Another Side of Don Southerton: Master Instructor
My public image is that of a passionate Korea-facing global business consultant, coach, trainer, strategist, social commentator, and author.
Throughout my career, I have been frequently called upon by major media outlets to provide expert commentary on Korean business culture and its impact on global organizations.
I have contributed insights to The Economist, BBC World Service, CNN, Bloomberg TV, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Automotive News, The New York Times, CNBC, and NIKKEI Asia. I’m a frequent guest columnist for Branding in Asia.
Additionally, I maintain a robust digital presence on Medium, LinkedIn, a YouTube channel, and over a thousand blog posts on Korean business topics across various platforms, serving more than 10,000 professionals worldwide who work with Korean organizations.
Beyond my consulting and media work, I have also been an avid student and instructor of traditional Korean martial arts for 50 years. During the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, I trained extensively in Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do (now Soo Bahk Do) under the Korean system's Founder and his son, the current Grand Master.
A highlight of these years included serving as Chief Instructor/Coach for the United States Military Academy at West Point, where I led both the cadet martial arts program and competition team.
Before shifting my focus to academia, writing, and global consultancy work, my martial arts schools were nationally recognized leaders in the industry and among the largest in America.
In 1987, I was promoted to master instructor in Tang Soo Do, and in 2013, I was inducted into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame, an honor that recognized my decades of dedication to traditional Korean martial arts and my contributions to bridging Eastern and Western cultures through martial arts education.
While no longer an active instructor or school owner, other than occasional visits to my close friend's local school and their events, I have nevertheless continued as a practitioner.
Over the past 12 years, I have added some complex Chinese forms to my repertoire of over 35 hyung, the traditional sets of combative movements martial artists practice to hone their bodies and minds.
I have always seen martial arts as not only a way of staying in shape through a wide range of stretching, kicking, and hand movements, but also as a demanding mental discipline. I attribute much of my success in business to the discipline, self-control, patience, and focus sharpened over a lifetime in the martial arts, not to mention the cultural dimension inherent in a traditional Korean art.
My deep understanding of Korean culture and traditions, cultivated through decades of martial arts practice, naturally informed my professional path and ultimately led to the founding of Bridging Culture Worldwide in 2003.
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