It was in 1942 that Lee’s father went to Suahm Dosa at the So Kwang Sa temple in Ham Nam province of Korea (present time North Korea). He asked Suahm Dosa to teach two of his sons his ancient skills. Suahm Dosa accepted these brothers and began training them in the secret ancient Hwarang combat skills. In 1945 Korea gained its independence from the Japanese occupation (1910-1945). However, after this, Korea was divided into the northern communist territory and the southern democratic territory. So in 1948 Lee’s family and Suahm Dosa escaped together to the south. The Lee family settled in Seoul and Suahm Dosa moved to the Yang Mi Ahm sanctuary on Ohdae Mountain. Later in 1960 the Lee brothers opened their first school. It had been almost 600 years since these Hwarang combat skills were taught in the public. With the establishment of their Hwarang Musool (Hwa Rang Do) dojang the Lee brothers ended the secret passage of these Hwarang combat skills. Founder Dr. Joo Bang Lee and his brother also created the public syllabus for this new martial art identity Hwa Rang Do, that they founded. When they founded this martial art identity they divided and created the categories of techniques and ranking system for their public training system from what they had been taught by their master Suahm Dosa.
In July of 1969 Suahm Dosa passed away. However, before his death he gave the 58th generation Hwarang title holder and Do Joo Nim 도주님 道主 (owner of art) position to Dr. Joo Bang Lee. In 1968, Dr. Joo Bang Lee registered the Hwa Rang Doname with the Korean Government and founded the Korean Hwa Rang DoAssociation. Also in 1968, Head Grandmaster (KukSunNim) JooSang Lee moved to America and opened the first Hwa Rang Doschool in the United States in Los Angeles, California. Later in 1972 Hwa Rang DoSupreme Grandmaster Dr. Joo Bang Lee moved to America and opened the World Hwa Rang DoAssociation and the Hwa Rang DoWorld Headquarters in Tustin, California. Most martial art’s World Headquarters follow their founder’s living place. So the Korean secret ancient combat skills receiver and martial art Hwa Rang Dofounder left his homeland and relocated the homeland of his art and the World Headquarters to America.