved in the Valley community. Project Heavy brings local toughs off the street into the Jet Center, ‘where they are taught Ukidokan-Benny’s personal blend of martial arts and philosophy.
The Jet Center has dormitories where kick boxers from around the world stay for month long internships under Benny. They emerge as Jet fighters.
“My fighting career may be near its end, but I will never stop fighting through my students,” Urquidez says, his face unmarked by more than a decade of kick boxing competition. “I will teach honor, discipline and respect throughout the world.
“lt’s going to be hard to get rid of me.
Benny the Jet will create an empire

In tribute to and in celebration of the martial arts, action film and cultural icon, the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, in association with his widow, Linda Lee Cadwell and daughter Shannon Lee and their Bruce Lee Enterprises, are organizing a Special Bruce Lee Program at this year’s festival beginning sundown Friday, April 30 at the new Madang Center Courtyard in Los Angeles’ Koreatown with a free screening and other events throughout the weekend.

The Bruce Lee celebration kicks off with a free outdoor screening of THE CHINESE CONNECTION and after party on Friday, April 30 and continues the following day at noon with a special screening of ENTER THE DRAGON followed immediately by a panel discussion entitled, “How Bruce Lee Influenced Pop Culture” featuring daughter Shannon, directors Reginald Hudlin (HOUSE PARTY, THE BOONDOCKS) and Brett Ratner (RUSH HOUR, X-MEN 3: THE LAST STAND), ENTER THE DRAGON co-star Bob Wall and musician Joseph Hahn from the rock band LINKIN PARK.

For the celebration’s finale, a special panel discussion entitled, BRUCE LEE: THE FAMILY MAN featuring Linda Cadwell and Shannon Lee and Goddaughter Diana Lee Inosanto takes place 4 p.m. Sunday at The Directors Guild of America.

The full Bruce Lee Birthday Celebration schedule with details:

BRUCE LEE, CULTURAL ICON: 70th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

The Los Angeles Pacific Film Festival is pleased to collaborate with Bruce Lee Enterprises in honor of the 70th birthday of martial arts legend and Asian American cultural icon/actor Bruce Lee.

·  FREE OUTDOOR SCREENING:

THE CHINESE CONNECTION

Friday, April 30, 7PM, Madang the Courtyard (FREE Parking)

621 S. Western Ave. (one block north of Wilshire Blvd.),

Los Angeles  – Koreatown.

Featuring a pre-screening live performance from rock band LiLA (Lost in Los Angeles) Event is free.

THE CHINESE CONNECTION is “the” film that introduced Bruce Lee to young urban and Asian American audiences (contains action and violence; parental guidance suggested) back in the 70’s!

·  FESTIVAL SCREENING and PANEL DISCUSSION:

ENTER THE DRAGON

Saturday, May 1, 12:00 p.m., Laemmle Sunset 5

8000 W. Sunset Blvd. (at Crescent Heights), West Hollywood, CA  90046

ENTER THE DRAGON is considered to be the quintessential Bruce Lee film with an all-star cast of marital artists and actors

Plus Panel Discussion: HOW BRUCE LEE INFLUENCED POP CULTURE

A martial artist agrees to spy on a reclusive crime lord using his invitation to a tournament there as cover. Includes a special post-screening panel withShannon Lee, Directors Reginald Hudlin and Brett Ratner, martial artist/actor Bob Wall and rock musician Joseph Hahn of Linkin Park, and moderated by Phil Yu ofangryasianman.com.

This screening and panel discussion is a “ticketed” event

Tickets available at www.vconline.org/festival or at box office.

·  SPECIAL PANEL DISCUSSION:

BRUCE LEE: THE FAMILY MAN

Sunday, May 2, 4:00 p.m., Directors Guild of America, Atrium

7920 Sunset Blvd. (one block west of Fairfax Ave.), West Hollywood, CA  90046

An intimate chat with widow Linda Lee Cadwell, daughter Shannon Lee, and moderated by director/stuntwoman/martial artist and God-daughter Diana Lee Inosanto

This event is free.

THE BRUCE LEE 70^th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION is part of the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, which also features 170 films from over 20 countries beginning April 29 and ending on May 8, 2010.

For more information on the film festival go to:  www.vconline.org/festival

ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL

The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival presented by Visual Communications is the Southland’s largest showcase for the best in Asian Pacific cinema.  Since 1983, the Film Festival has presented over 3200 films and videos by Asian international and Asian American artists, and featured industry seminars and panels, in-person guest appearances, and filmmaker awards.

