Grand Master Tiger Kim, PhD

- 9th Dan Olympic Taekwondo
- 9th Dan Traditional Tang Soo Do
- 9th Dan Korean Hap Ki Do
- President World TKD Moo Duk Gwan Association
- Pan Am Moo Duk Kwan Vice President
- State Olympic Tae Kwon Do President
- Korean National Police College TKD Professor
- Captain CID Korean Police; Uijonbbu, Camp Casey, Korea
- ROK Marines Special Forces TKD Close Combat Instructor
- Hon. Captain Denver Police Dept.
- Author WTF and Taekwondo Tang Soo Do Forms


Grandmaster Jung Kil Kim was born on February 23, 1936, in Seoul, Korea. At the Early age of 6 years. he began studying Taekwondo under Grandmaster Chang Yong Jung and 3 short years later, at the age of 9 years; Grandmaster Kim received Black Belt #123 From Moo Duk Kwan Grandmaster Hwang Kee. Grandmaster Kim studied Taekwondo along with the renowned world masters such as Grandmaster Chong Soo Hong (Vice-President World Taekwondo Federation and Kuk-Ki-Won) and Grandmaster Moo Yong Lee (President of The United States Taekwondo Union).

The nickname “Tiger” was earned in 1958 due to Grandmaster Kim’s aggressive fighting style. He attained the rank of Police Captain with the Korean National Police and was known across Korea as “Tiger Cop”. He also picked up the name “GoldenHead” for his uncanny ability to break objects with his head. Grandmaster Kim attended Don Kuk College where he majored in political science, graduating with a B.A. degree in 1961. During the 1960’s Grandmaster Kim served as a Taekwondo Instructor for the ROK Marine Academy, The Korean Police College, Kukkiwon Taekwondo Headquarters, and the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division C.I.O. Special Task Force (Korea). In 1969 Grandmaster Kim was invited to Hong Kong to instruct Bruce Lee in the art of breaking.

In 1971, he captured the Grand Champion title be defeating the best martial arts experts in the Far East, winning the An Asian Martial Arts Championship Tournament. This competition features the various law enforcement agencies of Asian countries and is recognized as the world’s “Super Bowl” of Martial Arts.

In 1976 Grandmaster Kim came to the United States and opened his first school in Denver, Colorado; just one year after receiving 8th Dan Grandmaster Certification by the Kukkiwon. In 1991, Grandmaster Kim’s dreams continued to grow as he renovated his school to a 12,000 sq. ft. facility with Olympic size boxing Ring and was awarded 9th Dan, International Grandmaster by the Korean Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo Association.

That same year, at the personal request of Chuck Norris, movie star and founder of the “Kick Drugs out of America” charity, Grandmaster Kim attended a private reception in Beverly Hills, in celebration of Mr. Norris receiving his 8th Dan Black Belt.

Throughout the years, Grandmaster Kim’s involvement in the development and continued popularity of the martial arts community has continued to grow. In 2001, the Choong Chung Government and Choong Chung College of Korea asked that he coordinate their demonstration and tournament. This world famous event was attended by competitors from 34 nations.

His participation in events such as this can be directly connected to having the distinction of studying from the source of modem day Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo. Grandmaster Kim is presently one of the highest ranking Grandmasters in the world. As president of the World Taekwondo Moo Duk Kwan Association, Grandmaster Kim has assured the growth and development of the most traditional form of both Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo in to the modern world.

Chronology of Grandmaster Tiger Kim

1936
Feb. 23, Grandmaster Kim was born in Seoul Korea.
1942 Father introduced him to Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo at age 6.
1947 Awarded 1st Dan Black Belt # 123 by Grandmaster Hwang Kee. 
1957 Attended Don Kuk College, Majoring in Political Science. 
1958 Graduated Korean Special Marine course ROK. 
1961 ROK Marines Special Forces Martial Arts Instructor. 
1962 Asian Martial Arts Demonstration Team  Member in Tokyo, Japan.
1963 Korean Police College Taekwondo Instructor 
1966 Passed to FBI CIDC Korean Police Investigator
1967 Instructor at Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Headquarters 
1969 Grandmaster Kim went to Hong Kong to teach Bruce Lee the art of breaking with the head. 
1971 Grand Champion Sparring All Asian Games Championship. (Super bowl of martial arts)
1974 Captain Korean police CID, Uijongbu, Camp Casey Korea 
1975 Awarded 8th Dan Black Belt, Master Instructor by Kukkiwon. (Taekwondo Headquarters)
1976 Came to USA and opened Tiger Kim’s Academy in Denver, Colorado 
1984 Sponsored Denver’s first National Open Tournament at East High School 
1985 Honorary Lieutenant, Denver Police Department by Chief Coogan 
1986 Opened World Martial Arts Supply store Denver’s Only full line supplier
1987 Elected President of AAU Taekwondo Association 
1988 Invited to Olympics in Seoul, Korea by Korean Government as Taekwondo Judge. 
1989

Sponsored Pan Am Cup National Tournament at East High School. 

