This time for Mike Depp.
Yes, this is the room where it happens.
This is the time in the show we
dedicate to hearing from unique
and cool people doing some
pretty unique and cool things.
Conversations not sound bites
today a martial arts class in
Falls Church as he explored the
legacy of a Taekwondo master,
Adam Longo got a lesson.
I'm in Falls Church today at the
Junrey Taekwondo Karate school.
I earned my white belt today and you
won't believe what I had to do to get it.
So I'm going to get changed
your about to see something.
So you can aim for the middle of the
board and just go through the board.
OK on and you're gonna yell.
So when you when when I say 123 I want
to yell as you throw the punch out ready,
yell high off ready 123. So
you saw that. Look at that clean break
son about 3 seconds 123 like that.
Congratulations, fantastic. Thank
you so much. I have earned my white
belt now here at Junrey Taekwondo
with Junrey who is junior son.
You have been doing this for pretty much
your whole life.
Your father is one of the most
prominent Korean Americans.
He was trained by
Bruce Lee. He trained Muhammad
Ali in a in a punching technique,
but he's of course famously known
for the the Taekwondo commercials.
Nobody bothers me. Nobody bothers me.
Then my sister said nobody bothers me
and I said nobody bothers me either.
What was that like for you
as a kid? Did you embrace
it? Did you repel it
in the beginning? I I embraced it,
but as I got older, I I I have to
admit I did repel it a little bit.
It's just, you know, part of the
family business was not something
I really wanted to do initially.
Keep going, keep going we're gonna do 100.
Eat. As far as you can go go all
the way down as low as you can go.
Hold it 1/2 come up, see you soon
everybody pick up a boppre over here.
Mr.
So let's look
forward to the present.
Now you are the new generation,
the future generation of Taekwondo.
You will train the next generation
of of Taekwondo students. Big bow.
123 come on up.
212 what separates you from your father?
How are you the same? How are you different?
Life father was the first to cut.
Incorporate that, you know.
We say knowledge in the mind.
Honesty in the heart and strengthen the body.
So that's true confidence and
you gain in all those three.
So we were the first to institute.
You know, having all A's and
B's to get a black belt?
We check report cards when the kids get there
when they when they test for their belts.
I think I'm a I'm a lot like my father,
so he was very strict.
I think from the beginning,
but he he opened up a little bit.
He understood the culture of of, you know,
as a Korean American you know he had.
He loved this country.
So he I think it was the reason why his
success was he was able to adapt to.
The way things are, so yeah,
I think I'm just a lot like him.
Alright, it took like 2 years but
we finally found the first outfit
that looks better with a mask on
the mask that matches the outfit
like he looked like he ready to
fight Mortal Kombat or something.
That was impressive.
Yeah it was. It was a little
intimidating to be that close to him
knowing that anything could happen.
Of course at any moment listen
the junior E karate school.
It turns 60 years old. Reese in
2022 is that their original location?
Yeah yeah. In Falls Church.
Yeah opened there in 1962.
Those commercials you'll remember.
They aired for 15 years in
the 80s and 90s by the way.
Do not call USA 1000.
I got some guy named Frank's voicemail.
I didn't want to leave a message 'cause
I'm sure he deals with that all the time.
Of course. June Reed was 86 years old when
he passed away almost four years ago.
Now in 2018, really the big takeaway
for me going there and visiting him
and meeting chunri this karate school.
It's not just about learning
Taekwondo and learning self defense,
it's about it's a whole of person approach.
I mean he talked about their knowledge,
honesty and strength.
I mean it's learning Taekwondo
but it's learning.
Life lessons it's making sure you get
your grades up that you're respectful
to everybody and and that's one of the
biggest things that I think parents
can take away by bringing their kids
to a place absolutely timeless ideals.
And I love his honesty when
you asked him about whether
he embrace or repelled it,
he said I initially embraced it,
and then I came to a very,
very honest and a lot of people
can relate to that. I'm sure
he said that when when
people realize it's him,
that five year old boy in the commercial,
they'll wink at him and they'll
start singing the song to him.
So he hears that a lot.
Listen, we got.
This story tip from an email
so send me your email.
What is the story you want us to do?
Something that you wouldn't
typically see on a local newscast?
A person or place we want to
highlight the best of them.
Find me on social media or email me
a long ago at wsa9.com and I think
I still have to this point more
tick Tock followers than you but I
don't think that's going to last.
Another 24
hours. I just wanna know how you
got that on the full screen.
I haven't been able to do that at all.
I need to learn.
I need to figure out who you talk to.
The graphics department, Batman.