The Festival is proud to be partnering with Toyota as the Official Vehicle Sponsor.  Toyota once again will bring their cutting edge style to the Festival in their car displays.  In addition, Toyota is making possible the music video showcase – Cinema Musica! – and rooftop after-party and hosting the free outdoor screening of THE CHINESE CONNECTION. The Festival is also proud to partner with the Directors Guild of America as the main screening venue during the Festival’s Opening Weekend.  This state of the art theater is where the Festival will screen its Opening Night Film as well as both Centerpiece Films.
OFFICIAL VEHICLE SPONSOR – Toyota; PREMIERE – Directors Guild of America; GOLD – Wells Fargo; Time Warner Cable; OFFICIAL BEER SPONSOR – Stella Artois; OFFICIAL HOTEL SPONSOR – Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown; SILVER – Sony Pictures Entertainment; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney; Metro; Minika Ko Marketing; BRONZE – Bali Film Center; Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort; Fox Entertainment Group; Government Information Office, Republic of China (Taiwan); SAG Indie; Screen Actors Guild; Hollywood & Highland Center; STAR – NBC Universal; CBS; Motion Picture Editors Guild; Union Bank; Verizon Wireless; Writers Guild of America, West; Flash Cuts; Eastman Kodak Company; GOVERNMENT SUPPORT – American Recovery & Reinvestment Act; National Endowment for the Arts; Los Angeles County Arts Commission; City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs; VENUE SPONSORS – Directors Guild of America; Japanese American Cultural & Community Center; Japanese American National Museum; Downtown Independent; Laemmle’s Sunset 5; Madang the Courtyard; FESTIVAL AWARDS SPONSORS – Movie Magic; Write Brothers, Inc.; RECEPTION SPONSORS – Kyochon Chicken; Jinro; Madang the Courtyard; Far Bar | Chop Suey; Creative Floral Designs; LA18 KSCI-TV; Kirin; MEDIA SPONSORS – 89.3 KPCC; LA18 KSCI-TV; LA Weekly; angryasianman.com; Giant Robot

First Martial Artist to Provide Hapkido Training Tapes Returns for More

In 1982, the first training tapes ever to show Hapkido methods were released by Panther Productions, and quickly fought its way to becoming one of Panther Production’s best selling videos everywhere, as well as creating a worldwide standard for the Korean art. Now, Century Martial Arts is trying to re-capture lightning in a bottle – almost literally – by teaming with the original martial artist who brought such success to the 1982 Hapkido series in order to produce a 5-disc instructional set that will be released in April of this year.
The martial artist behind both the previous best-seller and the upcoming release is Fariborz Azhakh, 6th degree Hapkido blackbelt and owner/operator of one of Team Karate Centers, one of the largest martial arts studios in California.
Mr. Fariborz has trained under legendary greats such as 8th degree black belt Steve Sexton (one of the highest ranking Hapkido Masters in the United States), Hapkido Grandmaster Ji Han Jae, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, Ron Balicki and many others. In addition, Master Azhakh also is the founder of www.martialinfo.com, one of the most comprehensive repositories of martial arts information in the world.
But Century Martial Art’s upcoming Hapkido release promises to be more than just a retread of the same old thing with the same old faces: in the 28 years since his original debut, Mr. Azhakh has not only grown in Hapkido, he has also created his own “twist” on the art. The variation, called “Hapkido Blend,” is based on ancient traditional concepts – physical, mental, and spiritual – but blended with a modern approach.
“It’s Hapkido,” says Azhakh, “but more than Hapkido in that it takes all that is useful in the traditional versions and then adds to that aspects of other martial arts which augment Hapkido and create a multi-cultural martial art based on usefulness.” Indeed, at the main studio of Team Karate Centers, students can expect instruction in more different styles than probably any other in the world
And so while purchasers of the upcoming 5-disc set can expect to see all the hallmarks of Hapkido – joint locks, powerful hand strikes, and high-flying kicks – they will also be instructed in pieces of other martial arts that Mr. Azhakh has integrated into his personal system over the years. When you learn grappling from Mr. Azhakh, you may be grappling “Hapkido” style, or you may be using Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques because, as Azhakh puts it, “Effectiveness is everything.”
This is a sentiment that was often espoused by the late great Bruce Lee, who revolutionized martial arts thinking with his ideas of discarding formal styles in favor of fluidly effective moves tailored to the abilities of each student. And though that master died without being able to provide the kind of demonstration and teaching that will soon be available on Century Martial Art’s 5-disc set, the upcoming release seems poised to perfectly fill that void.
Unlike many Oriental-based systems, which pride themselves on lineages that span millennia, Hapkido is particularly appropriate for learning self-defense in today’s world. Founded in the early 20th century, the Hapkido means “the way of coordinated power” or “the way of harmony,” an art that focuses not on points or on “winning,” but on teaching reality-based self-defense skills. Mr. Azhakh has continued the Hapkido tradition by continuing to review and refine his practice over the years.
Now, for the first time ever, Hapkido Blend will be available as a training aid for anyone in the world. And, like its predecessor videos under Panther Productions, there is little doubt that Mr. Azhakh’s new partnership with Century Martial Arts will set yet another highwater mark in quality, knowledge, and – may we say it? – the way of coordinated power.

