USA Karate National Coach Peter Paik

Grandmaster Peter S. Paik, 8th degree blackbelt

Born 9/13/58 in Seoul, S. Korea

Started training in Seoul, Korea in 1965 under the tutelage of Grandmaster Chull Hee Park, founder of Kangdukwon(one of the 9 original Kwans of Taekwondo). Moved to Madison, WI(USA) in 1969 with family. Resumed training with his father, Grandmaster Sang Kee Paik in Chuan fa in 1971.  Trained with the 5 time Korean National Champion, Il Sik Kim, assistant instructor at Paik’s Martial arts school from 1973-1975.  Trained with Soo Kon Kim( Korean military forces champion) from 1974-1976. 1973-1983 Competed in 225+ tournaments, Won 22 Grand Championships, 2 National Championships.
List of notable Tournaments:
  • 1975-77 Jhoon Rhee/Mid America Nationals.(Later became known as the “Diamond Nationals”)
  • Took 1st in lightweight sparring (1976 & 1977), 3rd in form (1975&1976)
  • 1976 Indianapolis Tournament of Champions- 1st Place
  • 1976 Chicago Open Taekwondo Championships-1st place
  • Rated in the top 5 fighter in the Midwest by Traditional Taekwondo Magazine regional ratings.
  • 1977 Top Ten Midwest regional Karate/Taekwondo Championships, Peoria, IL-Grand Champion.
  • 1977 Midwest Taekwondo Classic- St. Louis, MO-Grand Champion
  • 1977 Illinois State AAU Taekwondo Championships- Gold medalist, Form and Middleweight Sparring
  • 1978 Diamond Nationals-3rd place middleweight.
  • 1978 National  AAU Taekwondo Championships-Bronze medalist, Middleweight division
  • 1978-American Karate Association Grand Nationals-2nd place Lightweight
  • 1978-Wisconsin Karate Championships-1st place middleweight.
  • 1978-1979 Midwest Tangsoodo Championships- Grand Champion
  • 1979-Diamond Nationals-2nd place Middleweight.
  • 1979-Midwest karate Championships Dubuque, IA-GrandChampion
  • 1979-AAU National Referee Certification.
  • Rated as the #7 rated middleweight in the USA by Kick Illustrated and Inside Kung Fu magazines.
  • 1980-Chicagoland Karate Open-Grand Champion
  • 1981-AKA Grand Nationals, Chicago, IL-1st place, Lightheavyweight.
  • 1981-L.A.M.A. National Karate Championships-Northlake, IL-3rd place Lightheavyweight
  • 1981-Battle of Atlanta-4th place Lightheavyweight.
  • 1981-Milwaukee Warhawks Karate team member, Wisconsin Dynamos Taekwondo Team Captain.
  • Rated in the National Top 25 and Top 5 in the Midwest ratings By Karate Illustrated.
  • 1982-Budweiser Classic, Chicago IL-Grand Champion
  • 1982-North Star Classic, Wausau, WI-Grand Champion
  • 1982-Battle of Atlanta-3rd place
  • 1983-won numerous championships in the Midwest then retired.
  • 1988-1992 Refereed in the USTU, received WTF International Referee certificate (#930) in 1989.
  • 1988-1991 Featured in Karate Warrior 2, Miami Vice(2 episodes), Adventures of Superboy and an American Airlines training film.  Worked as an actor, a stuntman and spokesperson.
  • 1990-Provided the Color commentary on TV for the National Taekwondo Championships.
  • 1990-1994 MC of the Florida State Taekwondo Championships.
  • From 1988-2010, Produced over 50 National Champions in the USTU, the AAU Taekwondo, and the USA Karate federations.
  • 2005-Pennsylvania Tangsoodo Championships-Grand Champion Sparring, 1st place form.
  • 2008-AAU National Taekwondo Championships, 1st place form, 1st place heavyweight sparring, 3rd place team form.
  • 2010-AAU National Taekwondo Championships, 1st place form, 1st place heavyweight sparring.
  • 2011-Appointed coach of the USA Karate federation National team which attended the Pan Am championships in Brazil.