My Time in KoreaThe journey that led to Sidekicks

Before Sidekicks opened its doors, there was a journey that tested my discipline, perseverance, and love for teaching.

The preparation alone meant 13 months of training and volunteering as an instructor, with more than ten hours a day of Taekwondo. There were extra chore-like tasks, too - my own “Mr. Miyagi” experience! It demanded patience, discipline, and grit. I almost quit at times, but I kept showing up. That perseverance helped earn me the opportunity to go to Korea.

In 2001, at just 20 years old, I went to Korea on my own. I knew very little Korean, and my master there spoke no English. Learning to communicate was part of the experience!

For six months, my days started around 6 a.m., with my first class at 7. I taught throughout the day, then trained with the university-age students in the evening. Afterward, I helped clean the dojang before heading to bed around 10 p.m.—then did it all again the next day.

Teaching for ten or more hours and then putting in another two to three hours of my own training was physically demanding. There was no shortcut: teach, train, clean up, rest, and repeat. The challenge was to keep giving my best, even on the roughest days.

Life was simple. I slept in a small shack on a rooftop, washed my clothes by hand, and used a bucket to shower. I wasn’t paid for my teaching. I went for the experience, the challenge, and the chance to learn while helping others. I helped the Korean students, and they helped me in return.

Those months confirmed something for me: teaching was what I wanted to do with my life.

At the end of my stay, I had an opportunity to remain in Korea and take a well-paid Taekwondo teaching position at a major university. Instead, I chose to return home to Merced and bring that experience back to my community.

In 2002, at age 21, I opened Sidekicks.

The lessons from that journey are still part of how I teach today: keep going when things get difficult, stay humble, show respect, and use what you learn to help others. Progress takes effort, and some of our biggest growth happens when we step outside our comfort zone.

That is a piece of the history behind Sidekicks—and why helping you grow means so much to me. ❤️

—Master Moe