Hierarchy Jiu Jitsu

What to know

Our story began a long time ago in South Korea — training in Taekwondo, which turned out to be a much better fit for me and my brother than the piano lessons we narrowly escaped. No matter how hard they tried to teach us, we both just kept slamming the keys. Eventually it became clear that redirecting that energy into a dojang made more sense than trying to harness it for a recital.

That initial spark stayed with us through high school, but it wasn't until 2012 that I stepped onto the mats for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I quickly realized that despite my background, I had no real answer for defending myself once the fight hit the ground. That humbling shift in perspective changed everything.

I started my training at Gracie Barra Seattle under Rodrigo Lopes, with my brother joining me after the first year. After starting a family in Auburn, I moved south to train under Jeff Macatangay at Gracie Barra Federal Way.

I competed at every belt level along the way — and the biggest lesson I learned didn't come from a medal. It came from my own hesitation. In my early years I had a mentality of waiting until I got better before competing. Looking back, that was a mistake. Your competitors grow right along with you. Whether you're a white belt or a black belt, the challenge scales with your skill.



Ten years of showing up. Rodrigo awarded me my black belt.

I've been training under Jeff ever since.