The day Chuck Norris cut ties with Korea 

The old days were WAY better than how Karate is taught today

my father in law 9th Dan under Chuck Norris...89 still teaching.

Although I trained in a different Martial Art, there was a major division after the Master died in Isshinryu Karate. Many in Okinawa went their own way. The son in law was granted Master and the son had bitter feelings towards his father. B4 his death, he gave his son his blessings. In the early 80's, we had to make the same choice as you between either the son in law, or the son. I chose the fathers son. Much has changed also. We didnt have all.the colored belts in the 70's. White, green, brown and black. Now it's all the colored belts. I dont teach anymore due to medical problems. But, I never quit teaching the old ways I was taught. It was tough conditioning of arms, stomach, legs and shins. I miss it. But kidney disease, open heart surgery and conquering colon cancer has taken its toll . Take care sir ....

Our school had a crisis in the mid 80's when we heard that in order to test for black belt we would have to fly to Korea and the cost was prohibitive. A lot of schools broke away at that time.

Far too much politics in today's Martial Arts. Plus many systems have made Black Belt so easy that it's ridiculous. Basically it's if you have the promotion fee, you passed. I stopped asking for promotions long, long ago. What rank was Bruce Lee? Was he concerned with belt rank or learning from every system he came in contact with? Mr. Miyagi had it right when he said to Daniel "Belt only mean no need rope to hold up pants."

Chuck Norris was criticised heavily for giving Black Belts to children who had only about a year in training. It seems that the business was most important over the art. And, to increase business get publicity. To quote P.T. Barnum: “I don't care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right.”

Politics in Martial Arts are stressful to deal with.

I have basic TV. One channel plays 7 hours of Walker, Texas Ranger a day from 10 till' 5..❤ It actually got me thru 2 months of sobriety, assigned by my probation officer..💀🖤

I am a member of the IMA under GM Ki Yun Yi who was a former instructor at Osan AFB while GM Norris was training there. Thank you for sharing the history. Tang Soo!!

This is awesome! I really enjoy the history examination of the arts by those who were a part of it. Thanks for sharing this!

This happened in Kang Duk Won as well, My instructors teacher Robert J Babich, decided not to join the TKD association at the time in the late 60s and early 70s and as a result, was no longer able to use the name. He decided to use the name Kwon Bup, simply because it was the name of a book his instructor gave him. I recently received my 3rd degree in Kwon Bup. Recently my instructor retired and although I know the whole system, will no longer be certified for higher ranking, but I don't care, I have the knowledge and that is what counts.

Thank you, sir, for your history lesson. I've only met Mr. Norris (very briefly) a couple times, but I am a huge fan of Mr. Johnson, who is a mentor of my instructor, Joe Corley, and who has taught a few seminars for us when I was chief instructor at one of Mr. Corley's schools.

My instructor trained under CS Kim and Did training and tested under Grand Master Hwang Kee. I began training with him in 1985. My black belt test was pretty hard and long. I still adhere to that tradition. In 29 years of teaching I have given out 14 black belts. I do have to agree about it being a business thing with Korea. It's a shame, but that is how it is most of the time. My master ended up breaking away from CS. Kim in the early '90s. And I feel our training improved immensely

I love the history you shared. While most black belt tests are special. Your red belt test was historic.

This man makes a very important point about the Black Belt he said it was “the Beginning of my Journey”, not the end as far too many people believe.

Chuck Norris has always been an independent entity. There's a cool Chuck Norris joke there that my morning brain can't figure out...

I have been in the Arts since 1969. At most times, with the training and everything else we have been taught and been thru, I feel like we are a dying breed when it comes to the arts.

Sir, Thank you for sharing. Tomorrow, we will test 13 TKD students for Kukkiwon Black Belts. Reasonable people can debate the necessity of Korean sanctioning. What surprised and saddened me was the selfish timing, not the decision displayed by Chuck Norris. This day should have been focused on the students. Instead he made it about him. Clearly you were good with it and he became an amazing success. Can’t imagine doing that to my students students as they are walking into the dojang to test.

