After bringing my son here for a few years, I have enrolled my daughter and have loved her growth in her confidence since. I love her confidence when she's talking to older kids and knows to speak up for herself. This is the place for you to bring your little girls. There is a good mix of boys and girls in their classes and there are female instructors as well in particular Instructor Mia who is phenomenal. Reasonably priced and the progression of color belts through frequent tests keep the kids engaged. I believe there is a free 7 day trial so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. read more

We have been going to Dynamic Martial Arts for a couple of years and seeing our son's growth has been amazing to see, mentally and physically. The instructors are supportive in their student's development and pushes them to be better. The end result? Gained confidence that they will carry on outside the class and in life. Highly recommend to give this place a try! read more

My seven year old started at Dynamic Martial Arts at the same time the pandemic shut everything down. Five years later, he has earned his black belt. Watching him grow through the process has been incredible. Master Gwak and his team are caring individuals and teach so much more than martial arts. He also attended the summer camp for a few weeks every year which is fun and educational. Thank you to the entire Dynamic team! read more

Dynamic Martial Arts - Martial Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

This martial arts studio is the BEST in OC!! Great instructors, an amazing Master, Master Gwak is the best, and a fun summer camp for your little ones. You can see your kids grow into amazing and respectful teens to then young successful adults with life skills that are priceless. This studio is full of kindness, support, and leadership for our children to grow into amazing adults. We need more kind and awesome adults, and this place is where it begins. The best Martial Arts Studio for my family and yours. read more

Dynamic Martial Arts - Best example of The Best OC Martial Arts Studio - Martial Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

My daughter has been coming here for about 4 months. She loves it and has grown so much in her technique since joining. Instructor Mia is so great - she is a good balance of fun and discipline and a great role model for little girls in the class. read more

Our two kids went there and stayed put till they both got their black belts. Good place, courteous staff and an amazing master/teacher. read more

Master Kwak is awesome! He is a great master not just teach martial art but disciplines the students. My daughter learns to respect, focus, and is now a lot more confidence in her skills. read more

My son is almost 7 years old and he really enjoys the classes. He looks forward to every class. The instructors are incredibly skilled and patient, making sure each child gets the attention they need. Dynamic Martial Arts is a perfect choice and I definitely can recommend it! read more

We recently moved to Irvine and needed an extra curricular activity for my daughter. Since she was alreay in cheer, we decided that Tae Kwon Do was a perfect fit for her. After visiting a few places in the neighborhood, we decided to enroll my daughter in Dynamic Martial Arts. Master Gwak's first impression was truly genuine. He seemed to have a passion for teaching kids discipline, respect and of course self defense. The other instrcutors are amazing as well. It's been about 2 months now and my daughter always looks forward to her next class. Definitely turning her into a black belt. Highly recommend Dynamic Martial Arts! read more

This place is AMAZING. I have two boys (7 and 4)enrolled and they love it. The instructors are fun and engaging, making it fun for the kids to learn. You can tell that the instructors care about the kids and work with them directly when they need the extra attention. read more

Dynamic Martial Arts - Martial Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

My kids loves to come to class and always looking forward to see instructor Ace and Oscar. They are so good with the kids. They make the class fun and enjoyable. It's amazing how many students they have and they know all the kids name. Master Gwak is very nice and caring of his students. He's so engaging and making sure the kids feel at ease. I had my oldest attend a Tae kwon Do class at another location(The one by Costco on El Camino). It was more of a money making business school. Here you can tell right away Dynamic Martial Arts is all about the kids and teaching them discipline, respect and martial arts. My daughter is very shy and I could see her confidence coming out. And my son loves participating in class. I highly recommend this school. read more

BROKEN THUMB I went to pick my son up from Taekwondo class. I came a little bit earlier, and I saw my son sitting on a mat and crying while they had the class. I had to wait for them to finish the class for a couple more minutes. My son came to me and was crying and complaining of pain in his hand. His hand was very swollen. We had to go to urgent care right away. At urgent care, they performed 3 X-rays, and my son was diagnosed with a thumb fracture, and they had to put a splint and referred my son to ortho doctor so he can put a hard cast when the swelling goes down. We ended up paying approximately $1000 for all appointments, Xrays, and casts. A few days after the incident (on Saturday), I went to talk to Oscar and told him that my son broke his thumb. The only question Oscar asked: "Only thumb?" I didn't even know what to answer. I wondered why they didn't provide him and ice pack at least and didn' call me. He told me that it looked just fine (that wasn't true) and that's why they didn't do anything. My son said to me that the instructor just told him to be strong and don't cry. I feel very disappointed, and I'm scared my son to continue attending Taekwondo classes even though he liked going there. read more

