On December 21, 2024, we remember Grand Master Low Koon Lin, who passed away at the age of 97. He was not only a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, but also a pioneer in the Taekwon-Do community, a title he held with great pride and dedication. His commitment to the martial art was lifelong, and his journey with Taekwon-Do began over six decades ago, forever shaping the landscape of the sport in Malaysia and beyond.
GM Low was born on April 13, 1927, in Bentong, Pahang, Malaysia. His childhood was shaped by the struggles of wartime, particularly during the Japanese occupation of Malaysia, where he witnessed brutality and hardship at a young age. This period taught him resilience, and he developed an ability to recognize opportunities in the face of adversity. Despite the challenges, GM Low went on to work with his father, then married Tan Siew Fong and started a family. After working as a clerk for a few years, he began to feel that his career had no future, and with limited formal education, life was difficult for many Malaysians at the time.
In 1962, at 35, GM Low discovered Taekwon-Do, a martial art that would change the course of his life. He saw a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur, where General Choi Hong Hi’s student, Grand Master Kim Bok Man, performed incredible feats of strength, including breaking a flowerpot held 9 feet in the air. Inspired by the performance, GM Low sought more information and eventually met General Choi, who was then the Korean Ambassador to Malaysia. GM Low became General Choi’s first Malaysian student, embarking on a journey of daily, rigorous training with General Choi and other masters such as GM Kim Bok Man, Woo Jae Lim, and Nam Tae Hi.
In 1963, GM Low became part of Malaysia’s first Taekwon-Do exhibition team and, in the same year, the Malaysian Taekwon-Do Association was formed. Malaysia became one of the founding nations of the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) in 1966. GM Low was awarded his 1st-degree black belt in 1964, and by 1966, he established the International Taekwon-Do Academy in Petaling Jaya.
During the next decade, GM Low helped spread Taekwon-Do throughout Malaysia, even as the political landscape in Korea caused a split within the Taekwon-Do community. In 1969, GM Low captained Malaysia’s team at the first Asian Taekwon-Do Championships in Hong Kong, where they won a championship banner and medal. He continued his work promoting Taekwon-Do, founding tournaments and attending international instructor courses. He was a regular presence at the ITF World Championships, and in 1972, he was appointed Chief Instructor for Malaysia by General Choi.
Despite the split between the ITF and the World Taekwon-Do Federation (WTF), GM Low remained loyal to General Choi’s vision. In 1978, after disagreements with the Malaysian Taekwon-Do Federation, he left the organization but continued to focus on teaching Taekwon-Do. Over the next decades, GM Low built his own Taekwon-Do family and expanded his teachings to various settings, from corporate environments to small community groups, and even in people’s homes. He remained dedicated to spreading General Choi’s legacy and the philosophy of Taekwon-Do.
His contribution to the art did not go unnoticed. In 1989, General Choi awarded GM Low his 7th-degree black belt for his devotion to the sport. GM Low’s influence reached far beyond Malaysia, impacting practitioners across the world, including in New Zealand and Australia. His students, such as GM Leong Wai Meng, GM Cindy Armstrong, GM Yeow Chang Watt, GM Tam Fook Chee, GM Mohd Aswan Khoo, and GM Tan Eng Kiat, recognized him as their teacher, a testament to his deep influence in Taekwon-Do.
GM Low was proud of the legacy he built, not just in Malaysia, but throughout the world. He continued to teach and guide his students even into his later years, receiving his 8th-degree black belt from General Choi in 1996 and his 9th-degree black belt in 2006, awarded by Professor Dr. Chang Ung. These honors recognized his dedication, commitment, and the far-reaching impact he had in Taekwon-Do.
In closing, GM Low Koon Lin lived a life of profound influence. His passion for Taekwon-Do, his respect for General Choi, and his lifelong dedication to teaching are the cornerstones of his legacy. His contributions have shaped the lives of thousands, and his presence will forever be felt in the Taekwon-Do community. General Choi’s legacy lives on, and GM Low’s unwavering loyalty to that legacy remains an inspiration for generations of practitioners.
