I'm testing for 1st dan black belt this Saturday and was told that it will cost $500 and that this is a kukkiwon fee, not the choice of the school. I've been looking around online though and found that the prices different dojangs charge is drastically different -- anywhere from $150-$500. I was wondering what everyone else paid for their black belt tests and if anyone knows the breakdown of what the money is going to.

$500 for first dan is not kukkiwon.

At least not when I tested oh so long ago.

about 150-200 is Kukkiwon for 1st dan I believe.

They should have a website, maybe a faq is there.

By the way, why do you feel the need to get a kukkiwon blackbelt?

Plus the other dojos might just be doing studio or association black belts...thus the prices.

[This message has been edited by Uriel (edited 06-14-2004).]

I don't necessarily feel that i need to have kukkiwon, it's just that that's all my dojang is offering.
I looked on the kukkiwon website, but couldn't find any breakdown of fees.

I can see if I can contact someone about it today.

If you don't think you need a kukkiwon then maybe you can talk to your instructor about it.

$500 is a bit much. I mean I know *I* could use that money for other things than a piece of cloth that costs $3.50 at the store.

Just curiuos...what was the costs for your color belt tests and how many belts do you need to get to black belt?

Meanwhile you can look at this site. It shows the kukkiwon to be about $100.
http://members.tripod.com/~sabecker/truth_about_world_taekwondo_fede.htm

[This message has been edited by Uriel (edited 06-15-2004).]

Kukkiwon 1st Dan - $70.00
Kukkiwon 2nd Dan - $90.00
Kukkiwon 3rd Dan - $120.00
Kukkiwon 4th Dan - $150.00

Anything over and above these costs are at the discretion of your instructor. Only a Kukkiwon-certified 4th Dan and above can sign off on your application for a Kukkiwon certificate. So, is your instructor a 4th Dan, or does he need to have someone else sign your application? If so, it may be part of his $500 fee.

To answer your question, I paid $400 for my black belt test/certification 2 years ago.

Hope this helps and good luck on Saturday.

NancyP

$500.00 is not uncommon, hey don't you have to write some type of term paper relating to MA too. My BB was $300.00 for testing and a three page esay on how MA has changed my life. (1983)

schanne,

I, too, had to write an essay - that was the easy part :-).

NancyP

$500 for any test!

Go tell the kukkiwon to **** themselves.

You can't possibly be this gullible.

JohnL

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JohnL:
$500 for any test!

Go tell the kukkiwon to **** themselves.

You can't possibly be this gullible.

JohnL

[/QUOTE]

agreed. another amazing example of why TKD and the belting system in general is a joke.
why do you need a belt to tell you that youre a skilled martial artist? what does an essay have to do with anything?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 1st Round KO:
agreed. another amazing example of why TKD and the belting system in general is a joke.
why do you need a belt to tell you that youre a skilled martial artist? what does an essay have to do with anything?[/QUOTE]

That's what the Koreans do, take it up with them. (You wonder why I switched to Goju??!!)