“Madison’s First Family of Taekwondo”
MADISON- The Jeong family is easily “Madison’s First Family of Taekwondo.”
Led by Sangok and his wife Aekyung Lee, along with their children Jewoong, 20, Yerim, 18, Yudam, 16, and Yewon, 14, the Jeong family recently returned from Las Vegas, the Entertainment Capitol of the World, with a multitudinous of awards at the 2018 World Taekwondo President’s Cup. In all, the family won six gold medals, one each of silver and bronze medals, along with Female MVP and Best Coach Awards.
“We were in Las Vegas for four days and competing against others from across the United States and several other countries from all over the world,” said Jewoong, a 2017 graduate of Bob Jones High and current student at UAH.
The awards presented to the family included Best Coach and second in male 50-60 age group in individual poomsae to Sangok; Female MVP, first place in female 18-30 age group for individual, pair and team poomsae to Yerim; first place in male 18-30 age group to Jewoong for individual, pair and team poomsae; third place in the female cadet 12-14 age group individual poomsae to Yewon.
Yudam and Aekyung attended the festivities, but did not compete.
For the elder Jeong, who brought his family to the United States from Korea in 2012 and chose the Madison area as home due to a college friend who lives in Huntsville, participating in the President’s Cup was something he needed to do, especially since he had not competed in this type of environment in 20 years.
“I competed for my family to lead by example and motivation for my family,” said Sangok. “I’m very proud to have most of my family compete at the event.”
Yerim, a senior at Bob Jones with a 4.8 grade point average, which ranks her 18th in her class, just being able to compete in the President’s Cup was something of pure determination as she injured her right wrist, which was heavily inflamed prior to the event. She couldn’t practice for several days and could not take medication to assist in recuperation due to possible drug test at the event.
“I used my in-depth training on focusing on my competition and many times could not feel the pain,” said Yerim. “I relied on my desire and determination to do my best. My father was there behind me and just having him there helped me get through the event.”
The President’s Cup featured the martial arts poomsae (pronounced poom-zee), which is a form or pattern of defense and attack motions.
The Jeong family owns and operates the Jeong’s Yong In Taekwondo Martial Arts located on Highway 72 in Madison. Since arriving in Madison and opening the training center, the family utilizes their expertise in taekwondo to run the family business where each family member partakes in some type of the business venture. For the Jeong family, taekwondo is more than just a martial art.
“We’re trying to spread the word about the sport and how it is more than a form of martial arts,” said Sangok. “The sport builds confidence in individuals and builds character of all the components of a person. I nurtured my children through taekwondo to where they represent our family and the sport.”
Once arriving in the United States the entire family has had learn to speak English and the true art of communication. Yerim said of the encounters the entire family were faced with, “It was difficult at first as we didn’t know the culture and did not know how to do certain things we had to know. Our customers in our business helped us as we learned from them. We taught them taekwondo and they taught us English.”
“My father believes taekwondo can have a huge impact on each individual in the community and the sport teaches life lessons to their fullest,” said Jewoong. “Our helping the future leaders of our society to be a good person and extend good humanity to others is what we’re attempting through taekwondo.”
“Our family is very unique as we are the only family in Alabama to own a martial arts center and compete on a world level,” added Jewoong, who started a club taekwondo at Bob Jones, which currently has 20 members and displays the martial art through demonstrations.
Besides world champions, the Jeong family has become business owners, competition family and community leaders. They have applied for U.S. Citizenship with hopes to qualify to be on the United States Taekwondo Team. The family needs the citizenship do be able to do so.
“We would be happy and honored to be U.S. citizens,” said Jewoong.
