CHIEF INSTRUCTOR
GRANDMASTER SEAN KIM

Grandmaster Sean Kim is a 9th Dan Black Belt and Chief Instructor at Kim Soo Karate Headquarters. In October 2026, he was named the second Chongjaenim of Chayon-Ryu, the title held by the senior leader and head of the system, carrying the title of Grandmaster. Born in Korea, he was 4½ years old when he and his mother followed Grandmaster Kim Soo to Houston. He began his martial arts training soon afterward at the downtown Houston dojang.

Kim has an art degree and has been a full-time martial arts instructor for many years, including teaching at the University of Houston Central Campus and Rice University, as well as conducting ongoing self-defense workshops through Events and Adventures. He enjoys exercise of all kinds and has trained in Salsa, East Coast Swing, and Zumba. He also enjoys running and riding his bicycle whenever he gets the chance.

Experience and understanding keep him grounded in his ability to convey ideas simply and patiently to his students. Parents of children in the youth classes know how much he enjoys teaching martial arts to young people. He also has an exceptional ability to essentially run two classes simultaneously, working with students of different ages and skill levels while keeping everyone engaged and on track. His classes maintain a friendly and professional atmosphere, and he explains techniques and routines clearly while encouraging students to practice regularly, even when they are away from the dojang.

Kim has spent much of his life at the dojang, and many of the original Kim Soo Karate students have watched him grow from the five-year-old drawing on the dojang walls into the accomplished instructor and leader he is today. One of his most rewarding experiences has been practicing Chayon-Ryu with his daughter, who also began training at age five and continued for many years, eventually serving as his assistant in the children’s class. She is a brown belt and now lives in the Austin area, where she works for Round Rock ISD.