This is always the case. Our family has operated a TSD organization for decades, my father was promoted to 10th Dan about five years ago (he started training in Korea in 1959 and continued all his life alongside his military career). We cut ties with Korea in 1991 for several reasons but one of them being the most common one: the door only swings one way, THEIR way. Fees, fees, fees, but promotions, certificates, and all else took forever to approve or recieve. Also, there's the common myth that "they're the best". They're not. The Koreans learned that very quickly with us. We have better fighters and more dedicated students and teachers. Also, a lot always git held up because of all the personal quarrels among themselves (the same people teaching and demanding courtesy and respect among peoples).

Great story,I really enjoyed listening how things were back then

Unfortunately, today’s USA karate requirements are a joke, from simple basics to advanced techniques. I started in ‘67 at one of Chuck Norris’s schools in Chula Vista, California. The only advertisement was large letters painted on a store-front window with KARATE written across it. Talk about bare cupboards. But the instructors, usually Red-belts, were awesome. I was there for less than a year, when I was called into service but, some of the best techniques that have followed me through different systems are worth executing to today. I truly miss those days!

This sort of thing happened to me shortly after my 2nd dan black belt test. Big ego's + business interests don't usually mix well.

Just wanna say "Thanks, too Chuck for breaking all them boards"

I liked your story! It's true, I remember the day I tested for BB very clearly. I showed up for training and my instructor just said, "You are testing for BB today!" That's it. His name was Sung Mok Ko, who passed at 10th Dan last year. He was a first generation Korean here in the US. He studied with Choi and who knows who else in Korea and Japan. I have Je do Kwan and Moo Duk Kwan patches and my style was very TSD like. Best!!

This is a good thing. I like the old way. Thanks for sharing this video. I love you Chuck Norris and Gena. 💗😍👊💙

This man is blessed by me never a step out of line for you

The day I tested and received my black belt in Tang soo Do Moo duk Kwan is one of the happiest days in my life. Even if it’s 25 years ago.

You got your black belt fast! It took me 7 years to get my black belt in Tang Soo Do from Duke Tirschel. I started when I was five and tested successfully at 12. I remember after we did our katas Mr. Norris, Mr. TIrschel, and Mr. Burnette said to remain standing at attention and left the room. They came back after what seemed like forever to see if we were still at attention. It turned out that they went to lunch and had been gone for nearly an hour. Not one of us had moved a muscle. I don't know if that's a normal part of the examination or not but I won't ever forget it.

Jae Joon Kim tested every two months. The fee was about $30...

chuck norris doesnt need korea, korea needs chuck norris

Thank you for sharing. Tang soo...

I can relate, my first. T k d teacher in Melbourne started teaching here as a red belt a ka brown belt. But had to go to Korea to get tested they made it , really hard for him

Awesome history lesson Sir!. Love to hear more recollections. I also earned my Black Belt in the 1970's as well. I earned mine under the Late Grand Master Sang Soo "Tiger" Kim in NYC who was a student of Hwang Kee. Things were much different in the 1970's. Classes were Hard, some might say brutal, 3/4 power contact in sparring (And you sparred every day), and unless your injury meant you were going to the hospital you continued practicing. And yes Black Belt testing was Pass/Fail and Sparring for your Black Belt test meant at least four matches. Two with Brown Belts and Two with Black Belts and you had better show that you wanted it. Oh and back then you waited anywhere from 8-12 months for your certificate to arrive from the Kukkiwon.

Chuck Norris teacher was my teacher. I don't blame him for breaking with him. I experienced things that weren't right with koreans. The teacher that I'm talking about is jae joon kim. I left him too...

I am a martial artist as well, and I have went on to make my own school and am teaching my own style that is a combination of two styles that I have learned over 20 years of training and learning. I catch a lot of heck for it. I have been told that what I am doing is a dishonor to my teachers and the way of martial arts. Yet I don’t understand how.

