We are sharing a brief biography of Grand Master J.K. Lee, in honor of his upcoming morning visit to our school inside the Holton Youth & Family Center on Sunday, June 3 at 10:00 am. We welcome you to join us! Click here for more information: Morning with Grand Master
Grand Master Jae Kyu Lee
Grand Master Jae Kyu Lee is the founder of J.K. Lee Black Belt Academy and the inspiration for J.K. Lee City Youth Martial Arts. He has been practicing Martial Arts for over 50 years and has shared his wealth of knowledge with countless children and adults. He believes that not only will we excel as individuals through martial arts, but that our communities will be made stronger.
He immigrated to America from South Korea in 1975 and opened his first school in Milwaukee in 1976. The growth of the school prompted a move to Brookfield. The success of his teachings lead to further expansion. The J.K. Lee family of academies now includes six suburban locations, plus our own nonprofit school/outreach program in Milwaukee, located only a few blocks away from his original school.
In 1991, he achieved the rank of Grand Master as a 9th degree black belt, the highest rank attainable in our discipline. In 1997, he was presented with the Top Master Instructor award by the South Korean Government. He has also been featured in publications such as the Tae Kwon Do Times and the Journal of Osteopathic Sports Medicine. In addition to his many accolades as a Grand Master in Martial Arts, he has always been proactive in the greater community and encourages his students to follow his example. He trained the U.S. Olympic Speed Skating Team, the Indiana University Basketball Team, and the Marquette Basketball Team. After the tragedy of September 11, he was involved in training flight attendants in self-defense.
Grand Master J.K. Lee is always working and encouraging others to improve our community. In order to earn a black belt in one of his academies, students must complete an independent community service projects plus log 100 hours of service in the community. Every year J.K. Lee hosts an annual Board Break-a-thon where students and community members come together to raise money for The MACC Fund which provides funding for cancer care research, raising over $400,000 to date. He offers a special class to grandparents and seniors to help improve their balance, flexibility and strength. His commitment to youth and families in Milwaukee and belief that everyone should have access to martial arts training led to the development of our 501(c)(3) nonprofit, J.K. Lee City Youth Martial Arts Program.
Despite having officially retired, Grand Master Lee still trains and teaches on a regular basis. He is a constant example of the benefits of training.
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