poom dan I believe a "poom" dan is a probationary dan. There is a specific amount of time that must pass before the individual fully attains or owns the rank.
Even though there are different Tae Kwon Do styles, associations or schools may make adjustments or additions, traditionally there are ten color belt levels (Gup or Kup) and ten black belt levels(Dan or Poom-under 15 years age black belt, 1-4 Poom levels in Kukkiwon style).
So, if my 4th dan certificate says "poom dan belt" that means it is a certificate for a junior black belt?
If your certificate was issued by the Kukkiwon, Poom is for a black belt under 15 years old. If you are over 15 and it says poom, it's a mistake
My certificate was issue by the WTF. It is a WTF certificate. In order for me to get an "Official" Kukkiwon certificate I would have to start over at 1st dan and go up again. O hand I am certainly over 15 - I am 35.
Were you under 15 when it was issued? Here are some FAQs about the conversion of Poom to Dan certificates: http://www.kukkiwon.or.kr/eng/faq/faq.asp#faq_2
From what I understand (from my WTF pals) WTF requires that one has to be 16 years old to get a black belt. If younger, you get a Poom, which can be replaced by a black-belt when passed the age of 16. Andy, does your certificate say "poom" ? Not sure what you're asking ....
Yes, my 4th dan certificate is WTF, and it says Poom Dan Belt on it. I was 34 when it was given to me last year. It is my first WTF cert. as my others came from TKD Moo Duk Kwan.
Is it a real Kukkiwon Certificate?? Or does it have a WTF emblem on it and also say Poom ?? Mail Order companies sell fake "WTF" Poom and Dan Certificates... real Kukkiwon Certificates have no mention of WTF nor do they have the WTF logo present.
It is a WTF cert. Not a Kukkiwon cert. I know the instructor is a legitimate Kukkiwon certified instructor. In fact he is a master instructor, certified by a board at the Kukkiwon in person in Korea. I just don't understand the certificate saying Poom Dan. I know it is not Kukkiwon cert and expext no Kukkiwon cert. i just want to know what the heck it is though - LOL
The cert I have looks like this. Except of course it has a seal and the chop on it. I believe a dan certificate should look like this So I am wondering what the heck Poom Dan is.
The WTF itself does not issue Dan certificates. Kukkiwon issues them. (Apparently there was a period in the 1980s when the WTF did issue them with the WTF logo, but not anymore and certainly not last year.) From the WTF website: All matters about black belt Poom/Dan certification are dealt with by the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters). If your school is affiliated with the WTF (through the USTU) then you would get a Kukkiwon certificate issued through the US TKD Dan Office. For schools affiliated with the ITA, you could get a ITA certificate and/or a Kukkiwon certificate. Alternatively, you might simply receive a certificate issued by your school/kwan/local body on its own authority, without Kukkiwon rank registration. This is what you appear to have. As you and others mentioned above, those below 16 years of age get pooms instead of dans. If this is what is meant by "POOM DAN" then it clearly doesn't apply to you. (Or perhaps it's an either-or thing, where you mentally delete the inapplicable option?) I suggest speaking to the person who issued it to you. You know of course that the blank forms of both the "POOM DAN BELT POOM DAN CERTIFICATE" and the "BLACK BELT DAN CERTIFICATE" you attached pictures of are easily available for $2, plus $0.50 for the gold seal, online--which is where I assume you got the pictures from. So getting it replaced should be fairly economical.
Thank you for the information. Yes these images are actually from the Amazon add I saw. Unfortunately they are close enough to what I have to represent. So, these are not WTF certs? My wife got her 1st dan at a different WTF school in the area and she got a Kukkiwon cert. that actually said Kukkiwon on it. Nowhere does it say kukkiwon on mine. So, considering it said WTF, I figured the WTF adn the Kukkiwon have seperate certs. I will certainly be speaking with my instructor about this. Personally I don't care about the rank in the slightest, but I do care about why he gave me a cert. that was either fraudulent as I think I am hearing hear, or it was for a junior black belt. Either way it is disconcerting.
I would bring this up with your instructor. Obviously a mistake. Do let us know what happens! I wouldn't say the certificate is fraudulent. Many WTF schools give out their own certificates. Unless of course it was given to you as a true Kukkiwon-issued certificate, then of course it's fraudulent.
Andy Cap: the certificate you received is actually a school certificate. It won't be recognized by the WTF for the purpose of say international competition or being a Kukkiwon examiner. There is of course a good chance that many other schools will recognize it, but only on a goodwill base, just like any other certificate from any other (insert letter here)TF. The only certificate recognized by the WTF is the Kukkiwon certificate. Gizmo
Thanks all. I asked him about it today, and he told me Poom Dan is a black belt, adn Poom is a junior black belt. These are "school" certificates, but it makes me wonder what teh school is about when it ways WTF right on the cert.? I know he does have official standing with Kukkiwon and has granted those certs to everyone else, but as I said, I came in with a 4th dan and he was not about to make me a 1st dan again because some stuffy old Korean doesn't like my previous affiliation. So I am a 4th dan with a fraudulant cert.
Yes this is an odd situation. My first degree is a poom, but my second and third are Dans and I've had them for quite a long time. I've never seen those kinds of certificates before- ever. The Kukkiwon certificates have an emblem that says kukkiwon world taekwondo headquarters. And I'm pretty sure that now it's 15 and under is a poom. 16 and up is dan. But definitely talk to your master about this.
