One perception you'd change about your KMA is....?

[bushido_man96]

I've kept up some on what goes on in the Kukkiwon, and it doesn't sound good at all, as far as regards the whole political mess. The idea of Martial Arts being "regulated" in some ways by government in order to get rid of the bad instructors or clean up other messes wouldn't ever be a good idea, in my opinion, because you eventually end up with what you have in the Kukkiwon.

I absolutely agree. GM Kyu Hyung LEE, a legend in Kukki-TKD, became president a few years back. I think he saw how awful things were & stepped down. He was only president for about 2 1/2 months.

Wow. Has he remained part of the organization?

[IcemanSK]

Beginning a few months ago, several masters in Korea began picketing against Kukkiwon over the "skip Dan" & the "Dan panel" issues. (Folks were being promoted eg. 2nd-7th). Only one grandmaster, to my knowledge gave up his KKW certificate. He did id it in a very public way. With media in tow, he walked into the KKW president's office & handed over his 8th Dan & belt.

GM LEE did not resign his KKW rank, but he has stepped back quite a bit. There is a Kukkiwon Dan examiner's course this weekend here in LA. Many big name instructors at Kukkiwon are in town, but GM LEE is not among them.

[Luther unleashed]

Dwx, I hear you. I started in ITF as my first school experience. There was really no more emphasis on kicks then anything else, some of that may vary by school and not by organization however! I wasn't saying that the masses are correct to assume kicks are all tkd is about, because I felt that way, I get what your saying. I was just saying since it's the Olympic system, that it happens to be the one they see most, and come to know it as.

Thanks for the clarification on the way Tae Kwon Do is presented. As I stated I have done a few systems of tkd and seen it differently but never really researched why it's shown differently.

Lastly as for it being a good foundation art, haha don't get mad but for me that's what it was. I started in kickboxing/boxing actually from an instructor who was my best friends uncle. I took lessons at home because I wanted to learn to fight. I Soon After found a tkd school and began training at 17. It became my foundation. I went on to do other arts more extensively but always appreciate my background. Because it's my foundation I will often stick up for tkd as well. My main style has become tang Soo do, which is also Korean so it fits nicely

Thanks again.

[Luther unleashed]

Oh, and one more thing. The tittle is to Korean ma, BUT I don't find too many negative ideas surrounding TSD as a whole like TKD, and again I think it's because of the Olympic thing and popularity but also in Phoenix I can tell you tkd places are so commercialized and I view them as business first and do-jang after. They just don't have a traditional experience from what I see, I see them as the k-Mart of martial arts. I hate to say that as I stated I started in this art. I also use heavy tkd one steps instead of TSD because I simply like them better but it's just what I see. It's a shame.

[DWx]

Beginning a few months ago, several masters in Korea began picketing against Kukkiwon over the "skip Dan" & the "Dan panel" issues. (Folks were being promoted eg. 2nd-7th). Only one grandmaster, to my knowledge gave up his KKW certificate. He did id it in a very public way. With media in tow, he walked into the KKW president's office & handed over his 8th Dan & belt.

GM LEE did not resign his KKW rank, but he has stepped back quite a bit. There is a Kukkiwon Dan examiner's course this weekend here in LA. Many big name instructors at Kukkiwon are in town, but GM LEE is not among them.

I saw a bit about the skip dans. I thought they put a stop to it for the time being?

[DWx]

Oh, and one more thing. The tittle is to Korean ma, BUT I don't find too many negative ideas surrounding TSD as a whole like TKD, and again I think it's because of the Olympic thing and popularity but also in Phoenix I can tell you tkd places are so commercialized and I view them as business first and do-jang after. They just don't have a traditional experience from what I see, I see them as the k-Mart of martial arts. I hate to say that as I stated I started in this art. I also use heavy tkd one steps instead of TSD because I simply like them better but it's just what I see. It's a shame.

In all fairness the lack of popularity (compared to TKD) might be a good thing for TSD. Fewer imitators and fewer politics.

[IcemanSK]

.

I saw a bit about the skip dans. I thought they put a stop to it for the time being?

I hadn't heard that they put a hold on the skip Dans, but they have put a hold on the Dan panels for now, at least in the US. The Dan panels (for those who don't know) is a new thing Kukkiwon wanted to roll out outside Korea. Up until now, one needed to be 4th Dan KKW or higher to test their students for BB. One could test their students up to 1 rank bellow themselves. The new rule that they rolled out in Europe in 2015, & tried to in the US, was that 4th Dan or higher HAD to take this testing panel course in order to test one's students. So, theoretically one could be an 8th Dan training & teaching for 40 years & had promoted 100's BBs, but now could not without passing this course. They've put that idea on hold here in the US due to MUCH push back. But they are teaching the panel exam course here in LA this weekend, anyway. Many heavy hitters from KKW are here.

[Luther unleashed]

Oh, and one more thing. The tittle is to Korean ma, BUT I don't find too many negative ideas surrounding TSD as a whole like TKD, and again I think it's because of the Olympic thing and popularity but also in Phoenix I can tell you tkd places are so commercialized and I view them as business first and do-jang after. They just don't have a traditional experience from what I see, I see them as the k-Mart of martial arts. I hate to say that as I stated I started in this art. I also use heavy tkd one steps instead of TSD because I simply like them better but it's just what I see. It's a shame.

In all fairness the lack of popularity (compared to TKD) might be a good thing for TSD. Fewer imitators and fewer politics.

Yes good point. Also, as an instructor it means less straight across competition

[bushido_man96]

Beginning a few months ago, several masters in Korea began picketing against Kukkiwon over the "skip Dan" & the "Dan panel" issues. (Folks were being promoted eg. 2nd-7th). Only one grandmaster, to my knowledge gave up his KKW certificate. He did id it in a very public way. With media in tow, he walked into the KKW president's office & handed over his 8th Dan & belt.

Wow, that's quite the display. How has that been covered or documented recently? Has the KKW been questioned about it or given a statement or opinion?

[IcemanSK]

Beginning a few months ago, several masters in Korea began picketing against Kukkiwon over the "skip Dan" & the "Dan panel" issues. (Folks were being promoted eg. 2nd-7th). Only one grandmaster, to my knowledge gave up his KKW certificate. He did id it in a very public way. With media in tow, he walked into the KKW president's office & handed over his 8th Dan & belt.

Wow, that's quite the display. How has that been covered or documented recently? Has the KKW been questioned about it or given a statement or opinion?

Here's one article: http://wtu.kr/sub_read.html?uid=663&section=sc1

I'll search for others & post them if I can find them.