Baek's father was a wellknown TaeKwonDo expert. At a young age, Baek learned the ways of the traditionalKorean martial art and won many tournaments, until an injury forced him to takea leave. Around the same time, Baek's family was plunged into poverty,increasing tensions. Through this rage, Baek accidentally killed his fatherduring a sparring match. Grieving and full of remorse, Baek was taken intopolice custody, where he spent most of his childhood. During this time, hisTaeKwonDo skills became legendary, as he became totally focused on his fightingprowess, wishing to honor his father. After three years, he fled the police andtook to the streets, becoming a pit fighter of great strength. He became a firmaudience favorite after striking his opponents again and again to see themreduced to a bloodied mess. Tracked by a secret organization aware of his past,Baek was coaxed into the assassination of the owner of a property wanted by thegroup, a certain MarshallLaw. Baek was only partly successful, and he entered The King of Iron FistTournament 2 to finish his task and destroy Law.
According to the Tekken 3 storyline, Baek was presumed dead afterencountering Ogre,the Aztec God of Fighting. One of his closest students, Hwoarang,entered The King of Iron Fist Tournament 3 to exact revenge for his master'sdeath and to also have a rematch with JinKazama, the only fighter who had ever fought him to a draw.

It was revealed in Tekken 5 that Baek's encounter with Ogre had left himin a coma; not dead as initially presumed. He woke up in a military hospitalover a year later (after Hwoarang had competed in The King of Iron FistTournament 3). Soon after Baek wakes up from his coma, the Korean DefenseMinister asks Baek to train soldiers and Baek hesitantly agrees. Baek then beganteaching TaeKwonDo at military bases. Around the same time, Hwoarang was draftedinto the South Korean Military, but he ran away to compete in The King of IronFist Tournament 4. When Hwoarang was arrested by the South Korean MilitaryPolice, he was informed that Baek was alive.
About a year later, Baek writes Hwoarang and asks him to return to the militaryand join the King of Iron Fist Tournament 5 together with him. However Baek withdrew fromthe tournament, when he found out that Hwoarang lost from his rival Jinand was seriously injured. Baek then rushed to the hospital to visit Hwoarang.Although Hwoarang's condition wasn't considered as something serious afterhis treatment, he wouldn't wake up and Baek started blaming himself forbeing an inadequate instructor.


It took3 days for Hwoarang to regain consciousness. They discussed the detailsand Hwoarang told Baek that not only he has to recover, but to strengthenhimself even further. Baek sensed his strong will and his unprecedentedmodesty and hence he decided to teach him everything he knows. Baek &Hwoarang returned to Korea, and endeavored to practice intensely. Eventuallythe announcement of King of Iron Fist Tournament 6 came from the MishimaZaibatsu and Baek decided to enter the tournament one last time, to widenhis personal experience.