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June: Tae Kwon Do
 
What a comical expression on the face of Terry Hong, project director
of the Korean American Centennial Commemoration. She’s laughing because the Boss-man, Dr. Franklin Odo, has gone missing and so she can say anything she wants and he’ll never know! Shhh … don’t tell!		   Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee takes the stand. He may say he’s 71 years old, but just wait until you see what that 71-year-old body can do!
     
 

Grandmaster Rhee’s troops demonstrate the fine art of tae kwon do.

   The flag salute with both the U.S. and Korean flags.
   
 

Don’t mess with these folks!

   Yes, that’s a very full glass of water balancing on the Master’s head as he smashes two boards. Kids, don’t try this at home.
     
 

Master Rhee offers $200 to a non-Rhee-trained black belt randomly chosen from the audience if he can stop the Master’s swift fists.

   So he wasn’t faster than the Master, but he certainly didn’t go home empty-ended. What a great sport!
     
 
Ouch!   Oh, Master … take a bow!
         
The troops demonstrate “might
for right!”		 VICTORY!
   
And the Master plays harmonica, too. Who would have thunk it? No end to this man’s talents! The push-up challenge: do more than Master Rhee and he’ll buy dinner. We have a taker … but after some 130 or so, the Master wins!
   
The requisite group shot: project director Terry Hong, Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee, Women’s Bureau Director (and KACC December speaker) Shinae Chun, U.S. Department of Education Deputy Director Marina Tse, Smithsonian volunteer Gino Wang, and program specialist for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program Gina Inocencio. And who is that adorable little one peeking through? The very happy Grandmaster and Mrs. Jhoon Rhee. And what an afternoon it was!
   
   
Photo credit: Hugh Tallsman