Dynamic Martial Arts - Martial Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

Best martial arts because they are good and pretty cute with the kids. I see and hear parents also chuckle on the sidelines with the funny comments the instructors make.. my daughter has been going to this academy for 6 months but, she's back now and loves it. I love it too read more

If you want to teach your kids how to be disciplined, follow instructions and learn something that nothing else can offer i think the answer is Dynamic Martial arts!! Amazing staff many instructors in every class so your kid will be a focus no matter how many participants in that class. I have 3 boys enrolled 5 6 and 7 and we are enjoying every class. I hope i will be able to keep them there until they get the black belt. read more

Dynamic Martial Arts is the perfect place for my son (6) and myself (28). This has been my sons first time learning martial arts and we have seen noticeable improvements with schoolwork, confidence, and overall self-esteem, all of which he had been struggling with. For myself, I had 15 years of martial arts experience prior to starting here and I have spent time in a lot of different schools over the years and this school and Master Gwak are truly something special. I hope to train here for a long time. If you live anywhere in or around Irvine I highly recommend this place for anyone from new students to seasoned experts. read more

Dynamic Martial Arts - Master Gwak and my son after belt test - Martial Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Master Bill and his staff are the best! Very patient and kind yet teaches strong discipline and builds character and confidence. They teach all aspects of martial arts. Our kids have become stronger and more confident happier kids. They have an awesome after school program to help with kids homework. So convenient that they provide pick up from school! Highly recommend! read more

I am so thankful for Master Oscar! My son has delayed speech and he always motivated him and boosts his confidence. All instructors are great and have a great sense of discipline!! Highly recommend this place. read more

My son has been going 2 times a week for a year now and we love how he has matured, and learned so much from the instructors. Classes are organized, gym is clean, instructors are friendly to parents and kids. It's a welcoming environment.Well run classes with the perfect balance of strict and fun for my son. He actually enjoys the discipline aspect and follows instructions unlike I've seen at home. At dynamic they don't just teach taekwando moves. They integrate real life scenarios. One class master Gwak explained and demonstrated to the kids how to carry themselves, how to walk with confidence to avoid bullying. He used an example of the animal kingdom how a predator chooses the weak and injured to prey on because it's the easiest meal. He demonstrated by walking super goofy while staring strait at the ground. It was beautifully presented and the kids loved it. The other reason I'm so passionate about promoting dynamic is the effectiveness of the teaching. My son has been going to dynamic for a year and they start teaching ground work at orange belt. I recently took my son to a Brazilian jiu-jitsu class and on the 1st day was able to execute moves he learned at Dynamic during live sparing: Take downs, ground body control, and submissions. This is when I was convinced that dynamic isn't just teaching discipline and coordination. Dynamic is effective in teaching real life applications of fighting. read more

We are so happy we found Dynamic Martial Arts in Irvine. From our very first visit/class, our family felt so welcome. Master Gwak and Instructor Matthew are great with students of all ages. Our daughter Rosemary loves going to Tae Kwon Do class and we can see how it has helped her in other ways. Her confidence and willingness to try new things and/or apply herself in school subjects is noticeable. Robert the teacher for the after school program is good with the kids as well. Our family highly recommends Dynamic Martial Arts in Irvine. read more

Dynamic Martial Arts - Master Gwak and Rosemary - Martial Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

We have 3 of our kiddos in DMA and when we first enrolled them here (19 months back) our goal was to teach them self-defense but they have learned much more than that. They are more disciplined, responsible, and more confident. We absolutely love this school. Master Gwak and instructor Matthew are wonderful teachers. This place is second home for our children. read more

Dynamic Martial Arts - Testing for blue belt! - Martial Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

Wonderful after school day care and taekwondo school willing to help anyone. They love and treat you like family. The after school day care and taekwondo class have helped my children grow and open up so much. I couldn't be more grateful! My sons have been going over a year and really loved it. Teachers are kind but commands discipline from the students. Everyone is friendly and professional. You can tell that they love the school and the students. It is more than just a school they are a family who welcomes new members with open arms. We are moving to to different state and my kids are so sad to leave this awesome place. Definitely recommend to people. Many thanks to Mr. Bill Gwak and his team read more

I have been training wushu here for about a month. I have about 8 years of wushu experience on and off during grade school. Its great learning/training environment. The dojo is fitted with taekwondo mats. It makes doing jumps a little more difficult since it absorbs some if your jumping force. I see it as a handicap so when I compete, I'm going to get more air than used to. The mats make falls and more difficult jumps great to practice on. They act like crash mats. Coach Matt has created a personalized training program for me to improve on my weaknesses and help me get back into competitive shape. He is very passionate about wushu. He is a southern style specialist so he knows the ins and outs of those forms. He has given me great input on my long fist form and combinations as well. read more

