Who Tested in Vegas for KKW.

[d1jinx]

Anyone who tested in Vegas at the US Open,

1). Have you recieved your certificates yet?
2). Did you pass?
3). For those who were skipping, Did you get the rank you were applying for?
4). Have you heard anything ( official ) about the test?

Probably the most frustrating thing about this has been the lack of information. Am i alone in the dark or is everyone else here too?

Thanks

 

[dortiz]

While the certificates have not gone out the new ranks are on the kukkiwon web site http://www.kukkiwon.or.kr/english/pop.jsp .
You need to enter your exact name as submitted. If middle initial used then put it in. John N Smith etc. If your old rank is there then the news is not good. For others the ranks are updated.
Its normal for the paperwork to take a long time.


Dave O.

 

[d1jinx]

Dortiz,
Yes I am aware how to check and I did pass. Thank you for your offer of help, but i wish to get an idea of the overall test and others.
​

Anyone who did, please take a minute to answer the questions and together we can get a picture or idea of what is going on and how it went overall.

as for myself,

1) no i have not recieved any certificate yet. I was told by USAT, it was in the mail. How cliche... from korea or to my door is what i would like to know.
2) I passed, sortof...
3) No. I tested from 4th to 6th, got 5th. (no one in my group was promoted to 6th)
4) as for other information, i have a little and wish to see if others are hearing the same.

Before anyone begins bashing me about the test and how i didnt pass... (i have been reading this site a while and see how some are),

I sent in my package to USAT. I met the requirements for 6th. I paid (big deal... dont mean i pass ) and waited. A few months later i came accros a statement in USAT kkw testing for clubs package, that " there are NO skip Dans to 6th Dan".
If this is true and why I and others I know didnt get it, then why were we allowed to test for it. I just would like to know if anyone did get it.

Please no friend of a friend story or conspiracy theories.

I saw many there who did not deserve to be and thought it was a handout. Trust me when i say, I did not fall into this category. I did not Not-pass due to lack of skill, technique or time requirements. If there was a technicallity, i would like to know that so I do not make the mistake again.

Thanks in advance for your time.

 

[terryl965]

d1jinx I myself did not test mainly because I did not trust the USAT to do the right thing. After hearing about the no skip Dan from alot of folks the question comes to my mind why did they allow people to pay money if they knew this from the beginning? I will not bash you or anybody else but let me ask you this why did you test for them instead of testing with your Master?

By the way welcome to the site and looking forward to your response.

 

[dortiz]

Can local Masters approve skip Dans. For example honoring an old rank never submitted? Just curious. I was told no, but got support and recomonded for this. Sometimes despite all I am not sure about what I am told anymore.

 

[wade]

dortiz, to answer your question, we can approve them, but then we have to send them to the USAT for finale approval and then the USAT forwards them to the KKW. So far, I have never had a problem with a skip dan, but then the highest skip dan I ever did was from 2nd to 4th. It takes about 6 months to the day to get the certificate.

 

[goingd]

My master tested and has not yet gotten his certificate, only confirmation of his "passing" and rank. What bothered me was that he was not required to actually TEST. He did the pretest and the whole seminar, but on the day of the actual test an official told him he did not have to test because of his time in rank...... ... It is a shame because he is quite good at sparring and it would have been wonderful to watch him spar so many "masters".

He did not test with his master because quite frankly he was misinformed... by the USAT... surprising, huh?

I have never heard of having to officially go through USAT to approve of a skip Dan... Don't really believe it.

 

[NPTKD]

".

He did not test with his master because quite frankly he was misinformed... by the USAT... surprising, huh?

I have never heard of having to officially go through USAT to approve of a skip Dan... Don't really believe it.

You don't have to use USAT... and I don't think that is what he meant... He use's them(example) for access to KKW.

How was your master misinformed by USAT?

 

[terryl965]

My master tested and has not yet gotten his certificate, only confirmation of his "passing" and rank.


He did not test with his master because quite frankly he was misinformed... by the USAT... surprising, huh?

The two above phases do not make sense, you said he tested and passed but got no certificate yet, That I understand but then you say he did not test with all the other Masters, why? They had no seperate test for anybody, everybody tested togethere, so what really happend? How was anything mis-informed, everything was writted out and had to be done prior to the test. I believe you are mistaken or confused or misinforned.

 

[d1jinx]

d1jinx... why did you test for them instead of testing with your Master?.

