Phillip Rhee-Underdog Master by Marc Zirogiannis-Lead Correspondent When people think of Phillip Rhee, they martial arts his instrument to accomplish generally think of the martial arts champion, those goals. tournament organizer, bodyguard, movie “ rough di cult times we come star, writer, producer, and director. In fact, to understand what we are about Phillip Rhee is known to have played many as human beings. Adversity builds diverse roles in his life, both on and o the character.” big screen. One of the least known, yet most important, roles in Phillip Rhee’s curriculum Phillip Rhee and his brother, Simon, learned vitae is that of champion of the underdog at an early age that martial arts, and Tae for the last 40 years. It was this lifetime of Kwon Do in particular, were the keys to devotion to the less fortunate that culminated staying out of trouble, improving their lives, in the development of his new lm project, and helping them achieve many of the lofty Underdog Kids. benchmarks they set for themselves. Rhee, the son of a martial arts master in Korea, For Master Rhee, a 6th dan in Tae Kwon began training in the arts at four years old. Do, 3rd dan in Hapkido, and black belt in He earned a black belt at an early age and Kendo, the a nity for the less fortunate is focused on becoming one of the best ghters not a matter of sympathy, but empathy. As in the world. He embarked on a course of a young immigrant Asian boy growing up enrolling in every possible Tae Kwon Do with little nancial means and no ability to tournament he could compete in. During speak the language in San Francisco in the those years he spent virtually every Saturday 1970s, all the odds were against his achieving and Sunday at a martial arts tournament the stardom he would earn over the course of testing his skills. Phillip became nationally the next 30 years. He was the quintessential known in the Tae Kwon Do community for underdog. his pro ciency in sparring, while, his brother, To what does Master Rhee attribute his Simon for his skill in poomsae. ability to alter his path and avoid the rampant rough dedication and constant gang violence of his community? He credits it hard work, Phillip earned all to the martial arts. a spot on the United “On the streets of San Francisco States Tae Kwon Do I witnessed it all. If it were not Team when it competed against South for Taekwondo, I would surely be Korea in the 1980 Asian Games. As a dead.” Korean- born martial artist, he faced Rather than becoming a victim, or extreme opposition from the Korean victimizer, Phillip Rhee decided to fans for ghting under the banner do what he calls “embracing the of the American ag against hardship.” He was determined to let the team of his birthplace. adversity be the motivating force To make matters more behind his life’s goals, and the di cult, he faced the highly revered captain of the Korean Team in the nals, 58 July 2015 / taekwondotimes.com a erce and beloved competitor. e match tenet of his children’s program. Anti-bullying, is still considered one of the most memorable Rhee believes, should be a key component in the history of modern Tae Kwon Do of any children’s Tae Kwon Do and martial tournament sparring. Rhee, the underdog, arts program. It is obvious to even the casual won the respect of the fans and the Korean observer that, for Rhee, this approach to Team in the end. e iconic image of the two instruction is one where he gets as much as athletes embracing after the match became he gives from his interaction with developing the symbol of the fraternity of the martial minds. arts and spoke volumes about the competitors Phillip Rhee, in a world where mixed martial and their art. arts are so pervasive, has been a strong “It wasn’t about politics. It wasn’t about advocate for traditional martial arts training, the medals. It was about the spirit of the with an emphasis on discipline and respect. athletes.” “Only when a tree has roots that are It was this historic match that became the deep and strong will it truly be able to basis for Rhee’s hugely successful lm Best weather any storm.” of the Best, which became an instant martial Rhee makes it clear that he is not against arts classic and spawned a series of sequels mixed martial arts training. He has studied and spin-o s. Former UFC light heavyweight and taught several styles. He is a strong champion Chuck Lidell dubbed Rhee’s classic proponent, however, of having a solid competition lm his favorite. foundation in one style before commencing In more recent years Rhee has continued study in other styles. is is what he sees as making martial arts action lms and has the current de cit in much MMA training continued to teach Tae Kwon Do and camps. Hapkido at least once a week in Los Angeles, Phillip Rhee, though still a young man and where he still resides. He considers engaging martial artist, has accomplished more than with students his way of paying back to the most practitioners do in a lifetime. While Tae Kwon Do community he loves so dearly. others might have been content to rest on “As a member of the martial arts their laurels, Phillip Rhee is not wired to community, I feel an obligation to give live o past fame or accolades; he is always back to society and to the children in determined to do more. As a mature martial particular. We are the gatekeepers artist and family man, he really wanted to use and character builders of the next his personal experiences to create a martial generation.” arts project that would be a good action lm and that also would capture the As an instructor, Rhee has always made spirit and the essence of Tae Kwon the personal development of children as Do and the martial arts. important as the development of their physiques. He created a system of “People are touched by more rewarding students for high academic than just action in a lm. performance outside of the dojang, Best of the Best proved through which they earn patches that they that. I wanted to proudly display on their uniforms. He make a meaningful also has made anti-bullying a central lm with a heart.” taekwondotimes.com / July 2015 59 Unlike when Master Rhee developed Best compensation far in excess of what Rhee’s of the Best, he now had a teenage son whose new martial arts lm had budgeted for, yet development and character were foremost in they joyfully participated without concern his mind. He wanted to develop a project to for commercial gain. e lm also features remind his son about what the martial arts cameos by such martial arts legends as Dan had contributed to their family’s life, and he Inosanto, Jun Chong, Don “the Dragon” wanted to highlight a lesson that has been Wilson, Benny “ e Jet” Urquidez, and with Rhee since he was a young boy--the ne Richard Norton, who all lent their talents distinction between opportunities and choices to the lm out of their respect for Rhee and in a child’s life that can di erentiate “the their belief in the power of martial arts to path of thug from the path of the warrior.” empower kids to achieve greatness. He wanted to remind his son of the value It is Rhee’s hope that Underdog Kids will of always choosing the warrior’s path, even capture the hearts and minds of lmgoers though it may be the more di cult one. with its positive message in a way that hasn’t Once conceived, Rhee, as he has throughout occurred since Ralph Macchio defeated his life and career, embarked on a journey the Cobra Kai in e Karate Kid. Rhee is to create a lm which told a martial arts the rst to recount how lms like Enter the underdog story in a relatable way to an Dragon, e Karate Kid, and Best of the Best, audience of families. e product of this noticeably increased the enrollment in Tae labor of love is Underdog Kids, a family- Kwon Do dojangs across the country. Will oriented martial arts lm about a group of Underdog Kids be the next lm in this lineage unlikely martial arts students who face o to inspire greater interest in traditional against the privileged and reigning Beverly martial arts training? at remains to be Hills martial arts champions. e lm was seen. written, directed, and produced by Rhee, who Regardless of what happens with Underdog also stars in the lm as an aging ghter who Kids at the box o ce, it has already achieved forms a bond with this group of inner-city the goal of inspiring people through the kids. e lm also features Beau Bridges, martial arts, something that has become the Tom Arnold, Ted Mcginley, and a number of hallmark of Phillip Rhee’s life and career. up-and-coming child actors in leading roles. e lm was forged in the life, struggles, and Rhee’s passion for the project and the subject adversity of an upbeat man and martial artist, matter so moved people along the journey an underdog man who wants his students that they practically donated their skills to and fans to always remember that “Tae Kwon the project.