My journey was just as complex. I trained in Kajukembo, Shotokan, and Taekwondo. I was not always able to find a school near to me that shared the philosophies that I aspired toward. Rather than fast snap kick roundhouse kicks, I preferred high kicks with POWER. When I was in the Vietnam war there were always TKD Masters teaching at every airbase I was assingned to. They were, however, awarding Black Belts in 6 months. I did not feel that students could be qualified to test for Jo Kyo Nim at 6 months of training. I went a Shotokan school. I did finally find a Taekwondo school in my town being taught by a Kyo Bu Nim Black Belt. He was not happy with being passed over for his Sa Dan (4th Degree) so many times. He had started training at the same time as the Oh Dan (5th Degree BB) who had inherited the Do Jang from their Master Instructor. My Instructor did BRAK AWAY from The school that awarded My Kukkiwon sanctioned Black Belt. The result was that I earned my Il Dan and am certified in Seoul, Korea at the Kukkiwon. My Kyo Sa Nim Ee Dan allows me to train students up to one level before mine. I cannot train any student to their 2nd degree. I also cannot train a student to participate in the Olympics.

My Fiancee's son trains. It's $200 for a black belt, that does not include test fees. The Money goes to Grandmaster Lee, president of the Mudo Federation. When I tested for my black belt, it was $45. No political fees.

I tested before Raul Hernandez and Larry Rogers in"81" and again in "83" for 2nd black before Dick Terschell and a large panel of visiting black belts in Atlanta. I worked out for 11 years until I faded out of it when I could not seem to get a school going. I like that you have built an advanced program for black belts!

Chuck Norris tested for his 4th Dan in 1970 at the club I belonged to in Wyandotte, Michigan.

Awesome stuff

..who cares about tests! Ive been practicing 20yrs now and never cared about a ridiculous over expensive piece of cloth! Just bring it on for a real test!

Much Respect

Wow this is amazing Sensei Ichi! I always wondered how and why, Master Chuck Norris had branched off, from the original, main and central Tang Soo Do organisation in South Korea! It is good to see that your father, Grandmaster Dennis Ichikawa, was once graded for his initial black belt examination, by both master Pat Johnson, as well as Master Chuck Norris. Unfortunately such things, regarding politics, financial greed and social, ethical discord, are not only occurrences in Tang Soo Do. In our own Kyokushin Karate system, after our founder Sosai Oyama Masutatsu passed away, many of the senior branch chief instructors, began to bicker and dispute amongst themselves, who should succeed him, as the widely accepted head of Kyokushin Karate, world wide! Many chose to break away, forming their own organisation, to collect fees from dojos throughout the world, under their association. As your father mentioned, with us similarly, many Kyokushin Karate schools have severed their ties with Japan, the native motherland of our Kyokushin Karate. Given that like with Tang Soo Do in South Korea, Kyokushin Karate in Japan was also only interested in collecting grading fees, to issue out the belts, certificates, in exchange for monetary revenue, without actually examining the actual gradings world wide, despite them being filmed and sent to the assessing committee in Japan. Thus these days many Kyokushin Karate schools, operate autonomously, or in collaboration, with Kyokushin Karate groups, outside of Japan. As Master Dennis Ichikawa mentioned here in this video, many of us, myself included remember the first time we graded for our first degree black belt. Grading standards have become more academically organised, in terms of the assessing curriculum, also the refinement, polishing and perfectioning of the techniques, compared to its earlier years. Thank you for sharing this great interview of your father with us, yielding us an insight of how and why Master Chuck Norris, as well as Master Pat Johnson, decided to branch off, from the original South Korean, Tang Soo Do organisation. I hope all is well with you, your students and loved ones Sensei Ichi. Greetings from Melbourne, Australia 🇦🇺 ☺ ✌ 👍, as always. Osu! Juan.

hello sensei ichi, big fan of your channel! Just wondering what you think of the chuck norris ufaf system? Been reading a lot about it and wondering if you think just as good or practical as traditional tang soo do. i read that it has bjj and krav maga incorporated in it as well and wondering if studying that art over traditional tang so doo perhaps mixed in with bjj would be better. any thoughts or opinions from any experience you have with that system would be greatly appreciated. thanks a lot!

I hated the politics too when I was taking martial arts. Wish it was possible to keep it pure from any politics

You always passed jae joon kim's test. Nobody failed. Kim's karate Academy was the most talked about school in all of detroit.....in a bad way.

A great story, thank you for sharing it. I myself was a part of C.S. Kim's ITF for a number of years, I found the politics manageable but somewhat annoying. My primary issue, as far as it went, was with how unrealistic the training was. It lacked any grappling and minimal realistic striking drills/training, it was not bad, but could use some improvement in its curriculum. I agree that having a solid black belt curriculum is extremely important. So long as it is not simply learning increasingly esoteric variations of the same drills and standing wrist locks and so on of course.