I started my daughter in Tae Kwon Do with Master Gwak a couple of months ago. It has been a great experience. When she started she looked like she had 2 left feet. Now after less than 2 months she looks like she knows what she's doing. She absolutely loves it here! They take time with each child to offer individual instruction to ensure they understand. I would give 10 stars if I could! read more

Both my sons have been a student here and I am so pleased with what they learned from Master Gwak. He taught them more than what we expected from a martial art class. They are more disciplined and I can see how the entire experience turned then them into more well rounded teens. read more

I sent my two kids to Dynamic Martial Arts a month ago. They both love it so much! Master Gwak is very patient and friendly to the kids. Under the guidance of Master Gwak, my kids learned great self-defense skills and disciplines. And other instructors are also experienced and knowledgable. The location is so convenient. I also like the openess of this center. Parents can observe how their kids doing all the time. I highly recommend Dynamic Martical Arts. read more

I am so happy we enrolled our 6 year old Kayla into Dynamic. Coming out of COVID my daughters became shy and soft spoken in groups. Dynamic helped Kayla regain the confidence she once had and improved her listening skills. I appreciate the discipline that is instilled in the kids. She looks forward to class every week and It is great seeing the progress in both technique and mind. read more

We tried many trial classes for our kids before we finally enrolled them in Dynamic Martial Arts in Irvine. The reason being, we noticed a lot more discipline and sincerity in this class compared to the others. Also flexibility of class time and day which works to our advantage. Master Gwak and instructor Matthew are the best, not only as martial art instructors, but also as great people. They understand the need of each individual child and guide them accordingly. Hope they carry on this service with the same zeal and patience. read more

First of all let me say how beyond thankful I am for DMA. My son thrived in his first year of school because of the structure and encouragement you all have provided him with. When he was able to complete his first belt testing his self confidence grew astronomically. I can't put into words how this changed the course of his development. I am forever grateful. The instructors are incredible. They have a gift with children. They teach respect and discipline with great passion. No one ever feels like they aren't good enough, kids feel encouraged and motivated consistently. I can not speaking higher praises for Dynamic Martial Arts. They truly care about the Art they are teaching and the future of the kids. Parents-- I know stepping into athletics can seem overwhelming, especially if you don't know anyone. But DMA is different. You become "family" with the other parents and the kids grow and encourage classmates. Its been the most welcoming athletic experience. Further, the instructors all engage with Parents on a daily basis, which is refreshing. Keep it up DMA, you are changing lives... and that's incredible. read more

Clean safe family feel martial arts studio. Students all get along and also respect one another. From form stance to sparring, he takes the time to make sure its done correctly. This studio takes great pride on teaching and is passionate. Master Gwak teaches tae kwon do but he specializes in Hapkido which is an added plus. I highly recommend this dojang to everyone in every age. read more

Great place to practice Taekwondo. My daughter has been attending classes for almost 3 years now and still loves to go. It is comforting to know that these lessons will stay with her for the rest of her life. And I can rest easy one day knowing that she can get out of situations and handle herself if needed. read more

If you are looking for your kids to learn martial arts but in a family type of environment, I would highly recommend that you go see Master Gwak at Dynamic Martial Arts. He is great with the kids and instills in them a lot of self discipline along with the martial arts training. All the instructors ( Oscar, Ace and Crystal ) are awesome and they take a lot of time and care in making sure that no kid feels left out. They realize that every kid is different and make sure that they give them the right attention and instruction to keep them motivated. read more

Master Gwak at Dynamic is amazing. The style of mixed martial arts he teaches makes for very well rounded students. I am always so impressed by their skills on their feet and even on the ground! He also teaches students how to have better courtesy and self control which most school have forgotten about these days. read more

The instructors there are great! The kids enjoy their lessons and are learning a lot! DMA instructors know every child by name from the start, which is amazing since they have so many students there. The lessons are serious but kids have a lot of fun too. We've been with them for 3 years now. read more

Great location, my son has been coming here for over a year, great improvement. Great location. Instructors are great with kids. Have been referring friends to this location. read more

Dynamic Martial Arts - Great classes all the time, so glad we came here with my son. - Martial Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

