Dae Sung Bros Taekwondo Dojo on Pico: Free First Class

Dae Sung Bros Tae Kwon Do, at 4505 W Pico Blvd in Mid-City Los Angeles, is the kind of storefront dojang you only notice once a friend's kid starts showing off a crisp front kick in the parking lot. It has been teaching on this stretch of Pico for decades under Grand Master Jin P. Kim, and the school makes the first step easy: its classes page invites newcomers to try their first class free.

According to the school's About page, Master Kim established Dae Brothers Tae Kwon Do in 1981, and the name has stuck in a few spellings since: Dae Sung Bros, Daesung Bros TKD, and the World Martial Arts Training Center banner on the website header. Whatever the sign says, the person in charge has not changed. Kim began training as a boy in 1969, so by now he has spent well over half a century on the mat.

He holds an 8th degree black belt certified by the Kukkiwon, the world headquarters of taekwondo in Seoul. That matters for families who want rank that travels: a Kukkiwon dan certificate is recognized at Olympic-style schools around the world, so a teenager who earns first dan here and later moves for college can keep training without starting again at white belt.

The About page also notes that Kim has trained many students who went on to excel in their own fields, including a number of Hollywood celebrities. The school does not name them, and it does not lean on the claim in its marketing. The pitch is simpler: one grand master, one storefront on Pico, and the same curriculum he has refined since opening.

That continuity is the appeal. Unlike franchise studios with glossy lobbies and rotating instructors, a single-owner dojang like this tends to keep its senior students for years, and those students end up helping the beginners. If you value a teacher who will remember your form from one month to the next, that is worth more than a fancy waiting area.

The timetable is short and easy to read. The schedule image the school posted in July 2026 has no Monday classes. Tuesday and Wednesday open at 5 pm with All Belts Children, followed at 6 pm by All Belts All Ages; Wednesday adds a Teens and Adults class at 6:45. Thursday runs children at 6 pm and teens and adults at 7. Friday at 6 pm is a class for senior citizens aged 65 and over, and Saturday at 11 am is open to all belts and all ages.

That Friday seniors' hour is unusual for a Los Angeles dojang and is worth knowing about if a parent or grandparent wants low-impact training alongside the family. The same sheet carries one firm instruction in bold: all students must bring their sparring gear to every class. For a free first class, loose athletic clothes are enough; if you join, budget for headgear, a chest protector and shin and forearm pads early, because sparring is part of the regular routine here.

Not every schedule fits a group class, so the classes page notes that private lessons are available. They suit adults preparing for a belt test, kids who need extra time on a form before grading, or anyone nervous about joining a room of strangers. Lesson rates and monthly tuition are not posted online, so the free first class doubles as the moment to sit down with the master and talk through options.

The classes page also mentions a family discount. Siblings training together is common here, and parents who join their children often find it the easiest way to stay consistent. Practicing a form together at home between sessions is the kind of habit that keeps a family on the mat through the slow middle belts, when early excitement has faded.

The rules page reads like an old-school handbook. Bow to the displayed flags when you enter or leave the dojang, bow to the master and black belts on arrival, take your shoes off at the rack, and keep the dobok clean and complete. Jewelry and watches come off before training, nails are trimmed, and conversation stays to a minimum. Early arrivals are told to warm up and practice their poomsae rather than lounge about.

Promotion works on the master's timing, not the student's. The rules say plainly that students should not ask about examinations; when the master decides an individual is ready, he invites them to test. Students practice only the poomsae they have been taught and are told not to copy higher belts, and there is no free sparring without permission from the master or an instructor. Bring a labeled water bottle, because a full class shares a small space.

The dojang sits on West Pico Boulevard between Crenshaw and La Brea, in the Mid-City stretch that links Koreatown to the Westside. Metro buses run along Pico, and street parking is usually available on the residential blocks just north or south. Allow extra time on weekday evenings, when Pico traffic backs up toward the freeway.

After class, Koreatown's restaurants are a short drive north up Western or Crenshaw, which makes a post-training bowl of seolleongtang or a plate of Korean fried chicken an easy reward. The historic Ebell of Los Angeles clubhouse and the tree-lined streets of Country Club Park are also close by for a short evening walk.

Address: Dae Sung Bros Tae Kwon Do, 4505 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019. First class: free, according to the school's classes page. Extras: private lessons and a family discount. Head instructor: Grand Master Jin P. Kim, Kukkiwon 8th dan, training since 1969 and teaching here since 1981.

Good fit for families who want a long-tenured master and recognized Kukkiwon rank without a franchise price structure. Less ideal if you need an online booking app or posted prices. Ask the Karpo APP to compare other taekwondo schools in Mid-City and Koreatown before you commit.