Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Bucicchia.
Hi Justin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Justin Bucicchia, and I am a 4th Dan Black Belt certified by Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquarters in South Korea. I began my Tae Kwon Do journey at the age of 9 under Master Sung Yong Kim at USA Tae Kwon Do Academy in Lawrenceville, Georgia. From the start, I was drawn to the discipline, respect, and confidence that martial arts instilled in me — qualities that have continued to guide my life on and off the mat.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to compete in numerous state-level tournaments, earning recognition in forms (poomsae), sparring, and board breaking. Each competition strengthened my understanding that Tae Kwon Do is not just about physical skill, but about perseverance, mental focus, and humility.
In 2012, I began training under Master Youngjin Lee at HTA Martial Arts in Lawrenceville. That experience reignited my commitment to teaching and leadership in martial arts. I earned my black belt in 2013, and soon after, in 2015, I helped open our Athens branch of HTA Martial Arts, where I serve as Master Instructor.
In 2019, I became the owner of HTA Martial Arts Academy in Athens, and I’ve made it my mission to create a welcoming, family-oriented environment that blends traditional Tae Kwon Do values with modern teaching methods. My focus is on helping students of all ages build confidence, discipline, and respect — skills that carry into every aspect of their lives. Unfortunately. HTA Martial Arts officially closed it door on October 4th, 2025.
Currently, I am training under Master Andy Yu of New Revolution Tae Kwon Do in Athens, while also assisting Master Seo and Grandmaster Kim of World Class Tae Kwon Do. I can’t imagine doing anything else except elevating Tae Kwon Do.
When I’m not on the training floor, I enjoy mentoring young instructors, organizing community outreach events, doing volunteer security at Gratis Church and continuing to study martial arts philosophy and technique. I believe martial arts is a lifelong journey, and I’m proud to guide others on theirs wherever I am.
I am happily married to my wife Brittany Bucicchia for 15 years. We have two children, Jayden, 11, and Shia 2.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The training itself is arduous. As for running HTA, there were definitely ups and down. I was definitely a newcomer in the business world and was learning as I go. When I took over in 2019, the foundation of the business was already set for many years and I was mainly focusing on being head instructors. I had to learn to set a budget and temper expectations but as I started, HTA was growing rapidly. HTA based it business model on membership and retention. I was set to make profits in my first year. Then came covid-19, which threw everything in the gutter, not just for me but for most businesses. My location was inside Georgia Square Mall, and although it was already lacking foot traffics, the pandemic put many small businesses around me out. We were forced to closed for 2 months and because of the trepidation, we lost 75% of our students. When we reopen, we had to limit to 1 students per hour per week. We followed that model for six months until we could loosen restrictions. Even though things have gotten better over the years, more folks around me closed up shop and the mall was starting to turn into a literal ghost town. There was no way for me to survive, so I made the difficult choice of closing HTA in October of 2025. I won’t lie, I was extremely burnt out. If anything, I wanted to go back to my root and continue rigorous training and teaching instead of stressing out about whether I could afford rent. So, I took care of my students and founded a teacher not far from my location and helped them transition to a new school. I have joined my students at New Revolution Tae Kwon Do in Athens with Master Andy Yu. On top of training and assisting there, I have also begun assisting Master Andy Seo and Grandmaster Chris Kim of World Class Tae Kwon Do in Suwanee. I do hope one day, I can get back into owning a school, but for now, I want to also become a better instructor.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
So, to put it bluntly, I am a Tae Kwon Do Master. I am responsible teaching, mentoring, and inspiring students in the art and philosophy of Tae Kwon Do. I use focus on technical expertise, leadership, and community engagement, fostering both physical development and personal growth among students. I also oversee the curriculum and make adjustment base on student needs and Kukkiwon (Tae Kwon Do governing body) instructions.
I teach hands and kicking techniques, self-defense and their applications, poomsae (forms), sparring, Korean terminology, and nun-chuks. I structure my class under the philosophy of Tae Kwon Do’s growth. We use the tenets of Tae Kwon Do to enhance our teachings: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, Indomitable Spirit. It’s not all kick, punches and yelling.
I also have a minor specialty with students with disability. I have worked with students with physical disabilities and neuro-developmental disabilities, I was always in the firm belief that Tae Kwon Do belongs to everyone who wants to try, even for someone like me with a hearing impairment.
I am always proud of the growth of my students. I feel like their growth is also my growth. HTA has won multiple awards such as being the best regional Martial Arts Training Facility in Georgia in Georgia Business Journal for 2024 and is also currently nominated for a 2025 reward in the same Journal. We also recently won Best Martial Arts School of 2025 in the Official Community Choice Awards of Athens.
I like to think that I am much different from others because I wanted to give everyone an opportunity to do an activity that I thoroughly enjoyed. I don’t believe that people should be limited because of lower income, or disability.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I do hope the Tae Kwon Do continues it’s growth, but I am hoping the trends pushes away from monetization and move more towards community outreach and growth. At the moment, Kukkiwon just had it’s election and the new president is huge on having Tae Kwon Do reach everywhere worldwide. There was also a creation of a new headquarter in Georgia run by Tae Kwon Do schools locally to foster competitions and growth.
Pricing:
- $99-$170 a month depending on schools. There are usually discount associated with extra family members.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Photos provided by Justin Bucicchia and HTA Martial Arts Academy.
