Instructors
Brian Corrales, Sa Bom, Yuk Dan #36364 — Head Instructor
For more than 35 years, Brian Corrales, Sa Bom has devoted his life to the Korean martial art of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan — and for the past 25 of them, to teaching it in his own dojang. As owner and head instructor of Wasatch Martial Arts Academy in Salt Lake City, Utah, he guides children, teens, and adults through a tradition that builds far more than physical skill: it builds discipline, confidence, and character that lasts a lifetime.
Master Corrales is a certified 6th Dan and Sa Bom in Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan — the highest level of teaching certification the art offers, designating him a “master model” instructor. He is the highest-ranking Soo Bahk Do practitioner in Utah and leads the only federation-certified school in the state authorized to teach Grandmaster Hwang Kee’s art, known as Tang Soo Do, Soo Bahk Do, and Moo Duk Kwan.
His rank was earned through the Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa, a rigorous eight-day masters’ examination held in the mountains, which he completed in California (2008), Switzerland (2013), Utah (2019), and Spain (2026). He holds dan number 36364, personally issued by the founder of Moo Duk Kwan, Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee.
Beyond the dojang floor, Master Corrales has served the worldwide Soo Bahk Do community in a series of leadership roles. In 2010 he was appointed Youth Ambassador for Region 8, teaching seminars for children, teenagers, and young adults at the regional and national level. In 2011, the Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee appointed him a Regional Examiner for Region 8 (Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico). In 2017, H.C. Hwang Sa Bom Nim, President of the World Moo Duk Kwan, appointed him Assistant to the Technical Advisory Committee for the U.S. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, and in 2019 he became a full member of that committee. Today he serves on the Ki Sul Bu, the Technical Advisory Committee assignment responsible for the technical excellence and standardization of the art. H.C. Hwang Kwan Jang Nim has also appointed him Moo Duk Kwan Heritage Liaison, entrusting him with preserving and passing on the history and traditions of the art.
Master Corrales has taught as a guest instructor at seminars and events across the United States, Korea, Europe, and Africa. He has trained at the Moo Duk Kwan Central Dojang in Korea and received personal instruction from both the founder, Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee, and his son, Kwan Jang Nim H.C. Hwang.
While Soo Bahk Do remains the foundation of everything he teaches, his methodology has been shaped by decades of cross-training alongside practitioners of Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do, Shorin-ryu, Shotokan, Budoshin Jujitsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also leads specialty seminars in the Kan Bong (Korean staff) and Qigong. A lifelong student as much as a teacher, he brings the insight of that diverse training into every class.
Above all, Master Corrales sees himself as a mentor to the families he serves — someone parents can trust to help their children grow, and a guide for adults who want to keep learning at any age. Whether your family is stepping onto the mat for the first time or continuing a journey years in the making, you’ll find a welcoming home at Wasatch Martial Arts Academy.
Instructors
Makala Pace, Sa Bom, Sa dan #50122
Makala Pace began training in Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan in April 2013 under Brian Corrales Sa Bom at Wasatch Martial Arts Academy. She earned Cho Dan rank and Jo Kyo certification in 2016, E Dan rank and Kyo Sa certification in 2018, Sam Dan rank in 2021, and Sa Dan rank with Sa Bom certification in 2025 following successful completion of the week-long Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa.
Today, Pace Sa Bom serves as an instructor at Wasatch Martial Arts Academy, where she is dedicated to helping students develop confidence, discipline, respect, and resilience through traditional martial arts training. She brings a passion for mentorship, leadership development, and service to her teaching. Outside the dojang, she is a wife, a mother, and a licensed, board-certified pharmacist who serves as a healthcare executive.
She is honored to help preserve the traditions and values of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan while guiding students on their lifelong Moo Do journey. Her Dan number, 50122, was issued by Kwan Jang Nim H.C. Hwang.
Our Lineage
- Hwang Kee, Kwan Jang Nim – Founder of Tang Soo Do and Soo Bahk Do as pertaining to the Moo Duk Kwan.
- Master Jae Chul Shin #698
- Master Chuck Norris #2819
- Victor Martinov, Sa Bom Nim #10189
- Jeff Moonitz, Sa Bom Nim #17650
- Oliver Whitcomb, Sa Bom Nim #23268
- Brian Corrales, Sa Bom Nim #36364