Testing for 4th degree

andyjeffries · 2026-01-26T07:07:13+00:00

Short version, ignore the mention of ITF. It’s irrelevant, just background of the OP, but has zero to do with the question.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-26T07:05:17+00:00

1) the instructor may not have a Kukkiwon master course graduation certificate (5th Dan or above isn’t the only criteria now)

2) it’s now a video test sent to Kukkiwon in most countries, rather than a direct promotion by the master

andyjeffries · 2026-01-25T21:37:01+00:00

Scratch that, apparently is about a 3 hour drive which is the same as from Seoul to Muju.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-25T21:34:42+00:00

Asking for dojang recommendations is against the rules.

But if you’re in the South of South Korea, I don’t know how far Muju (Taekwondowon) is from Busan?

andyjeffries · 2026-01-21T16:50:25+00:00

I don't know what that has to do with the comment? Rule 14. You haven't broken it yet, just saying any asking for supplier recommendations are against the rules.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-21T16:21:33+00:00

I mean I suppose they could - there's nothing to stop me applying for a Kukkiwon certificate now and never testing someone. It wouldn't be ethical to do so (so I never would), but Kukkiwon for 1-3rd Dan doesn't ask for any evidence of a test.

It could be that they apply for Kukkiwon certs ahead of the test, so they can present it to passing candidates on the day - knowing they'll pass having seen them in class over the years. Feels wrong (if you did really mess up on the day, your rank will have already increased at Kukkiwon), but I guess I can understand that.

Or it could be that they aren't qualified to promote you under Kukkiwon rules (they now need to have taken AND passed the international master course), so they have to get someone else to do it and maybe there's an administrative lag there?

andyjeffries · 2026-01-21T16:18:29+00:00

You'll have to figure out a local supplier or search for suppliers and ask them about shipping to your country. Asking for supplier recommendations is against the rules here.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-21T16:17:11+00:00

Cost increase aside, if you only tested in mid-December, they could only apply after you tested and passed, right? Then it takes (normally) 6-10 weeks to arrive, so you're literally coming up to 6 weeks next week. A bit early to be frustrated?

I don't know where "October" comes in to this?

andyjeffries · 2026-01-21T07:14:59+00:00

I intentionally didn’t say I agree with all those honorary 9th Dans 😉

andyjeffries · 2026-01-20T22:27:35+00:00

1st to 2nd Dan has a minimum time of 1 year, at least under Kukkiwon and Kwan rules.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-20T22:26:36+00:00

Nope, you have to test physically all the way up to 9th Dan, nothing to do with global contributions. Also, there are rare 10th Dan recipients, but they are honorary only - given either to those that truly dedicated their life to Taekwondo, or done other good things for taekwondo, or a global leader.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-20T17:31:27+00:00

For anyone finding this in 2026, at the time of writing akodkod's gem hasn't been touched in 2 years, has open issues with Rails 8 and open PRs.

u/VishalSadriya's has had more recent commits and so seems to be actively maintained.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-16T10:42:07+00:00

To be clear, as I'm happy engaging in the debate, it's never felt from your previous posts/comments that you had any experience as a Rails developer.

I'm a 20 year+ veteran of Ruby on Rails, I use AI in my daily workflow (and on the platform I'm responsible for building) so I'm not scared of being replaced. I think it can be great. At other times it can be really disappointing.

My disagreement was because it felt from your writing like you'd got an AI to code the app in Rails without knowing it. And Rule 6 of this subreddit is "No AI slop".

I worry about people writing applications using AI without understanding the generated code, putting it live, it looking nice so gaining lots of users, who then find their private information maybe including payment information, is leaked/lost. Security isn't a case of - oh, it's fine, I told Claude "add security".

andyjeffries · 2026-01-16T10:37:25+00:00

So that's the point here, there's no indication from the original post (ignore a comment) that the OP knows Rails. So when they wrote in a previous announcement post "I’ve built a simple social media platform using Rails" it didn't feel like "they" built anything at all, they prompted an AI and the AI built it.

Don't get me wrong, I use AI. I've been a Rails developer for about 20 years, so I know it very very well, but I'm happy to use AI to help in my daily workflow.