I have been attending Dynamic Martial Arts for about 2 years, and had about the same previous experience in Shaolin Kungfu as well as about 1.5 years' experience in Krav Maga, which I am also currently taking right now at another location. So I have a mishmash of experience in various "martial arts" or self defense - enough to have a broad, solid base, though I would not try to bill myself as an expert in anything. Master Gwak took over the school last year, and I really like his teaching style. He is straightforward, is able to pinpoint problems and articulate solutions, and uses meaningful metaphors and examples to connect with the students. He has a deep understanding of the mechanics of movement, and as someone with an engineering background, I appreciate the fact that he doesn't just tell you that a kick needs to be higher or have more force, he can point out how the angle of your supporting foot will affect where your kick goes or how powerful it will be, he will show you why sticking your butt out just a little bit more will allow you to leverage an opponent over your shoulder with hardly any effort at all, he can show you how stepping just 6 inches farther forward will prevent you from being thrown in turn when trying to pull an opponent off balance. He will tell you when you're working too hard at something and when you're not working hard enough. He can be detail-oriented without swamping his students in the mechanics, and overall, I have felt very comfortable with the balance of his focus between the broad movements and the fine tuning. Most of all, I trust his explanations - I've had some instructors in the past where they sort of gloss over details or give explanations that don't quite fit in with what I know, but thus far, all of Master Gwak's answers to the whys and wherefores have seemed solid to me. I also like how he mixes the class curriculum between taekwondo and hapkido. Maybe the purist will find it irritating, but while before I had taken taekwondo simply for the fitness/flexibility/fun, I am finding this combination to be much more useful from a practical self defense aspect. As a woman who often travels alone all over the world on business trips, there is no way that I am going to be performing most taekwondo moves while in a business suit and heels while fresh off a 6 hour flight. However, the hapkido aspects - even if right now we're concentrating on ground "wrestling" type moves that maybe I would still be reluctant to perform in a suit, but are at least much more manageable than roundhouse or high kicks - are much easier to translate to practical street self-defense, and he is always careful to emphasize what actually works and what doesn't when you're not in a refereed ring with an opponent in the same weight class as you. He has a dry sense of humor that I love - don't let his "traditionalist" mien fool you, he's quite the character! - and I like how he pushes every student to do better. If you're slacking, he's going to make sure you understand that you can do better, though not in any obnoxious manner. Even those being scolded laugh. I admit that, with the previous master, it had fallen into a bit of a routine and I was simply going through the motions of practicing the same kicks over and over, but now, I feel like I am learning something new every day, and Master Gwak continuously provides insights even on tried and true techniques. read more

My kids have been going here for almost 2 years now and absolutely love this Dojo. Master Gwak is also great with the kids. He keeps the kids engaged by challenging them at the same time keeping it fun. read more

I've trained with Master Gwak for many years. He is very knowledgeable in the art of Korean martial art. He is really passionate about his art. I love the fact that this is a traditional martial arts school that focuses both physical and mental aspect. This is truly one of a kind of dojang because Master Gwak teaches all his classes from children to adult. His teaching method is unique because his style incorporates both Taekwondo to hapkido and transitions to Gong kwon Yusul( which is korean combat jijitsu). This is not a chain school that teaches weak curriculum. You will be challenged and learn the newest creative teaching methods. So if you are looking to start training for yourself or your children make sure you look up master Gwak's school in Irvine. Also the academy Tuition is very affordable. read more

My son started training with Master Gwak when he was 6 and I have seen big changes in him in these past 4 years. He has gained more confidence, is proud to have his black belt and is proud of all the skills he has picked up under the guidance of Master Gwak and Instructor Matthew. I love the way Master Gwak interacts with his students, strict when he needs to be and joking and being their friend the rest of the time. He not only teaches the kids the techniques but also how all of them flow together and when and where they come in handy. He explains why the move is the way it is so its not only memorization of steps but the reasoning behind it. Instructor Matthew always tells the kids about his personal experience when he was their age and learning tkd and always has very motivating things to say. I highly recommend this place. read more

We have been coming to this school since 2015 and our kids love it. Master Gwak not only teaches the art but life lessons as well. Instructor Matthew is also a great teacher following Master Gwak's lead. Our kids have come to love the art, working toward their goal to earn black belt. Both Master Gwak and Instructor Matthew show such dedication to their students and they make it fun! read more

Dynamic Martial Arts - So focused and determined! - Martial Arts Near Me - Irvine, California

After attending a couple of different martial arts academies, we were fortunate to have found Master Gwak and his instructors Oscar and Ace, that have given my son wonderful training in Taekwondo. Learning martial arts teaches my son discipline, concentration, motivation and self defense. Master Gwak explains 'why' and 'where' techniques should be applied. Most other places don't. I Definitely recommended Dynamic Martial Arts to anyone interested! read more