Appointed Regional Director of the Pan American Moo Duk Kwan Association. 

President of the Colorado ROK Marines Association. 

Promoted to Hon. Captain, Denver Police by Chief Zavara. 
1990 President of Korean People’s Colorado Taekwondo Association. 
1991

Renovated Tiger Kim’s Academy 12,000sq, ft. facilities with Olympic boxing ring.

Awarded 9th Dan, International Grandmaster by Moo Duk Kwan Korean Taekwondo Association. 
1992

Grand opening of new headquarters February 22, with special guests Grandmaster Moo Yung Lee

Aurora Mayor Paul Tauer, and Denver District Attorney Norm Early. 
1993

USTU State President Colorado State Taekwondo Association. Hosted Colorado State championships

CO State at East High School with largest record turnout of schools and students. 
1994

Delegate for Korean Taekwondo Association as USA Branch Representative . 

Special Instructor for world famous Korean Tigers Demo Team. Taught special breaking and training techniques. 

Delegate for 15 Moo Duk Kwan schools in Korea, stressing quality of character in martial arts education. Along
with Jae Kyu Chon, President of World Moo Duk Kwan Federation, and Choon-Seon Hwang, Vice President of the
Kukkiwon and the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA), attended the Moo Duk Kwan Hae organizational summit,
which oversees 30,000 Moo Duk Kwan schools in the world. 
1995

Recognized for two decades of martial arts excellence, and life changing impact on thousands of Denver area residents. 

Founded Tiger Kim’s Rocky Mountain National Open: the first tournament to award beautiful, ornate, tempered steel swords for champion adult sparring as well as spirit and sportsmanship. 

Awarded Meritrious Cornmcdndation from the Pan American Moo Duk Kwan Society 
1996

At the personal request of Chuck Norris, movie star and founder of “Kick Drugs Out of America” charity, attended a private reception in Beverly Hills, in celebration Mr. Norris receiving his 8th Dan Black Belt. Other notables attending included Lou Ferigno, Gary Shandling, Todashi Yumashita, Jeff Speakman, Bob Wall, and more. 

Director, Pan American Moo Duk Kwan Strategic and Organizational Planning Committee.
1997

Hosted Tiger Kim’s Rocky Mountain National Open in Denver, a popular tournament attended by competitors from all across the United States, and a qualifier for international caliber events. 


Offered the position of President of Pan American Moo Duk Kwan Society.
1998

Invited to a personal conference with Dr. Un Yong Kim, President of the World Taekwondo Federation, to discuss
long range goals and objectives of the sport/art, and was invited to help oversee the historical participation of Taekwondo as a full medal sport in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. At the request of Dr. Un Yong Kim, headed a council on ethics and philosophy of Korean and American Instructors in the USA. 

First school in western region and only in Colorado to install the Ssaurabi Robotic Training Facility, where Grand- master Kim oversees a large Group of instructors, including senior instructors Sung Kim 7th Dan (son of Grandmaster Kim), Don Schultz 5th Dan, Stephen Bishop M.D. 5th Dan, Barry Karp 4th Dan, Greg Lester 4th Dan, John Craig 4th Dan, John Dalton 4th Dan, and many others. Tiger Kim’s Academy is the only school in Colorado to offer such a concentration of high-ranking instructors.Chronology of Grandmaster Jung Kil “Tiger” Kim.
1999 Out of 180 original ROK Marines who are retired and reside in Colorado, Grandmaster Kim has been nominated as President of the Colorado Korean Association for year 2000. The Association has more than 30,000 members.
2000

Coordinator of Tournament and Demonstration sponsored by Choong Chun Do Government and Choong Chung College in Korea. This event was attended by competitors from 34 nations, and is world famous. 

