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How BJJ Started in Korea: John Frankl SBG Gym Visit & History

How BJJ Started in Korea: John Frankl SBG Gym Visit & History

From IBJJF

August 22, 2026

We stopped by SBG Korea to train with Professor John Frankl and learn how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu first took root in South Korea. In this visit, Professor Frankl shares his personal journey, what it was like introducing BJJ to Korea in the late 1990s, and how the culture and community at Straight Blast Gym have grown over the decades.

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