Teenagers find talent after move to Korea

Most Canadian kids would have a hard time adjusting to a move to Korea at the ages of nine and 11, but some, like Marcel and Courtney Randell quickly learn to adapt and embrace a new culture.

Five years ago the pair moved to Korea and took up taekwondo and are now part of a Christian group that tours countries to give demonstrations in the sport.

The duo returned to Canada over the holidays and gave a demonstration to the students at Central Martial Arts owned by their relative, Mervin Randell.

Despite Mervin being so involved in the sport, Marcel and Courtney did not start taekwondo until after arriving in Korea.

"Two years ago we got accepted into a group so we have been travelling to Vietnam and Russia and places outside of Korea and we're having fun doing it," said 14-year-old, Courtney.

Both Courtney and Marcel, 16, recently completed testing to receive their third degree black belt.

"We weren't thinking about starting, but our parents thought where (Mervin) had been in it so long they wanted to try us in it," said Marcel. "They started us out slowly at first and we just progressed. Once we hit junior we went to Kukkiwon (the world headquarters of taekwondo) for the first time and we loved it and we started working out hard."

Their group performs dances using the moves of the sport as well as crowd pleasing board breaks and other acrobatic stunts.

"The more belt colours we got, the more we got involved and the more we came to love it," said Courtney. "Now you can say that taekwondo is pretty much our life - that's all we do except for studying."

Several days a week the duo practices with masters and grand masters from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m. The odd hours are necessary because during the day the masters are training other students.

It was Mervin who encouraged them to take advantage of living in the heart of taekwondo and now he is looking to them for moves and ideas he can use himself and in his classes.

"I told these guys 'you've got to try it, you've got to get out there and do it,'" he said. "I've seen some things that I can pick out and teach my students because it's different than what we've learned. They're training with grand masters who are over seventh degree black belts and it's great to see."

Mervin added that taekwondo is to Korea what hockey is to Canada. Korea has a school bus that picks up children at bus stops and takes them to their taekwondo classes.

"When you get the black belt you get the tools - then you learn how to use them," said Mervin. "It's a different philosophy there than here. In Canada some people think it's like a course - when you get a black belt you're done, but it's not the case."

Courtney said when members of the taekwondo community become a black belt they put themselves in their beginner belts because they believe they still have not reached the end of their training.

She is currently in intense training with the goal of being accepted in to a top taekwondo university in Korea.

Until then they will continue to travel with their team giving demonstrations and showcasing the hard work and dedication needed to excel at the sport.