Paul Vunak

Interview with Paul Vunak

PFS: What was your first art?

PV: Tae Kwon Do...l started at age 9 and studied for four years.

PFS: Who was your instructor?

PV: Actually, there were four instructors that ran the school. They were called the Yi Brothers - I believe their names were Yung Pok, Yung Kuk, Yung Ho, and Yung Chuen.

PFS: Why did you leave the Yi Brothers?

PV: After I finally got a black belt I decided to move on. I felt my kicking techniques were OK; however, I lacked good hands. The Early Years

PFS: What was your next school?

PV: Tiger-Crane Kenpo Karate...it was an offshoot of BKF (Black Karate Federation). A gentleman by the name of Al Fleming was my instructor.

PFS: How long did you study there?

PV: For roughly three years.

PFS: Why did you leave?

PV: Well, I ended up doing most of the teaching there and soon discovered that our school had turned into a childcare center. I had about 25-30 adults (mostly in their late twenties), and over 50 kids. My emphasis was on fighting, and not on running a business, so I got the brainy idea to close down the kids' class. Three months later, our school closed down!

PFS: Why is it that you were more interested in fighting than business?

PV: I grew up that way...l witnessed a lot of fighting starting from a very young age. I was living in the worst part of Long Beach, California. In my high school (Poly High), being Caucasian meant you were the minority. Not to mention growing up in an extremely emotional household with a Yugoslavian father and a Sicilian mother!