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Wonik Yi entered Dae-Yeon temple at the age of five in 1964. He lived at the temple until the age of nineteen and trained in traditional Moosul (Martial Arts) until he joined the South Korean Special Foreces. In addition to his training in Moosul, Yi also trained in Shaolin (Kung Fu) style martial arts. In 1979 he competed in the World Martial Arts tournament and became the World Champion. At this point, Yi's commander, Chang Ki Oh, and the Korean Government noticed his prominence in Martial Arts and asked him to devise a more modern, powerful, and effective fighting martial arts for the South Korea Special Forces. The military version of Tukong Martial Arts was born in February of 1978, and there are now over 300,000 soldiers training each year in Tukong Martial Arts.

Wonik Yi came to America in 1982 and has been teaching Tukong Moosul in Austin, Texas, since then. The Tukong Moosul taught by Yi in the USA is traditional and taught in the same styles and forms that originated in South Korea under the guidance of his Master, Eun Kwang Bup Sa, at the temple.

While Grandmaster Wonik Yi entered the Dae Yeon Sa Temple at the age of five in 1964, his roots to the temple can be traced back many generations. Master Kiwan Yi is the great grandfather of Grandmaster Wonik Yi. He was the teacher of Master Eun Kwang Bup Sa before he went into the temple. Master Kiwan Yi also taught his son Master Jayoung Yi who was the grandfather of Grandmaster Wonik Yi. Master Eun Kwang Bup Sa and Master Jayoung Yi were friends. When Master Eun Kwang Bup Sa had gone to the temple, Master Jayoung Yi asked him to take Grandmaster Wonik Yi into the temple for training.

Master Kiwan Yi won the World Judo Championship in Japan when Korea was occupied by Japan. He was one of the greatest Judo masters at that time. He was also the last Shogun for the Korean Emperor. He later became the Korean State Governor and continued to teach Judo to Koreans. Grandmaster Yi's grandfather, Jayoung Yi, was also a Judo Master who opened the first Yun Moo Kwan Judo School in Korea. He was also Mayor of Young Wol City in Korea.

This is the heritage of Grandmaster Wonik Yi and it explains where his abilities and talents came from, as well as how tradition is carried on from one generation to the next generation.

Grandmaster Wonik Yi teaches and trains at his school in Austin, but does make trips to the Kerrville school for some belt tests, anniversaries, and other special occasions.

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