Tommy Chang (martial artist)

Born and raised in Kyong Ki Do, South Korea, Master Tommy Chang is a Korean-Canadian, 7th degree Taekwondo and 8th Degree Hapkido instructor and Grandmaster, actor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator and producer.[1] With over 45 years of training and experience in Taekwondo and Hapkido, Master Chang also trained in ITF/WTF TKD, Moo Duk Kwan, and Judo.[2] He is also an 8th Degree Black Belt in Hap Ki-Do, specializing in pressure points, take-downs and grappling.[1] His martial arts expertise also encompasses mastery of several weapons. In addition, he is a WTF-certified Master Instructor of Taekwondo and a Canadian National Referee (1st Class).[2]

Not to be confused with Tommy Chang (educator).

Taekwondo

Master Chang’s career is marked with several milestones including being elected Vice President Sport of Taekwondo Canada, having been the Canadian Taekwondo Team Manager for the 2nd Korean Open in 1999, as well as the Canadian National Team Manager and Coach for the 1999 Taekwondo World Championship in Turkey. He also held several offices such as Vice-Chairman of the World Tae Kwon Do Association of Canada (Tournament Committee), Pan-American Tae Kwon Do Union Tournament Vice-Chairman (2004–2006), and Pan-American Tae Kwon Do Union Financial Committee Chairman (2004–2006). At the provincial level, he also served as the Ontario Taekwondo Association Chairman from 2007 to 2008. He is the past 1st Vice-President of the Ontario Taekwondo Association.[2]

Film and television

Master Tommy Chang has worked in the film and television industry for over 35 years in several capacities as actor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator and producer.[1] He is also the founder, manager and team leader of ReelStunts Film/Television Action Stunt Team. Additionally, he also personally trained several members of his stunt team which specializes in Martial Arts, High Falls, Stunt Driving, Fireburns, Gymnastics, Acrobatics, Breakdancing, Weapons Training, Motion Capture Acting, Wirework, and Acting.[1] His stunt team includes the personalities of Simon Kim, James Kim, Joe Eigo, Emerson Wong,Allen Keng and Tonya Henry. Some of the noteworthy accomplishments of this team include having worked with Steven Seagal, Chow Yun-fat, David Carradine, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Charlie Hunnam, Vin Diesel, and Jackie Chan.[1]

In his stunt execution for a television show called Side Factor, after performing multiple takes of propulsion into the air via an air ram, Master Chang wound up with a compound fracture.[3]

He completed a major motion picture as fight choreographer in 2012 on a film called Pacific Rim directed by Guillermo Del Toro and produced by Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures starring Charlie Hunnam, Charlie Day, Idris Elba and Rinko Kikuchi and Ron Perlman. In 2013, he produced a full feature movie as an associate producer called The Hacker with Sanzhar Sultanov. He also executive produced a short feature film called The Proposal starring Missy Peregyrm and Peter Mooney. He featured in the film Robocop and The Interview starring James Franco in 2014. He played Hapkido instructor Master Yang in Kim's Convenience.

Black Belt World

Master Chang owns and manages several Taekwondo schools in Canada , Black Belt World, with branch locations in Barrie, Burlington, Brampton, Etobicoke, Kitchener, Oakville, Missisauga, Vaughan, Waterloo and Woodbridge. Headquartered Korea Town in Toronto, Black Belt World offers curricula, Olympic sparring and weapons training in Taekwondo for students of all ages. Recently, a new location in Chicago,Il was opened with Black Belt World Chicago.[2]

Controversy

On March 17, 2017 Master Chang's Black Belt World was in the news as, Shin Wook Lim, head coach, was arrested in Toronto for the sexual assault of one of the students over the course of two years[4] and charged 13 counts including six counts of sexual assault. In March of 2019 Lim was charged by Toronto police in relation to a second Black Belt World student[5] and is now facing four new charges - two sexual assault and two sexual interference.

On August 16, 2017, four months later, another Black Belt World coach in Milton, Patrick Leany, was charged "with luring, invitation to sexual touching, and criminal harassment[6]".

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2009-07-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. http://www.taekwondo.ca/instructors/master-tommy-chang/
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2009-07-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Toronto police charge former Canadian Olympic coach with multiple sex assaults of taekwondo student". The Star. May 3, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  5. "New charges laid against Taekwondo coach in sexual assault investigation". CTV News. March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  6. "Milton taekwondo instructor charged with sex offences involving young club member". thestar.com. 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
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