Hosted the 15th Annual America’s Cup Taekwondo Tournament at the Doubletree Hotel in Denver. This tournament is one of Colorado’s premier championships. Grandmaster Kim is main sponsor and President of this very popular tournament, and it had more than 700 people in attendance. 
2001 Awarded MVP from the Colorado Cup Committee 
2002 President of the World Taekwondo Moo Duk Kwan Association Provided at request a demonstration at the Sushi, Saki, and Sumo event at The Fillmore in Denver. This was a fundraiser for women’s cancer research at University of Colorado Hospital, and was attended by more than 2,000 people. Tiger Kim’s academy was the only martial arts school invited to take part in this event. Children’s Hospital fundraiser martial arts demonstration at Fort Carson, Colorado: The Master’s Demo, to raise money for Children’s Hospital. This event was attended by many of the elite martial arts people in Colorado. 
2003

Grandmaster Kim leading the largest demo team in attendance at Elitch Garden’s Six Flags Martial Arts Day Demo. TKA was the only school from Colorado to compete at the 21st North American Invitational TKD Championships. 


Grandmaster Kim published the first martial arts text book that contains both “World Taekwondo Federation and Moo Duk Kwon Tang Soo Do forms. Grandmaster Kim received his induction into the esteemed Kentucky Col, by the gov. of Kentucky, Ernie Fletcher 
2004

TKA was the only school from Colorado to compete at the 22nd North American Invitational TKD Championships.

 Inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of fame. 

Moo Gung Hwa Taekwondo Grandmaster Society inducted as only Grandmaster from Colorado.

Appointed as the USA/Korea Taekwondo Liaison by KNTO to help bond US and Korea relations 20 members of
Tiger Kim’s Academy headed by Grandmaster Kim represented the US at the “World Taekwondo Hwarang Festival
in Jincheon, South Korea. Grandmaster Kim and his team was the only team from Colorado to go with such a large group of competitors. The purpose of the trip was to learn about the history of Korea, and to participate in a world recognized event. The team members were to participate in a special class at the Kukkiwon taught by one of the technical advisory committee members. The World Taekwondo Festival in Jincheon unites 35 countries spiritually, culturally, and physically. Jincheon is considered the motherland of Taekwondo because of the great Kim, Yusin who united the three kingdoms in the Hwarang. Jineheon is the homeland of the Hwarang. 
2005

Grandmaster Kim received his induction into the esteemed Alabama Col., by the Gov. of Alabama Mr. Bob Riley. 
Awarded Honorary Public Service Commissioner for the State of Alabama. Grandmaster Kim’s 70th Great Birthday Celebration held at the Forbidden City Restaurant. March 26th over 1000 people from Korea and the ROK Marines there to witness this great day.

Awarded Mayor’s Appreciation Certificate of recognition from the Mayor of Los Angeles.
 
Awarded 9Th Dan Black Belt in the United States Taekwondo Grandmasters Society. 

South Korea to Ambassador Dr. Un Yong Kim and to release him. (This was a success.) 

Appointed Professor by the International University of United States. 

Past President Presidential Award by the Korean ROK Marines.
 
Appreciation award 60th Moo Duk Kwan Anniversary.  
2006

Presidential Physical Fitness Award and Medal presented by United States President G.W. Bush. 

Recognized by Disney to do Partnership for Elite Championships for 2007. 

Recognition Award for 30th Anniversary Moo Duk Kwan in Mexico. 
2007 Disney Sponsored America’s Cup Championship hosted by Grandmaster Tiger Kim, Denver’s largest Championship
to bring all styles of martial arts in one festival held at The National Western Complex. 
2008

Award of Excellence by the International Tang Soo Do Federation Moo Duk Kwan President Lee Kang UK. 

Participation Award only school from Denver, Colorado at Hanmadang by Kukkiwon. 

Participation Award in Colorado State TKD Grand Championship. 

2nd year Disney Sponsored America’s Cup Championship hosted by Grandmaster Tiger Kim, Denver’s largest
Championship to bring all styles of martial arts in one festival held at the National Western Complex Arena. 

Award of Appreciation from Disney and Tigerclaw Elite Championships Director. 
2009 Hosted Denver’s only true “Free Women’s self defense class” as Grandmaster Instructor with over 400 attendees.
2010

Hosted “Women’s self defense class” as Grandmaster Instructor, all proceeds donated to Breast Cancer Research.

 
Hall of Fame Award from US Taekwondo Grandmaster Society.

Letter of Appointment from Kukkiwon on the Education Committee. 
2011

 Hosted The First Free GLBT Self Defense Class benefits The Center For advancing GLBT.

"Grand Master "Tiger" Kim's Day" June 6th Proclamation by City of Denver Mayor Vital.

"Grand Master "Tiger" Kim Day" June 6th Proclamation by Colo. Governor Hickenlooper.