Very interesting story. I know there is always more to it. But I value the narrative

Chuck norris probably doesn't know it but jae joon kim and his sons talked about him behind his back for that......

I trained with Sea Choi a Hapkido master in 1970. He had a trophy from Chuck Norris that said best instructor 1968.

Having a black belt curriculum is so important. Excellent decision.

Happens. A lot of politics in Martial Arts... pretty common.

we did something similar in our dojo when ISKF split from JKA. About 2/3 went with JKA

WOW!!!! This is why Chuck NORRIS is so respected in the Martial Arts community!!!!!! Are you with ME or are you with Korea?!!!!!!?

Mr.Norris to his credit besides being 1 of the all time premier martial artists is also a John Wayne American.

The declaration of independence finally happened with Chuck!!! Kudos!!!LOL

I started TKD in my mid teens in the mid 80's. Talking to some people who train in TKD now, it seems like it has become lax. An instructor I spoke with a few years ago was surprised with the warm up techniques and kicking practices, saying she thought it was unnecessary but I disagree. The training pushed your body and made you better as you conquered your own challenges. I did not go through to black belt 3 below black before deciding to more practice at home to explore what best suits me without instructors pulling me in line for not being traditional. Black tip grading were always fascinating to observe.

Our school is still old school. Color belts get a 30 day notice before testing, black belts get 6 months notice. No stripes, no pre-tests. If you fail a color belt you don’t test for a year. If you fail black belt you leave the school.

I’m a 1st degree black belt in Tang Soo Do. My grandmaster is C.I. Kim. Chuck Norris was a student of my grandmaster.

1. I was very nervous just before my BB Test, I was never so happy to have something over with. 2. You said your test was not long, the is suggestive as I have seen some that are 24 hours long, ours are 2 hours.... 3. We have classes for BB's the issue is many people get the 1st degree and they are done and out of the percentage that stays many are gone after 2nd degree.

In Judo if you compete a lot, you gain enough points that you're notified of your promotion to shodan. Some test but most make black belt via competition.

1974 -- Remembering our school (Bob Burbidge, Woodland Hills Tang Soo Do) visiting and training with Tarzana Karate (Tang Soo Do) Wood floor. Better learn to fall. Tang Soo!!

Great story, did he train with Ron Pohnel who teaches and competes in Hawaii? He's still active and knocking on 70 years of age.

I was awarded my black belt last week. 23 years after I started taekwondo! My instructor does not hand them out to just anyone!

1973.. few years ago.... time flies

My good friend is Mr.Norris’ Black Belt #2!

Great video on a turning point in TSD history in America! Clarification, please? There's an image of GM Jae Chul Shin from WTSDA at the start of the video but WTSDA didn't form until 1982. Wouldn't the organization in Korea that the testing letters been sent to have been Moo Duk Kwan; at the time, headed by GM Hwang Kee? In 1970, Jae Chul Shin would have been in America.

Cool story, cool guy

Hmm... You have a video with Camarillo Shotokan's Sensei Shawn (the place where I started Martial Arts) and now this Tang Soo Do studio appears to be from T.O, Westlake. Something tells me you guys are close by.

Hey did you do your black belt test with Kang UK Lee? He is Dan Number 70. I ask because he made my style of tang soo do

I feel gaining a black belt inside three years is a sham. I trained nearly ten hard years to gain mine, competing at full contact and semi at international level, also kata competitions, along the way .Summer camps etc. Kyokushinkai. Hanshi Arneil was my examiner.