I chose to test at Vegas because my GM could not skip me to 6th and they (KKW and USAT) said they could. Also I have always wanted to go to the Kukkiwon and test or compete. Since time, money and career could not allow me to, the next best thing was them coming to me... here in the US of course.

Originally for the record, I would not have done it for 5th. I would have just stayed at home and tested through my GM. But I saw this as an oppurtunity to get back the time that had been lost to dishonest instructors that robbed me and the days as a child and teen when i could not afford to test.

Having said that... I AM glad to have done it now. Even if it was only for 5th. Unless you were there, you cannot grasp the feeling of being in a small space with 300 Black belts training for 3 LONG days and testing with Kukkiwon Masters watching. Probably the most accomplishing thing was not the test, but the pretest the night before. To go up in a group of 6, in front of 300 BlackBelts who have formed a box around you, watching YOU, and perform what you have trained your whole life for and be watched and critiqued by Master Park and others was the true test for any Martial artist.

Sure I could have stayed at home and tested in front of my GM and the testing board along with fellow friends and students who i see every day and have no real pressure in front of. Or go to Vegas, meet hundreds of people with the same interest and love for the art that has been a part of my life since i was 10. Feel real NON-Competition-based pressure and perform. Lets face it when you go to a competition, not everyone there is wishing you well, or even watching you. But at the Pre-test, EVERYONE there was. And yes there were those who should not have been there. But they stood out and needed not to be ridiculed. Just performing infront of all 300 of us should have been an eye opener to themselves. And if not, then does it really matter? They will get their rank anyway, just like they have up till now. only difference is, when I go to a tournament and see them parading around like a king.... I and the other 299 or so people that were there know they suck.:lfao:

So bottom line, no regrets...Im glad i did it. Met a few new friends and had an experience that can never be duplicated. I could be mad and upset at USAT but I'm not....yet.... they provided me with an experience that I would have never had. And sure there were those trying to take advantage of it and "buy a Black belt"... at least we saw who they were.

Have you ever stood in a room with 300+ Black Belts staring only at YOU and done your forms? I have.:supcool:

 

[d1jinx]

You don't have to use USAT... and I don't think that is what he meant... He use's them(example) for access to KKW.

We don't use USAT for KKW certification.
They offered an oppurtunity to bring KKW here and give me a chance to skip to 6th dan. Since i could not go there (korea) ....

 

[terryl965]

I chose to test at Vegas because my GM could not skip me to 6th and they (KKW and USAT) said they could. Also I have always wanted to go to the Kukkiwon and test or compete. Since time, money and career could not allow me to, the next best thing was them coming to me... here in the US of course.

Originally for the record, I would not have done it for 5th. I would have just stayed at home and tested through my GM. But I saw this as an oppurtunity to get back the time that had been lost to dishonest instructors that robbed me and the days as a child and teen when i could not afford to test.

Having said that... I AM glad to have done it now. Even if it was only for 5th. Unless you were there, you cannot grasp the feeling of being in a small space with 300 Black belts training for 3 LONG days and testing with Kukkiwon Masters watching. Probably the most accomplishing thing was not the test, but the pretest the night before. To go up in a group of 6, in front of 300 BlackBelts who have formed a box around you, watching YOU, and perform what you have trained your whole life for and be watched and critiqued by Master Park and others was the true test for any Martial artist.

Sure I could have stayed at home and tested in front of my GM and the testing board along with fellow friends and students who i see every day and have no real pressure in front of. Or go to Vegas, meet hundreds of people with the same interest and love for the art that has been a part of my life since i was 10. Feel real NON-Competition-based pressure and perform. Lets face it when you go to a competition, not everyone there is wishing you well, or even watching you. But at the Pre-test, EVERYONE there was. And yes there were those who should not have been there. But they stood out and needed not to be ridiculed. Just performing infront of all 300 of us should have been an eye opener to themselves. And if not, then does it really matter? They will get their rank anyway, just like they have up till now. only difference is, when I go to a tournament and see them parading around like a king.... I and the other 299 or so people that were there know they suck.:lfao:

So bottom line, no regrets...Im glad i did it. Met a few new friends and had an experience that can never be duplicated. I could be mad and upset at USAT but I'm not....yet.... they provided me with an experience that I would have never had. And sure there were those trying to take advantage of it and "buy a Black belt"... at least we saw who they were.