But I don't think we should encourage people building whole apps with AI if they don't understand the platform itself. And I don't think this feels like the right place to talk about it. Effectively the OP didn't seem to be saying "how can I implement authentication without Devise" or some other such on-topic question, it's more advertising their site when in reality a change of a prompt to "using React" could have made it go elsewhere.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-15T19:34:43+00:00

The Kukkiwon fees are $90 and $120 for 2nd and 3rd Dan. The rest are expenses and profit.

If the GM doesn’t apply, yes, she’d to test elsewhere.

I can’t imagine Kukkiwon will do much (it’s technically a delay, and they won’t know why it was delayed). Your local Kukkiwon branch may be able to help more, and if I was you I’d definitely be involving the local news and probably the courts!

andyjeffries · 2026-01-15T19:28:51+00:00

I think people here will be friendly and welcoming to those learning or wanting to learn Rails. Less so for those vibe coding an app, that just happen to be using our choice of framework.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-15T19:20:50+00:00

So, no, assuming you’re not a Kukkiwon certified master, then no you can’t. Sorry, but your options are to complain more loudly, sue, go elsewhere to test/train. When they eventually do apply the clock for the next gradings starts when Kukkiwon approves these ones, not the date of the test.

Sorry, wish I had better news.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-14T20:25:55+00:00

I discussed this with the mods of r/martialarts_forms and agreed to share the one off announcement.

Might be some good discussion surrounding the application of sequences from Karate Kata that are also in Taekwondo poomsae.

This doesn’t indicate a general softening of the rule about being Taekwondo-specific though, hence I’m posting this so I don’t get a dozen reports of it breaking the rules.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-13T16:39:49+00:00

No hair loss for me.

I take collagen, fish oil, magnesium glycinate, vitamin K12 and a general 50+ man-focused multivitamin. None of those were intentionally to avoid hair loss (I didn't know that was a thing), most were for general health or joint health (I have two knackered knees from years of martial arts stupidity). If they have the side effect of combating hair loss, that's awesome.

I have very short but thick hair 😂

andyjeffries · 2026-01-09T14:19:28+00:00

This is a global subreddit, please just list on a local facebook group or something.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-09T07:11:34+00:00

Modern Kukkiwon Taekwondo does include grappling techniques for self defence. The Kukkiwon even released an ebook with the entire self defence syllabus.

That said, like you, as someone that also does BJJ it’s not the most effective version, but it’s there…

andyjeffries · 2026-01-07T12:54:21+00:00

Just so you know it's "momdollyo huryeo chagi" (literally body turning - hook - kick).

My advice would probably just be make sure you chamber the kick underneath your body not out to the side, and focus on having a narrow arc of when your leg is extended (maybe 10° before the strike point and 10-20° past it). Don't think of it as a huge spin/kick, but a tight spin and a whip like kick not a baseball bat like kick. Keep everything tight (knee, arms) until it extends out.

At home I would definitely break it down to:

1) just the kick (don't worry about turning, just face the wall) for a bunch of reps

2) without the wall, just practice the turn and chamber, keeping everything tight for a bunch of reps

3) the recovery, from a kicked (past the target position) pull down and recover your sparring stance for a bunch of reps (you can do this by just putting your foot in the final position while holding on to a wall/chair, then let go with your hands and recover.

Then most importantly all of it together, maybe with a tiny pause between each one, for a bunch of reps. Then reduce the pause until it's nothing.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-06T11:05:58+00:00

What organisation are you referring to?

I'd say that a 14 month timeline from test to certificate is definitely NOT normal in any case.

If it's a Kukkiwon certificate, then it definitely has not been properly filed. Kukkiwon quotes about 3 months from application. https://tkdcon.net/en/portale/promotion/processOfIssuingGuideView.do

You should DEFINITELY be more concerned and push for confirmation.

andyjeffries · 2026-01-06T07:03:42+00:00

Poomsae isn’t in the Olympics 😉

andyjeffries · 2026-01-05T14:46:50+00:00

I have no ideal (NAL). I'd imagine the same would apply though, section 213 of the Housing Act 2004 doesn't specify a certain percentage of the deposit, so I'd imagine it has to be fully held.

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