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In January, a warm group of visitors arrived at the Mangpo 1-dong Administrative Welfare Center in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. Children carried boxes of instant noodles and set them down one by one. Together they gathered 1,004 packages — a tangible measure of their generosity.
Beside a sign that read “Sharing Is Hope,” the kids looked over the items they had brought. For those who receive them, the noodles might mean a meal; for these children, it was their first hands-on experience of giving.
The project began at K-Star Taekwondo in Mangpo-dong. Over a month, students pooled small contributions until they reached 1,004 packages. The noodles were distributed to neighbors in need ahead of the Lunar New Year. It was the studio’s second annual drive.
Leading the effort was 36-year-old head instructor Juhan Lee. He views taekwondo not merely as exercise but as a way to help people grow and shine.
“Teaching taekwondo to children goes beyond coaching techniques. It’s about helping them develop and letting them shine,” he said.
Lee’s approach comes from his own experience. As a child he was shy and lacked confidence. Taekwondo changed how he moved and how he saw himself, and it taught him the importance of caring for others.
Even before opening his current school, Lee organized donation drives with students at previous dojangs.
“Through taekwondo I learned how much a person can change. I wanted to share that with kids,” he said.
He later pursued advanced training and additional certification. Concluding that technique alone wasn’t enough, he studied early-childhood physical education and child psychology to become a teacher who truly understands children.
K-Star Taekwondo opened in September 2024. About 200 students train there now, following programs tailored to each age and developmental stage.
Above all, Lee prioritizes character over technical skill. He favors steady, healthy development over fast progress.
“It’s more important that a child’s body and mind grow correctly than that they get good quickly,” he said.
The studio emphasizes daily habits as much as technique. Students repeatedly practice basic behaviors — greeting others, waiting their turn, tidying up — small actions that are simple in concept but often the hardest to master.
“Kids are honest. Small habits add up and change their attitudes and confidence,” Lee said.
He hopes the changes children make at the studio will carry over to home and school. He says he feels most rewarded when parents report that their child now greets others at home.
Training is built around fun while also improving fitness and focus. Play-based activities let children achieve a sense of accomplishment naturally. On weekends, the studio offers early-childhood athletics, outdoor experiences and first-aid training.
Social-skills education is also central. Group sessions teach cooperation and consideration, and instructors guide children to resolve conflicts independently. The aim is to make the dojang a small, functioning community.
That philosophy naturally extends into the neighborhood; the noodle drive is one expression of it. K-Star Taekwondo is planning additional hands-on giving programs that will let children participate directly.
“At first the kids feel awkward,” Lee said, “but they come together with one wish: to bring warmth to neighbors who are having a hard time. We will continue to practice community-centered education.”
He added, “We want to offer a space parents can trust and a place where children can grow happily. When kids arrive and call out ‘Coach!’ it always touches my heart. As long as they keep calling that, I’ll keep this place open.”
/Kim Hyun-woo, Reporter kimhw@incheonilbo.com
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