Ancient Arts Kuk Sool Kwan Hapkido HQ

Mike Dunchok / Master

Kwan Jang Nim Michael Dunchok is 40 years old, and began his training in Kuk Sool Kwan at the age of 11. From a young age, Master Dunchok was interested in learning in all its forms, and had an insatiable appetite to understand the world. His involvement in martial arts has grown out of that fascination, as has his approach to teaching it. When Master Dunchok was young, martial arts seemed to be represented in popular culture as the one thing that offered legitimate hidden knowledge, and at the same time seemed to be about perfecting an individual. After looking around at all the martial arts schools in the area, he found Grandmaster Huh's school, and was impressed immediately. 

Grandmaster Huh's studio lacked the fancy trappings of the other dojos in the area, but Master Dunchok and his father both agreed that Master Huh's presence was overwhelming. He began practicing for several hours everyday, and would sometimes go to the studio directly after school. After a performance at his blue belt test which impressed Grandmaster Huh's visiting colleagues, Master Dunchok was instructed personally by Grandmaster Huh with private training to receive his first degree black belt. Master Dunchok was very active with Master Huh's studio throughout his high school years as well, continuing the same habits of hard practice with which he began his martial arts training.