Team Karate Centers, Inc.
21038-A Victory Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Phone: 818 704 0606
Fax: 818 704 5638
Email: admin@teamkaratecenters.com

On May 23rd, 2009 in front of over 100 friends, family and students, Taejoon Lee was promoted to 8th Dan Black Sash Grandmaster and given the title of Kuk Sa Nim.

During his speech, Grandmaster Taejoon Lee revealed the real reason for allowing his students to organize this beautiful and historic event — to honor his father, master and founder of our beautiful art of Hwa Rang Do, Supreme Grandmaster Dr. Joo Bang Lee. In a speech, which was heard from as far as a mile away, Grandmaster Taejoon Lee used the entire time he was at the podium to share on the sacrifices and courage of Dojoonim, as he ventured off into the land of opportunity, the United States of America, from his home country of Korea – to spread Hwa Rang Do and provide his family the best possible life.

As Grandmaster Lee put it, his promotion to 8th Dan Hwa Rang Do Black Sash is not his achievement, but the achievement of his master, father and teacher – Dojoonim. Grandmaster Lee humbly delivered a heartfelt, yet thunderous homage to his father, for having made everything which took place that night possible.

At the end of his speech, Grandmaster Lee called Dojoonim to the podium and to demonstrate his gratitude for all he had done for him, presented Dojoonim with a handcrafted sword, made and imported directly from Japan, with an estimated market value of over $10,000. The construction of the sword included an beautiful handle made of gold, brass and stingray skin. The steel blade was forged completely by hand benefiting from Japan’s centuries of rich tradition, science and art of sword making.

Earlier in the evening, Dojoonim declared and announced to the world that Grandmaster Taejoon Lee in 20 years or at the time of Dojoonim’s passing, would become Supreme Grandmaster Taejoon Lee and 59th generation “owner of the way”, and pass the secret combat skills of the ancient Hwarang Warriors for yet another generation.

All whom were present, were in awe of this magical and powerful declaration, for it ensures the preservation of our ancient traditions, martial art and history. We thank you for sharing this very special night with us. It will never be forgotten!

Visit the official Grandmaster Taejoon Lee 8th Dan Page featuring the documentary, “Inside the 1st Family of Hwa Rang Do & the Life of Grandmaster Taejoon Lee”.

The entire Grandmaster Taejoon Lee’s speech in text form:

Thank you Dojoonim.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, students, parents, and fellow Hwarang Warriors. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your attendance and your support for making this event possible.

Before I begin, I would like to take this time to recognize the members of the 8th Dan Banquet Committee for their hard work and selfless contributions in making this event a reality.

Tony Diaz for the video presentation, which he has spent countless hours in reviewing over a terabyte of videos and pictures to extrapolate an eloquent yet powerful summation of the Hwa Rang Do family and my journey.

Fernando Ceballos and Raymond Fong for implementing an effective online campaign to organize and raise the funding necessary to make this evening a great success.

Rick Robbins for designing the classic look and feel of our online campaign.

Daniel Gonzalez for designing all the graphic elements that went into the publishing of tonight’s event.

Olivia Vaatete for coordinating the party planner, caterer, and rental company to create this beautiful setting.

Glenn Mantel for making it possible for me to present to you a small, yet poignant gift in the way of the danbong.

Reynaldo Macias for accepting the daunting task of being tonight’s master of ceremony and for doing a fantastic job.

Antonio Goodwin for connecting us with one of the top DJ’s in the country, Mr. Quick, whom you will witness in a short while.

My Brother-in-law Danny Kim for providing the video projector.

Joey Klein for organizing all the people involved to work together harmoniously in making the planning process as smooth and flawless as possible as their team leader.

And, of course, my sister, Dr. Janet Lee for designing and creating the center pieces as well as coordinating this beautiful setting we are all graced with. And to my sister Stacie Lee for being the handy helper to both mother and Dr. Lee.

