Jhoon Rhee, 'father of American Taekwondo,' dies at age 86
by Mike Carter-Conneen/ABC7
ARLINGTON, Va. (ABC7) —
The martial arts community, in the Washington region and beyond, is mourning the loss of grandmaster Jhoon Rhee. Affectionately known as the "Father of American Taekwondo,” Rhee died Monday morning at age 86.
After struggling with complications from the shingles virus, his son said Rhee passed away peacefully with his family at his side. Funeral arrangements are pending.
You might recognize Rhee’s name or face from his memorable "Nobody bothers me" TV commercials that aired in D.C. in the 1980s.
A Korean immigrant, the legendary martial artist introduced taekwondo to the United States more than half a century ago, opening a D.C. studio in 1962.
Rhee appeared in films, befriended Bruce Lee and trained Muhammad Ali. He rubbed shoulders with Presidents and opened a special club for members of Congress, hosting a 1975 tournament with Republicans sparring with Democrats.
Jhoon Rhee International Head Instructor Francis Pineda said, “He made a point to give back to the United States what the United States had given to him, because he was probably the most patriotic American I've ever known.”
Rhee’s curriculum went international, with schools in Russia and other countries.
He invented safety equipment, reducing taekwondo's violent injuries. He also revolutionized the sport, adding classical music to taekwondo body movements to create a ballet-style choreography.
“Martial arts before had a very specific demographic,” Pineda said. “He really kind of opened it up so everyone could take it.”
“Now kids can do it. Not just [adults in their] twenties and thirties. Older adults can do it as well,” added Jhoon Rhee Taekwondo Master Instructor Barry Shackelford.
Rhee's impact reached far beyond his studios. Anyone who grew up in the Washington region in the 1980s will clearly remember Rhee’s TV commercials featuring his children saying the punchline, “Nobody bothers me.”
“I got hooked by the commercials,” Pineda said. “I think I was 10, 11 years old.”
Pineda — former student, now head instructor — said Rhee was a father figure.
“Much of his teaching was philosophy and how to live your life,” Pineda said. “He taught us how to be men.”
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