Lee bought a wealth of knowledge and experience to Australian Taekwondo when he joined last February, having previously coached the Korean team to numerous Grand Prix titles and World Championship medals.

He also won a gold medal at the 2002 Asian Championships as an athlete.

"What I have felt most differently working as the Australian Taekwondo performance coach during 2022 compared to the Korean national team, was the difference between environments," Lee said.

"Athletes had to train whilst maintaining their work life, and this became the background in employing a training routine that is short, focused and oftentimes tailored to the individual athletes.

"We have increased our sheer volume of training compared to the past year.

"Our athletes have been diligent, keeping up with a demanding training programme, which I thank them for."

Upon his arrival in Australia, Lee revealed that he carefully studied athletes’ strengths and weaknesses, adjusting his coaching philosophy and methods to their specific needs. 

One of his key goals was for Australia’s athletes to enhance their strategic and technical prowess, and he believes this is beginning to show in their performances.

"There has been notable improvement on individual techniques and overall fitness, as well as in their understanding of the strategic components of taekwondo," Lee said.

"The change I focused on bringing about in athletes was the style in which they managed themselves during matches.

"In the past, we had many who were comfortable being on the defensive, but now they have become seasoned both in defence and offence, being able to choose and strategically adapt depending on their opponents’ styles.

"Looking back on 2022, I think it’s worth mentioning the results gathered in the various Opens and Grand Prix’s, as well as our athletes’ showing their calibre is on par with international athletes who are highly competitive."

Lee revealed that the highlight of his first year in charge was Lewis Bailey winning a bronze medal in the men’s under-58 kilograms category at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Paris in September.

"Bailey Lewis earned a place on the podium for Australia [at a Grand Prix event] for the first time in the past nine years," he said.

"More importantly, this was achieved with him coming out on top of athletes who were ranked fourth internationally.

"This has brought him and the whole of Australian Taekwondo much-needed confidence.

"Especially for those who watched his performance up close, his work ethic and results brought them motivation to push themselves further now and in the future."

Another highlight was Matthew Summerfield winning a bronze medal for Australia in the men’s under-68kg category at the World Junior Taekwondo Championships in Sofia, while Bianca Motta, Sofia Querubin and Damon Motta reached the quarter-finals of the event.

"The new athletes lining up to join in 2023 have shown promising performances in the World Junior Championships," Lee said.

"Given that their physicality can be improved in the future, we should be able to expect good results in the senior division as well."

The real platform for success will be achieved by getting more people involved in taekwondo, Lee predicted.

"I think the most critical component to the improvement of Australian Taekwondo in the long run is increasing the number of athletes who participate in the sport," he said.

"This will naturally result in a more dynamic training environment, especially in terms of sparring partners and increased friendly competition between athletes.

"I wish to make 2023 a year of better results than the last, placing one of our own athletes on the podium in the World Championships.

"Hopefully this will lead us to a path where we will see our athletes being ranked in the top 10 of the Olympics.

"Although counting the wins and losses are important, my ambition as the performance coach lies in making a team that is strong and unrelenting.

"I believe we will naturally reap the results if we are able to achieve this to our utmost capabilities."