The last couple of months have been quite interesting to say the least. I was first approached by Dojoonim over a year ago, when he invited me to test for my 8th dan. At that time, I humbly declined as I thought like a bottle of fine wine, I could wait a couple more years so that I can age properly.

I have never been interested in acquiring higher dans as most other martial artists I have witnessed. The way I see it, rank is something that the master offers his student as a gift when the student is ready to carry the responsibilities of such title and rank. And, it has always been my philosophy that One Hwarang Should Conquer a Thousand, so no matter the rank, as a Hwarang we must always be prepared to accept whatever the challenge, however great or small. However, this spring marked the 100th Black Sash Examination and I could not pass up such important benchmark in our history.

There is so much I would like to share with you; it would take the breadth of this entire memorial day weekend and then some to fully express all the feelings, thoughts, and reflections I have had in these trying months. However, I know Mr. Quick is waiting anxiously to get the groove on and I am sure you are as well. So, I shall attempt to tell you about what is most important, most valuable, “The Ideal of One.”

You are all here tonight thinking that you are honoring me. Well, if so then my “head fake” worked. As the late Randy Paush, a professor at Carnegie Mellon, dying of pancreatic cancer says in his last lecture which he gave in front of all his students and colleagues, that the greatest lessons are learned indirectly and he finishes his lecture by telling everyone that the lecture was not for you, but it’s for my children. So, I say to you, this banquet is not for me, it is for my father, my mentor, my master.

My trials, my accomplishments are nothing. My hardships, my sufferings, I have none.

All I am and have done dwindles in comparison to my master. My journey is smooth sailing in flat waters compared to my master’s journey through a tempest.

He was born the fourth son of siblings of 7 children.

He started his training at the young age of 4.

He trained in the mountains of North Korea under the strict guidance of his master Suahm Dosa, a hermit monk.

He escaped the communist regime of the dictator Kim Il Sung during the Korean War.

He survived through impoverished, war-torn conditions during the Korean war.

He left home to work and help support the family at 16 years old.

He systemized the knowledge passed to him by his master into a modern martial art system, introducing it to the public for the first time in 1960 in Seoul, Korea.

He had the first post-war nationally televised martial art expo in the largest and only sports stadium in Korea, Jang Chung Chae Yuk Kwan.

He met with Korea’s former president, Park Jung Hee, and was given the responsibility to create one unified Korean martial art.

He attempted twice to form the all Korean Unified Martial Art System, which was dismantled both times. In the process, he aided in the development of Kuk Sool Won, and Hapkido.

He bumped heads with the former KCIA director and won his allegiance.

He protected his community in Seoul against the rampant bullying by unruly thugs.

He created the Korean Hwa Rang Do Association and opened 28 schools in Seoul alone.

He single handedly was responsible in bringing over all of the members of his immediate family to the United States which consisted of his parents, 2 sisters, 1 brother-in-law, 3 brothers, 2 sister-in-laws, 3 nieces, 4 nephews, 2 daughters, 2 sons, and his wife.

He has revived the Hwarang Knights and brought their significance to the modern consciousness and to the minds of all martial art practitioners today.

He has authored three books and co-authored three more.

He was instrumental in elevating the hand-to-hand combatives of the Elite US armed Forces through mentoring and cultivating the former head instructor of the Special Forces Green Beret, the late Michael Echanis.

He secured the name Hwa Rang Do and all of its intellectual property by acquiring the first trademark for a martial art and copyrighted all of it’s curriculum for the first time in history.

Without him, the world would have known of the Hwarang, only as a group of flower boys who rode on horseback and shot arrows, diminished as an archaic cultural side note on tour guidebooks of Korea.

I have yet to mention of his physical prowess and accomplishments.

He was the first to rotate 540 degrees in the air, striking a target 10 feet in the air with his foot.

He was the first martial artist to be aired on the ABC’s TV show “That’s Incredible.”

He has had cars and trucks run over his stomach.

He has had thousands of pounds of rock slabs smashed over his body with sledge hammers.

He is the first and last with only me coming close to have successfully completed a 5 directional cut of watermelons held against the naked stomachs of his students, while blind-folded.

He has taken down a bull with one blow.

And in the deep recesses of his mind, training under his master, he has fought against tigers.

There’s a saying in Korea that when you live long enough, you shall endure all of its pain.

As my father has been a witness to my journey, so too I have witnessed, fortunately or not, much of the hardships and heartaches that my master had to endure throughout his teaching career.

If I have taught thousands of students, then he has taught tens of thousands of students. And, although the reward of seeing a person blossom, transform, and become the potential they all possess is priceless, it takes 1000 disappointments for one moment of satisfaction.

