Master Bradley Tatnell

Master Bradley Tatnell (born c. 1967) is the Founder and Head of School of Sun Bae Korean Martial Arts. He is an Australian Master of the Korean Martial Arts of Taekwondo, Hapkido and Kumdo. Master Bradley originally founded the school as Sun Bae Taekwondo and has also been known as Sun Bae Taekwondo & Hapkido. Due to the addition of Kumdo, the school is now known as Sun Bae Korean Martial Arts. 

EARLY DAYS - INSTRUCTOR

Master Bradley has been teaching since September 1984, starting as an Assistant Instructor whilst still in high school. He had first learned Taekwondo at a young age from January 1982 in Brisbane, Australia. Soon after, he became a Club Instructor in charge of his own Taekwondo centre (just a shortly after his 17th birthday).  That was in March 1985. He was appointed as the Club Instructor of a Taekwondo centre in Wynnum (Brisbane) under Master Chong Chul Rhee. In January 1986, he moved to Indooroopilly (Brisbane) and started what would become a very popular centre, later opening a second centre in Toowong, the centres always totalling approximately 100 students.

TAEKWONDO

Master Bradley attained his 1st degree ("Dan") Black Belt 29 June 1985, personally graded by Master Chong Chul Rhee (also known as the Father of Australian Taekwondo, one of the Original Masters of Taekwondo and also the first Taekwondo Master in Australia). Master Bradley was informed at the time he was the youngest appointed instructor to date by Master Chong Chul Rhee. On 23 March 1991, Master Bradley was invited to grade to 2nd Dan black belt. To explain, this was a system where requesting to grade was forbidden and minimum wait time periods were non-existent. Master Bradley attained his 2nd Dan black belt at the age of 23. He was informed at the time he was the youngest 2nd Dan to date promoted by Master Chong Chul Rhee. Naturally, times have now changed and young high Dan ranks are common place, with a lot less waiting time. 

During his journey to 2nd Dan, his Taekwondo was also influenced by 3rd Dan (at the time) Mr Trevor Dicks, who continued Taekwondo to later attain Master level. Master Bradley never ceased to teach and in December 1994 founded his own school Sun Bae Taekwondo. The school was founded under the international governing body from South Korea, Kukkiwon*  and the World Taekwondo  Federation* (now World Taekwondo) as well as one of the original Korean Kwans*:  Jidokwan*. The inception of the school was made possible with a close affiliation and long-time friendship with Hall of Fame recipient Master Michael Suan Ho Tan (now 9th Dan). Thereafter, Master Bradley was graded personally by 9th Dan Taekwondo Master Sung Soo Lee and holds Kukkiwon certification from South Korea as well as Jidokwan certification from South Korea. Master Sung Soo Lee graded Master Bradley to 8 Dan early 2022, to become internationally recognised Grandmaster.

Grading examiner regulations were introduced by Kukkiwon in 2022/2023, whereby only licensed masters were eligible to conduct grading test promotions. Previously, 4 Dan and above were eligible. July 2022, Master Bradley successfully completed this accreditation conducted by Kukkiwon's World Taekwondo Academy in Muju, South Korea, at the famous Taekwondowon. 

HAPKIDO

Master Bradley attained his Hapkido Black Belt 29 March 1998, personally graded by 9th Dan Hapkido Master Sung Soo Lee (recognised as the first Hapkido Master in Australia). Master Sung Soo Lee is the founder and Grandmaster of Hapkido Moohakkwan (Australia) under the international governing body Korea Hapkido Federation (KHF), of which Sun Bae holds membership in both. Master Bradley is also officially recognised by KHF as a "Master" and, so we are told, very much enjoys visiting Seoul and the KHF Masters.

Master Bradley is currently 6th Dan Hapkido Black Belt, attained 28 April 2018, graded personally by 9th Dan Hapkido Master Sung Soo Lee. To validate the rank - a requirement for high Dan - Master Bradley also visited the KHF in South Korea for testing, accompanied by Master Sung Soo Lee, attending the KHF Annual Master's Seminar (camp), 17 may 2019, held in the mountains of Gyeongju - North Gyeongsang.

