Hyun Hong Wright (nee Cho), is a 6th Dan kendo teacher from South Korea.
In 1996, when Hyun Hong was 25, she started Kendo practice as an amateur, practicing in a private dojo in Seoul. After six months of training she entered her first competition in the capital, whose entrants were a mixture of professional and amateur kendoka. Whilst it was virtually unknown for the amateurs to reach a high position, especially for someone of such limited experience, Hyun Hong came third.
Over the next three years Hyun Hong achieved more medals in competitions, coming 1st on two occasions, whilst raising her grade to 2nd Dan. However, it was her participation in the live televised final of the SBS National Kendo Championship in 1999, which attracted the attention of the National Squad coaches.
Hyun Hong entered the National Korean Squad as the only amateur and was picked to participate in the individuals and team event of the World Kendo Championships, held in Santa Clara in 2000. Fighting in the captain (taisho) position of the team, she held the Japanese captain to a 1-1 draw, despite the difference in experience, but it was her extended encho (fighting in extra time) against one of the eventual Japanese medal winners of the individual event, that won her the Fighting Spirit Award, in recognition of her performance.
After retiring from international competition, Hyun Hong turned herself to instructing, eventually receiving her master certificate from the Korean Kumdo Association, allowing her to teach. She became involved in teaching junior high school students and children and helped found Yonsei Unversity's Kendo Club, a prestigious university in Seoul. In September 2005 Hyun Hong was accepted as a lecturer of physical education, teaching kendo as a part of the university's syllabus.
In 2006 she met her future husband William Wright (a former member of the UK team) on a trip to the UK and following their marriage moved to London permanently. Hyun Hong, Will, and Jon Fitzgerald formed Tora Dojo on October 2nd 2008. Hyun Hong is now a registered instructor with the British Kendo Association and the Ladies Coach for the British National Team.
William Wright (2007)*
*[Whilst I admit a bias towards Hyun Hong, I have written this piece as I know she would be too modest to give a true picture of her achievements, which have been confirmed in writing by her association].

Hyun Hong Wright