Above all, we as Hwarang cherish and hold in the highest regard, the virtue of loyalty. If I have faced countless betrayals, then my master has faced too many for words to do justice.

I have seen my father take in students from the streets in their teens and raised them as his own children, with my mother feeding and nurturing them with kindness and love. To the point where at times, I felt jealous as my father has always been the strictest with me. Only to have them grow into manhood, acquire a taste for power yet short on wisdom, and claim their superiority. To the unfathomable extent, where Dojoonim had to witness one of his students, whom he took in without question, once again treating him like his own son, in front of his face say, “With all of my vast knowledge of Korean Martial Arts, I have created Hwa Rang Do and all of it’s curriculum.” And, this all done after being sworn in under the name of God.

I have known of a Buddhist Monk, who calls himself the Mop. When I asked him, Why do you call yourself the mop?” He replied, “Because like a mop I clean all things, yet like a mop I am always dirty.”

Unlike most teachers, we parent. When teaching your children, just teaching is not enough. You must make sure they learn the lesson. And even though you have been scarred, dirtied from past disappointments, you must once again teach with conviction and love, for as children they can feel you more than they can hear you. And, even when you are at the brink of disillusionment in people, you must believe in them even when they do not believe in themselves.

To be truthful, formal classes with Dojoonim for me, I can count with my fingers.

It’s the lessons I have learned in observing him as a teacher, a father, a husband, a man, which are most profound and have taught me the most.

Most of what I have been witnessed to are heartaches, pain and sorrow.

I have never seen him adorned with great gifts from his students; I cannot remember when was the last time one of his instructors treated him to a fine meal; I have never seen him take a vacation or his masters treat him to one; and I am just as guilty.

Most of what I have seen has been painful. I have heard student’s complaints and resentments of my master, which only showed me their lack of understanding, compassion, and only revealed their self-entitled nature.

However, even after witnessing all of his trials and hardships, I was inspired to be like him. He was my mountain, he was the one.

The one person, who have committed his entire life to one thing, to one love, to one passion.

Whenever, I felt it was all too much, all too painful, when my heart lay wasted in pieces; all I needed to do was to think of my father, my master as he lived twice as long, and taught as twice as much, and have endured twice as much; I could not complain, but only admire.

It is this I am an heir to. No raise in salary, no fortune, just more mopping.

The lessons I have learned from him are too many to tell in one sitting. It will take a lifetime. So, I shall share with you all that I have learned from my master, if you will share your life with mine.

And we shall mop the world together as one, to hopefully instill the power of one; to believe in the self as all great things started from one person, then when all the people are self-empowered, then hopefully we can all live together as one in peace, in harmony.

There are too many people for me to thank. So before I close, I would like to recognize few of the people who are in attendance tonight who have made an impact in my life as well as made great sacrifices to be present.

Sensei Taro Ariga for having an open mind, helping me to realize my vision of a new weapon fighting method.

Master Fariborz Azhakh, whom I have known for over 25 years, for his guidance in keeping my dojang open and for helping me to revamp our organizational management.

Dr. Mark Cheng, whom I have known for 20 years, for being a great brother and for keeping me in the minds of all martial artists.

Jokyo Victor Garcia, whom I’ve known for over 25 years, for never giving up as I have challenged him to start over again, which for him at this point in his life is like climbing Everest for the second time in his 50s.

Susuk Sabum Dylan Sirny for accepting me as his grandfather and for being my proof that we are on the right course.

Susuk Sabum Scott MacKnight, whom I have also known for over 25 years, for his undying loyalty to me when I was a child and now hopefully a man.

Colonel Richard Downie, whom I have also known for over 25 years, for his dedication to his country and never forgetting the Hwarang Spirit.

Jokyo Olivia Vaatete for being the wind beneath my wings.

My sisters, Dr. Janet Lee and Stacie Lee, for their unconditional love and support.

And, mostly, to my mother as she is my teacher of compassion and forgiveness. I love you too mom.

Also, to all my students for believing in me and always challenging me to be a better teacher.

My father has said, that warriors do not retire, we die!

Although, I am most honored and privileged to be the heir to Hwa Rang Do, I must endure the greatest loss in order to claim it.

I will promise in front of all attending witnesses, that I shall do my best to secure Hwa Rang Do for the next generation, not only preserving my master’s life’s work, but fulfilling his vision.

I will accept once again his challenge which he has set forth for me to be second, but making second remembered as much or more as the first.

… or die trying.

Dae Dan He Kap Sa Hap Ni Da.

Dojoonim, Abonim…