A taekwondo master has been charged with three counts of murder over the deaths of a woman, her ex-husband and a seven-year-old boy in Sydney’s west.
Police charged Kwang Kyung Yoo, 49, with the alleged triple murder of Min Cho, 41, her husband Steven, 39, and a seven-year-old boy, at a bedside hearing at Westmead Hospital on Wednesday night.
Police will allege she strangled Ms Cho and the child at the North Parramatta taekwondo center after classes finished on Monday night before fatally stabbing her ex-husband at the couple’s Baulkham Hills home.
Earlier on Wednesday, shocked parents revealed how the taekwondo master seemed completely normal and calm as he encouraged students just hours before he allegedly massacred an entire family.
Yoo, owner of Lion’s Taekwondo in North Parramatta, western Sydney and also known as Master Lion, held classes at his martial arts studio on Monday night, as he has done every week for several years.
A taekwondo master and university professor, Kwang Kyung Yoo (pictured), has been arrested on suspicion of an alleged triple murder hours after one of his students handed over a green belt
One mother, who wished to remain anonymous and whose son was in one of the last classes she led that night, said she was shocked to learn of the allegations.
“Master León gave my son his green belt and certificate around 4:30 pm on Monday,” he said.
‘He hugged my son and gave him words of encouragement to attend class consistently.
The mother said her son attended the taekwondo center three times a week for the past year.
During that time, Master Yoo has been nothing but a great role model for the children, he said.
He would pick up a group of children from a local school after class and accompany them to the studio to train and also organize school holiday programmes.
“He was very good with kids,” she said.
‘During vacations, I directed programs from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“The kids were running around, playing with Nerf guns, burning off some energy, it was cool.”
The mother said the only strange thing she noticed was that he gave the children the impression that he lived a lavish lifestyle.
She said her son believed he owned a Ferrari after Master Yoo showed the children photographs of him standing next to luxury cars and vacationing at a mansion with a pool.
Yoo was treated at a hospital for numerous injuries, but was later arrested and charged with the alleged murder of Min Cho, 41, her husband Steven, 39 (both pictured), and a 7-year-old boy.
Police will allege that Yoo, known as ‘Master Lion’, fatally attacked Ms Cho and the boy at his taekwondo studio (pictured) on Monday night.
However, neighbors told Daily Mail Australia that Yoo drives a Toyota Camry.
The revelations come after it was revealed that Master Yoo does not work as a lecturer at Macquarie University, despite boasting about that role to his neighbors and on social media.
Yoo bizarrely claimed to have been named a “distinguished professor” of exercise and sports science at Macquarie University 18 months ago when he posted what he said was his signed contract on social media.
In a video on Facebook, Yoo posted photographs of what he said was his professional staff business agreement with the university, based in northern Sydney, which had been signed by executive dean Dr Martin Parkinson.
Just hours earlier, Yoo was teaching Taekwondo at the same studio and awarded a six-year-old student his green belt and “hugged” him.
The mother said that Master Yoo (pictured) had been nothing but a great role model for the children and accompanied them to classes from their homes.
He captioned the video: “Congratulations Master Leon on your new carrier.” [sic]’, which sparked a series of comments from friends congratulating him. He also changed his job title to “Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University”.
But the university says it has no record of him and the “contract” appears to be a doctored registration form for someone to be nominated for the university’s Distinguished Professor Award, which is only open to existing lecturers at Macquarie.
“There is no record of any appointment of Kwang Kyung Yoo, nor Lion Yoo, to a position at Macquarie University,” a university spokesperson confirmed.
Yoo also claimed to have competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, something Australian Taekwondo strongly denied.
The mother said that Master Yoo had not revealed his profession to the students’ parents, but they believed that he must have had a day job since the studio does not open until 3 p.m.
It is unclear whether Yoo worked outside of his taekwondo business.
Police will allege Yoo strangled Ms Cho and the child sometime between 5.30pm and 6.30pm before driving his white BMW X5 to his home in Baulkham Hills.
Yoo is accused of fatally stabbing her husband during an “altercation” at home.
At around 11.50pm he allegedly drove to Sydney’s Westmead Hospital covered in blood, where he was treated for knife wounds to his chest, arms and stomach.
Police discovered Mr Cho’s body on Tuesday morning after receiving a report of concern for his well-being.
The mother also said Yoo (pictured) gave the children the impression that he lived a lavish lifestyle and owned luxury cars even though neighbors said he drove a Camry.
The Taekwondo master allegedly lied about being a professor at Macquarie University and gloated about his false achievement to his friends.
Further investigation led them to the taekwando studio, where they found the woman and child around noon.
Yoo underwent surgery for his injuries on Tuesday and remains under police guard at the hospital. Charges are expected to be filed later today.
Meanwhile, friends of the alleged victims have broken their silence as tributes begin to flow for the Chos and the little boy.
A friend, who is currently overseas, told Daily Mail Australia she was “heartbroken” and “shocked” to hear of the trio’s deaths.
Another friend, Ruebert Tandog, said he knew Cho for 12 years, after they met while working together at a construction company.
He described Mr Cho as an intelligent and proud father.
‘He was a gentleman. “He’s easy to talk to,” Mr Tandog said.
“He has always given the impression of being outspoken.”
Tandog said Cho adored her son and her social media was full of photos of them spending time together.
“Our conversations always started with what the kids were doing,” he said.
Police were led to the Taekwondo studio after discovering Mr Cho’s body at a house in North Parramatta, where they allege Yoo strangled Ms Cho and the child (pictured, police at the scene).
Tandog said the boy “loved martial arts” and had been studying the sport for at least two years.
Detectives were seen canvassing the neighborhood around Yoo’s home in North Kellyville, in Sydney’s northwest, as the investigation into the tragedy continued on Wednesday.
A surprised neighbor said Yoo, his wife and their children (a 12-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy) seemed like a “normal family.”
The last time he saw Yoo was on Saturday, when the Taekwondo master was outside mowing the lawn.
“They are very calm, but very nice,” he said. “He seemed calm and normally reserved.
“But overall there was no noise, no fighting, nothing.”
While investigations continue, anyone with information is asked to contact police.