Today we’d like to introduce you to Minkyung Kim.
Hi Minkyung, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story began in Korea, where I was born and graduated with a degree in Taekwondo. After moving to the United States, I spent more than 10 years working as a Taekwondo instructor before finally taking the leap and opening my own school.
Opening my own school was a dream come true, but the reality was much harder than I imagined. At the time, I was a young woman running a small Taekwondo school on my own, while my family was back in Korea. I didn’t have family here to lean on, so I had to figure out how to handle everything by myself. There were already several large, well-established Taekwondo schools in the area, so finding my place and building a community from the ground up was a huge challenge.
Just as I was trying to establish the school, COVID hit. Because my business didn’t have enough history, I wasn’t able to receive financial assistance. I had to figure out how to survive and keep the school going on my own. I started filming lessons and teaching through Zoom so my students could continue training even when we couldn’t be together in person.
During that same period, I tore my ACL and had to undergo surgery. At the same time, I was struggling to pay the rent and even came close to losing the school. There were times when I was operating in the negative and honestly didn’t know how I was going to keep everything going.
But I never stopped showing up.
I worked at the school every single day. I did everything I could to keep the business alive and reduce expenses, often working day and night instead of hiring people. I ran every program I could, taught classes, managed the business, cleaned the school, filmed lessons, and took care of whatever needed to be done. If something needed to be done, I did it myself.
People around me would tell me, “You’re going to burn yourself out,” or “You’re going to get exhausted.” They worried that I was working too much. But I couldn’t let the school fail.
The academy carries my name: Kim Min Kyung Taekwondo Academy. My name is on the sign, and in the United States, where even my name can be difficult for people to pronounce, that name has become something very personal to me. I put my name on this school, and because of that, I never wanted to give up on it.
Slowly, something began to change.
The families at the academy started to recognize my dedication and hard work. Little by little, more families joined us. People in the community also began encouraging me and telling me how much they admired what I was doing as a young woman building and running a school on my own.
Today, I am incredibly grateful that the school is finally moving in a better direction. Our families genuinely care about the academy and continue to support and encourage me. Parents often tell me that they appreciate how well I teach, how much I care for their children, and how much they value the programs we offer.
One of the things I’m especially proud of is our competition team. Competition teams are not as common among the Taekwondo schools in our area, but I wanted to give our students the opportunity to challenge themselves and experience something beyond regular classes.
Our students have worked incredibly hard and consistently achieved great results at tournaments. Watching them grow in confidence, seeing their hard work pay off, and watching them succeed at competitions has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
It has now been almost eight years since I opened the academy. It hasn’t been an easy eight years, but every difficult moment has made me stronger, more resilient, and more determined.
I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that success doesn’t always happen quickly. Sometimes, success is simply refusing to give up long enough to see what you can build.
I started with a small school, very little support, and a lot of uncertainty. There were many moments when I wasn’t sure whether I would make it. But I kept showing up. Day after day, year after year.
Today, I have a community of families who believe in me, support our academy, and trust me with their children. I have students who work hard, challenge themselves, and make me proud every day. And I have built something that I once wasn’t sure I could keep alive.
And I’m still showing up every day, because this isn’t just a business to me.
It’s my name. It’s my work. It’s my students. It’s the families who have supported me. And it’s something I built with my own hands.
I put my name on the door, and I want that name to continue to stand for hard work, dedication, and quality Taekwondo.
I still have a long way to go, but when I look back at where I started and everything we’ve been through, I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. In fact, there were many moments when I wondered how I was going to keep going.
One of the biggest challenges was trying to establish my school as a young woman running a small business on my own in the United States. My family was back in Korea, and I didn’t have anyone here who could simply step in and help when things became difficult. I had to learn how to handle the business, teach classes, manage the school, and solve problems on my own.
Then COVID happened, just when I was still trying to establish the academy. Because my business was still relatively new and didn’t have enough history, I wasn’t able to receive financial assistance. I had to find ways to keep the school alive while there was so much uncertainty. I started filming lessons and teaching through Zoom, doing everything I could to keep my students connected and continue serving our families.
During that time, I also tore my ACL and had to have surgery. Being injured was difficult enough, but I still had a business that needed me. At the same time, I was struggling financially and came close to losing the space because I couldn’t keep up with the rent.