KUMDO

Master Bradley attained his Kumdo 1st Dan Black Belt 22 September 2012 after being personally graded by Master Peter Rozario (Australian Kumdo Society) and Master Hyun Kyoo Jang (World Kummooyeh Federation). On 20 November 2018, Master Bradley was graded to master level (4 Dan) by Master Peter Rozario. 

MASTER

Master Bradley has attained the level of Master in all three Korean styles (Taekwondo, Hapkido, Kumdo), the result of a life long dedication to Korean Martial Arts. He has continued to teach all levels and importantly, to foster new black belts with the hope that one day they too will reach Master level. Sun Bae Korean Martial Arts now represents a school teaching all three disciplines of Korean Martial Arts. Notable Master Bradley is recognised as a Grandmaster in Taekwondo.

COMPETITION

In Master Bradley's youth, all forms of competition and tournament in Taekwondo were forbidden, disappointing, but not uncommon in traditional schools. It was not until much later in his 30's did he firstly have the chance to enter competitions, although in the end it only proved on a few occasions.

In 1998, he entered the Asia Pacific Games (Taekwondo), returning with a gold medal. In 2003, Master Bradley personally coached a young female student for Olympic team trials (she was ranked top 4 in Australia). Same year, part of their schedule took them both to the USTU Taekwondo US Open (Las Vegas) - a major world event with 5000+ competitors. Master Bradley entered last moment, taking the opportunity to compete as well, resulting in a US Open silver medal. Mid 2012, Master Bradley entered the Australian Kumdo Cutting Championships in the Advanced Black Belt Division, even though he was yet to even attain his Black Belt. In a thrilling finish, he tied for the lead and was forced to "play off" in "sudden death" to decide the Championship. The sudden death involved cutting the bamboo mats accurately in different combinations. But the sudden death could not be broken. After 6 attempts, both he and his opponent had made perfect scores. Even though willing to share the title, it was then decided that it should fall to a judges' panel decision (they had run out of mats). Master Bradley was ultimately awarded the Championship. Master Bradley has not competed since, but from time to time can be seen performing in the Sun Bae Demonstration team (see video below).

OTHER SPORTS

In Master Bradley's teens he was a noted cricketer. So we are told, it was mainly due to his father's influence, Mr Arthur John Tatnell, an A grade cricketer himself, who would bowl to his son - at some speed - every week in the local school batting nets. This led to representing the state (Queensland) in under 15 (1982) and under 16 (1983) as an opening batsman (QJCA). He had already represented the QJCA South Brisbane team in under 12, under 14 and under 16 (twice each year, by playing out of his age group). Notably, he was a reserve selection for the under 14 state team in 1981. Of cricket, we are only told one account: at age 14, during the 1982 under 16 State Championships held in Brisbane, batting at number three, he was called to the crease after the Brisbane South opening batsman was bowled out first ball against Darling Downs. His innings thereafter recorded the highest score for the Championship, in a 50 over match, 163 not out - bringing up 150 with a six over mid-wicket. He also played GPS 1st XI in high school - Church of England Grammar (CEGS), now ACGS. Also to date, an avid golfer, has a single figure handicap, which he credits to his practice of Kumdo. He has been credited with winning the 2022 Queensland Hickory Foursomes Championship shooting 79 at Royal Queensland (yes, hickory - where the clubs are pre 1935 era and the shafts are made of hickory). In addition, some wins in the handicapped (i.e. "net) divisions include: 2019 Australian Hickory Net Foursomes Championship, as well as some state (net) titles. Notably, during the Hickory 2019 State Championships, he recorded a "hole in one" from 112 metres with his 46 degree "mashie niblick" (we are told this is about a pitching wedge), a feat apparently not seen to date in Australian Hickory competition since that old era (see the match report here).   

AFFILIATIONS

Master Bradley is affiliated with Taekwondo organisations: 

• World Taekwondo.
• Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo Academy.
• Jidokwan.

Master Bradley is affiliated with Hapkido organisations:

• Korea Hapkido Federation.
• Hapkido Moohakkwan

Master Bradley is affiliated with Kumdo organisation:

• Australian Kumdo Society.