The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Roger Kim smiles and leans back in his chair when he’s asked when he began studying martial arts.
“If you’re born in Korea, almost everyone takes Tae Kwon Do” as schoolchildren, he said. “Like in the United States, you have wrestling, baseball, football. They may not have a ‘football school,’ but you learn those things in school.”
Kim, who emigrated to the US with his family more than 25 years ago, has parlayed that early training into a vocation.
Kim is the headmaster at the Somerset campus of Black Belt World, located in the Village Plaza on Easton Avenue.
The 4,000-square-foot facility opened in June, and Master Kim – as he’s known in the school – said the reception by Franklin residents has been heartening.
“They love us, and I love them too,” he said. “Very nice people, respectful people and many young parents are looking for someone or some type of school that can help their children to lead them to the right way.”
Students at Black Belt World learn Tae Kwon Do, Kim said, but that’s not all.
” Tae Kwon Do is not just kicking and punching,” Kim said. “We make sure that they are disciplined. So, understanding the rules of TKD school, understanding the rules of their house and understanding the rules of academics.”
“We’re really good at building the bridge between the Tae Kwon Do school and home, and home to academic school,” he said. “We make sure they learn good life skills, self-discipline, self-control and confidence.”
“We want them to use Tae Kwon Do as a tool so they can learn winning attitudes, winning habits,” Kim said.
The school is open to students as young as 3.5 years all the way to adults, Kim said. Classes are held Monday through Saturdays, with flexible times.
“We evaluate students first, and then decide which program fits them,” he said. “I’ve been teaching for a long time and I’ve seen many students. I’m grateful that I could teach that many students.”
The Village Plaza location joins established locations in Somerville and Piscataway.
The school’s students also participate in tournaments and comprise demonstration teams.
For more information about Black Belt World, call (732) 867-5620.
