Master Jin Young Jung entered this world in Chon City, South Korea, on September 19, 1946 and departed on October 23, 2023 at the age of 77. He was a very ardent martial arts practitioner, commencing his journey in 1956 with Judo training, followed by Taekwondo in 1958 and amateur wrestling and Hapkido in 1959.
He continued Taekwondo and Hapkido as his lifelong passions, for which we all know him. Master Jung led by example (Veterinarian Seoul Municipal University 1967-1974) and would always instill in us the importance of a sound education, or as he would say: “studies first.”
He served in his home country (Korea), where he attained the rank of sergeant in the army as the Martial Arts Instructor (South Division).
South Korea’s mission was to make Taekwondo an Olympic sport. Imagine your teacher instructing you to go and spread the art form worldwide—this was our Master’s assignment.
At 29, on December 1, 1975, he landed on the shores of Trinidad and Tobago to teach and promote Taekwondo and Hapkido, a stranger to everyone.
With very little knowledge of English and oblivious to our people and culture, Master Jin Young Jung pioneered those martial arts disciplines.
He excelled in any sport he undertook, lawn tennis, table tennis, snooker, and golf.
He would recall waking up at 3 am to go to Cedros, Erin, and Orange Valley to purchase fish and shrimp from fishermen, always stressing: “You have to work hard.”
In 1976, one year after he arrived in T&T, Master Jung opened his first Taekwondo school. And as the saying goes, “the rest is history”.
His first generation of black belts (Stokley Clarke, Cheryl-Ann Sankar, Carlyle Belgrave, Francis Jimmerson, Rupert Harrison, Collin Mofford, Barry Aqui, Anthony Dillon, Sherland Flores, Nicholas Velasquez, Nigel Garcia, Keith Finlay, Gerard Little, Linus Brown, Loreal Little, Gerard Little, Michael Cheng, and Joan Moore) would attest to training in the parks around Woodbrook and Port-of-Spain and the garages of well-wishers.
He told his students: “Enjoy the pain,” as they broke stone bricks and fought each other. Several of his black belts medalled in virtually all competitions they fought in, such as the Pan American Taekwondo Championships, World Taekwondo Championships, Pan American Games, Central American and Caribbean (CAC) games and Caribbean Taekwondo Championships. Two of the crowning achievements in his Taekwondo legacy are qualifying for the Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004.
In 2000, Cheryl-Ann Sankar won her first fight, and though she tied 5-5 during the second round (medal round), the win was awarded to the Philippines by superiority.
In 2004, Chinedum Osuji qualified for the Olympics Welter Weight Division in the Mexico Olympic Games.
However, at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, he was defeated in the first elimination round.
To put this in perspective, only two athletes, one male and one female, ever qualified in each division (4) for the Olympics from the entire region (Canada, America, Central and South America, and the Caribbean). Those students came from Master Jung’s Taekwondo School.
Earning a belt, especially a black belt from Jung’s Taekwondo School, was a worthy accomplishment and no easy feat.
He would say that he was foolish to only have about 40 black belts, which is why he was poor. However, over 5,000 students earned coloured belts from the Master.
Achieving a yellow belt requires a student to know all 15 steps and be able to count in Korean. He insisted that all trainees must know all the kicks and execute with both feet with power, speed, and accuracy, and parents had the final say on whether the student got the belt or not.
He would always ask the parents, “Mommy, daddy, you here? He gives trouble, you tell, he does homework, he cuss, he no eat food, he looks for girlfriend/ boyfriend?”
If all the answers were positive, only then would the student obtain the next belt. He would tell his students that being pretty or handsome would not earn them a belt.
We were privileged to have gotten the chance to learn Hapkido and Taekwondo directly from Grand Master, from the source (Korea). His watchwords were, honour your parents, be honest, humble, and truthful, and no sweat, no rewards.
Though a Korean by birth, Master Jung was a “Trini to the bone” and loved curry, pepper, roti, barbeque, pelau, and the occasional beer.
“Trinis have real talent; they are agile, strong, fast, and very good-looking,” he would say.
He truly loved all of us and quickly forgave us for any transgressions.
There is an emptiness in Trinidad, Taekwondo, and all of us.
We black belts will endeavour to keep your great heritage alive; we salute a Legend, an Icon, and the Grand Master of Masters: Master Jin Young Jung.
RIP Master.
