Tae Kwon Do Times, July 1990

Press · August 5, 2025

Scanned pages from the July 1990 issue of Tae Kwon Do Times, featuring UMAC's founder, Grand Master Noah Guak.

The July 1990 issue of Tae Kwon Do Times ran “Noh Guen Guak: A Man of Gentle Power” by Theresa Hardison, a first dan black belt. Guak began Tae Kwon Do at age five as a frail, sickly boy. He became a Korean national champion several times and earned a seventh dan black belt in both Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido.

He taught in Korea, Mexico and New Orleans, then moved to Fort Myers in March 1989. Students there gave him the nickname Eagle, because he spends so much time in the air during demonstrations. Hardison writes that he teaches students to “empty our cup” and stay open to learning.

Back in Korea he also fought on a professional Tae Kwon Do team and on the military sparring team. After his first dan black belt he took up Hapkido, because it teaches self-defense that works in real life.

In his first year in Fort Myers he started several new classes. His Hapkido class covered more than 18 weapons, from nunchaku and short and long sticks to the cane and fans. His team sparring class turned out several tournament grand champions. He also taught a women’s self-defense course. Younger students could earn certificates and trophies for good grades at school.

At the yearly Masters’ Demonstration he broke five boards in mid-air over a student lying on the floor. He cut watermelons in half with a sword and chopped the neck off a bottle with his bare hand. He even let a van drive over his fist.

Before Florida, he had taught in Mexico, where he learned to speak Spanish and taught at the police academy and the YMCA. Hardison herself ran a satellite school on Pine Island when the story ran.

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