There were times when I was operating in the negative and working day and night just to keep the doors open. I couldn’t afford to hire as much help as I needed, so I did almost everything myself. People would tell me that I was going to burn out, and honestly, there were times when I was exhausted. But giving up was never something I was willing to consider.
I think one of the hardest parts was not knowing when things would finally get better. I couldn’t see the finish line. I just knew that if I kept showing up every day, taking care of my students, and doing the best I could, eventually things might change.
And slowly, they did.
The support of our families and students became one of the biggest sources of strength for me. As people saw my dedication and the way I cared for their children, they began to believe in me and support the academy. That support helped me keep going during some of the hardest times.
Looking back, those challenges taught me that resilience isn’t about never getting tired or never being afraid. It’s about continuing even when you’re tired, scared, or unsure of what comes next.
I’ve learned that sometimes you don’t overcome challenges all at once. You overcome them one day at a time.
For me, that’s what these past eight years have been about: showing up, working hard, and refusing to give up on something I believe in.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Kim Min Kyung Taekwondo Academy is more than just a place where students learn Taekwondo. Our goal is to help children and adults become stronger, more confident, disciplined, and respectful individuals through Taekwondo.
We offer a variety of Taekwondo programs for different ages and skill levels. Whether someone is completely new to Taekwondo, looking to stay active as an adult, or wants to take their training to a competitive level, we try to create an environment where everyone can grow at their own pace while still being challenged to become better.
One of the programs our families especially enjoy is our family class. I love seeing parents and children train together, encourage each other, and share the experience of learning Taekwondo. I believe that when families can exercise, learn, and challenge themselves together, it creates a stronger connection not only within the family but also within our academy community.
One of the things that sets our academy apart is the personal attention we give to our students. Because I am deeply involved in the day-to-day operation of the academy, I know my students and their families personally. I don’t want anyone to feel like they are simply another name on a class roster. I want every student to feel seen, supported, and encouraged.
I also believe that Taekwondo is about much more than kicking, punching, or earning belts. We use Taekwondo to teach discipline, confidence, respect, perseverance, responsibility, and the ability to keep going when something is difficult. Those lessons are just as important outside the dojang as they are inside it.
Another part of our academy that I am especially proud of is our competition team. Competition training is not as common among the Taekwondo schools in our area, but I wanted to give our students an opportunity to challenge themselves beyond regular classes. Our students work extremely hard, compete in tournaments, and have consistently achieved strong results. More importantly, I love watching them become more confident and resilient through the experience.
What I am most proud of about our brand is the trust we have built with our families. Parents trust me with their children, and that is something I never take for granted. When parents tell me that their children are not only learning Taekwondo but also becoming more confident, disciplined, and responsible, that means more to me than any business achievement.
Our academy carries my name, and that makes the work very personal to me. I want Kim Min Kyung Taekwondo Academy to be known for quality Taekwondo instruction, genuine care for students, strong character development, and a supportive family environment.
Ultimately, I want people to know that when they walk through our doors, they are not simply joining a Taekwondo school. They are becoming part of a community where we care about who they become, not just how well they can perform a technique.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I like most about Centreville is the sense of community. It is a diverse and family-oriented area, and I love that people from many different backgrounds and cultures live and grow together here.
After living and working in Centreville for almost eight years, this place has become much more than just where my business is located. It has become home to me. I have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people and families through my academy, and I am grateful for the relationships I have built here.
I also really appreciate that Centreville is a great place for families. There are many activities for children, parks, community programs, and opportunities for families to stay active and connected. As someone who works with children every day, I really value being part of a community where families care about their children’s growth and development.
What I like least is probably the traffic. Northern Virginia can get very busy, especially during commuting hours, and it can sometimes make getting around more difficult than I would like. As a small business owner who spends most of my time at the academy, I sometimes wish the roads were a little less crowded.
But overall, I feel very fortunate to have built my life and my business in Centreville. The people I have met here, especially the families who have supported me and my academy, have become an important part of my journey. When I think about Centreville, I don’t just think of it as a city or a place where I work. I think of it as a community that has given me a place to grow, build relationships, and create something meaningful.
Pricing:
- Free introductory Taekwondo class available for new students.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://supermastermin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hi_master_min/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ktacentreville/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ktava