Have you ever stood in a room with 300+ Black Belts staring only at YOU and done your forms? I have.:supcool:

I am glad it was great for you and your attitude is also great, a true Martial Artist would have the same. Your above question about being in front of thre hundred bo ever have been there, but been in front og some of the biggest names in TKD history and was tested by them and the feeling of them saying I was good enough was good enough for me. I too have beem a victom of bogus Mater;s never sending away for a KKW certificate and no I will never get those years back but what I do have is the knowkedge of knowing I was and still able to do the best I can. In the end that is all that really matters.

 

[goingd]

I'm not misinformed or confused, I just worded things wrong - sorry.

When I said my master "tested" I mean that he signed up and went through all that fun stuff, did the seminar and showed up for the test. While others were testing he was told that he did not have to test, point blank. He was disappointed by it, and I was quite frankly upset that they would promote because of "time in rank," for the sake of probably saving time.

I've explained this in another thread before:
USAT led my master to believe that only "member schools" of Kukkiwon can apply for promotion of their students. How and why? I have no idea; I only know what my master tells me.

 

[NPTKD]

I've explained this in another thread before:
USAT led my master to believe that only "member schools" of Kukkiwon can apply for promotion of their students. How and why? I have no idea; I only know what my master tells me.

I think that it is your master who is confused! There aren't any schools that are "member school". Only an a person can be a memeber of KKW not schools. Sounds like the crap that masters tell there students when they can't promote thru KKW or don't want to!

 

[NPTKD]

I was there and tested. I know that a small group of people were able to test the night before. One of them was a korean man I met during the seminar ( nice guy) he told me later that night that when they lined up for testing they were told that they had already passed! He also said that they didn't have to do anything. They told him for the it was just a matter of paperwork (time in rank). He was testing for 5th dan. He was please with the out come ( He could have passed anyway) He came back the next day to watch me test. I was already a fifth USAT but still had to come to Vas to test for fifth.. I should be pissed but I had a great time. Found out also that all of these high ranking people you run into at events, well maybe they should spend more time training for themselves.

 

[terryl965]

I was there and tested. I know that a small group of people were able to test the night before. One of them was a korean man I met during the seminar ( nice guy) he told me later that night that when they lined up for testing they were told that they had already passed! He also said that they didn't have to do anything. They told him for the it was just a matter of paperwork (time in rank). He was testing for 5th dan. He was please with the out come ( He could have passed anyway) He came back the next day to watch me test. I was already a fifth USAT but still had to come to Vas to test for fifth.. I should be pissed but I had a great time. Found out also that all of these high ranking people you run into at events, well maybe they should spend more time training for themselves.

I agree some instrructor never ever get on the floor to workout but yet they all act so high and mighty.

 

[goingd]

I think that it is your master who is confused! There aren't any schools that are "member school". Only an a person can be a memeber of KKW not schools. Sounds like the crap that masters tell there students when they can't promote thru KKW or don't want to!

??? Yes, he is confused indeed... That's usually what happens when someone misleads you... Might want to watch how you seem address someone else master... Juuust maybe.

 

[goingd]

I should have mentioned earlier that my master was asked to test in Vegas by Hong Kong Kim, so that may have had something to do with him being one of the people not required to test.

 

[Flying Crane]

I chose to test at Vegas because my GM could not skip me to 6th and they (KKW and USAT) said they could.

Originally for the record, I would not have done it for 5th.

I AM glad to have done it now. Even if it was only for 5th.

I'm not a TKD guy so I hope I'm not sticking my nose in where it's not welcome. But these comments really jumped out at me.

I don't understand why anyone would expect, or why any organization would agree, to skip 5th dan. I think skipping ANY rank, even colored ranks, is questionable at best. But any Dan grade, even so high as 5th Dan? How does someone justify this? And the comment that it was "only for 5th", my god, you say it as if 5th is something to be taken lightly. In this organization, is that true?

Once upon a time a godan was a rare thing indeed, an individual of high caliber who has devoted most of a lifetime to training. Have they become as common as dirt? Something to be scoffed at, and even skipped over? Barely worth acknowledging? What's happening here? I really really really really really don't get it...

 

[goingd]

Michael,
I think I understand the way you are seeing this. The standards for the test required those testing to meet the time requirements for any ranks being skipped (except in very "special" cases, which just usually doesn't fly) and also to meet the standards of the rank being tested for.

A chodan or ohdan should indeed be revered. Unfortunately so many people have gotten so used to being promoted by mere means of time and cash that the social standard for a 5th Dan has gone down. Those of us that care what a rank represents cannot do too much to change the general view on the adequacy of rank. It is more important I think that we do not let the views of others change our views and ethics as martial artists.