Grandmaster Won Kuk Lee, 1907-2003. Founder of Chung Do Kwan Tang Soo Do.  

As a child he was very much interested in martial arts but due to the Japanese occupation of Korea he never had the chance to study the art at an early age.  He was finally able to start his martial art training during his college days and later, achieved his black belt from his Grandmaster, Funakoshi.

Many agree that Grandmaster Won Kuk Lee is responsible for Tang Soo Do because he was the first known individual  to use the name Tang Soo Do, early 1944, for his art.  Due to his effort, the art exploded across Korea and later across the globe. Tang Soo Do is a “Korean-ized” version of Japanese Karate. Most people believe Grandmaster Won Kuk Lee to be the founder of this style.

Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do was founded many years later by Grandmaster Hwang Kee.