I've been skinny my whole life, now age 68 July of 2021. I started Kyokushin in '68 just before high school. In my first month, I moved away from home and next door to my 2 favorite instructors. The school taught 1 1/2 hrs/day, 3 days/wk. Half of the training was standing around or doing worthless warmups. Not very worthwhile for survival. The other half was the usual standing in one place while punching and kicking which again wasn't very worthwhile for survival. But at their home, I trained 5 hrs/day 7 days/wk for 8 years, learning mostly pressure point fighting, ballistic strikes and one strike, one kill techniques. Because of my 35 hr/wk training, I excelled in ranks and won every fight. After paying $500 for my 3rd black belt tests, at a time when a 2 bedroom apartment was only $350 and I was struggling to pay rent, my head instructor, Steven Michael Senne, said he's not going to give me my 3rd black belt because he heard that I said if I wasn't going to get my black belt I was going to quit. Kyokushin was my life. It saved my life. I was going to be in it forever. But when I was looked down on from the people I admired most in the world, and was told they heard something I would have never said even on a bad day, and losing my rent utilities and food money for an entire month, I was so devastated that I quit and fell into a deep state of depression for a whole year. Steven and his 2 minion Master instructors bumped into me at the park and insulted me so much that I attacked them and beat the crap out of them. I then went on to study Kung Fu under Kam Yuen, Reseda CA, for 3 years, then 10 years of kickboxing under undefeated world champion Benny the jet Urquidez in Van Nuys CA. And studied Judo for 3 yrs from a friend at home. I built my own gym in my old age and now I still train 3 hrs/day from watching RU-vid videos. Always a bad taste in my mouth from my original Karate system.

Always follow Chuck Norris!!!!!!🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

Putting in a reward for the 11th ace Dan

Hi..what year did you achieve your black belt, and was this at the studio on Hawthorne Blvd? I started in that studio in 1973..

Where can we find a good Tang Soo Do studio in San Diego, California?

good stuff

Very interesting story, but the thumbnail was a little misleading for me. I train with the WTSDA, founded by Grandmaster Shin (the gentleman in the thumbnail). I felt it suggested that KCN Shin was the entity that Chuck Norris separated from, but in reality, KCN Shin had already left the MDK that the Korean Masters were running by 1973 and had "retired" from the martial arts until founding the WTSDA in 1982. Still, it was very interesting to hear.

You don't tell Chuck Norris what to do. You mail him a letter and ask him what you can do for him.🙃

That was a very smart move that Norris made in leaving jae joon kim.....

When chuck norris cut ties with korea, he cut the land so there's north and south.

Chuck Norris draws a line in the sand, do you stay with Chuck or go with Korea?

Anytime the original is ignored the new always suffers

I thought in dangsu do you were referred to as Sabom nim not Sensei.

What's the difference between American tang soo do and moo duk kwan tang soo do? Or is it the same thing?

Many organizations have failed due to greed and ego. The solution is love and hard training.

Chuck Norris didn't cut ties with Korea, it was the ties that cut Korea with him!

A awesome man I know that

"Few years ago?" 46 years to be exact. Nice story but this is really about how cool he thinks it is to have a BB cert from Master Norris - and it is - but I'd liked to have heard more about the actual business side and political impact that drove the split.

i find it disrespectful ifyou want to cut ties with a organisation go to the founder and get your blessing to go your way or just call your art something else don't just call your art the same name while teaching different things that was not created by the founder

Introducing the ace Dan

With all do respect but im confused? My tang soo do school didn't have black belts but instead have midnight blue belts....?

Hey look it’s Grandmaster Shin in the thumbnail.

MY I ask. What year did your father break off from Mr Norris? My instructor Master Lane began in 1980. We teach American Tang Soo Do, but he’s still active in the Chuck Norris System. Because what we teach is the older version though it’s really not up to date with why you see in the CNS today. From what I see we do much more of what you guys do, but I believe your dad was part of the NTC, and not UFAF correct? That would be wear we separate, but again very similar. I saw you doing a video in which you said you were talking a break. Good for you. It is important to do so from time to time. Take your time and come back strong, the martial arts need energy of gentlemen like you!

we Wish Happy Investigation For busy technikals in this Art ITS Fortune thankx

I’m first degree black belt in taekwondo that the style came from North Korea Chung do Kwan . I could never find any of the forms on the internet from ones I practice . I’m guessing this really old style karate hard to find anything on. It

Nice

Chuck Norris est une veritable encyclopedie vivante . Il possede le plus haut grade au monde 9 ou 10 Eme dan de Tang Soo Do . Respect a vous Maitre !!!

I became a Tang Soo Do black belt in 2000.

I don't fully know Norris's reasons, so I don't know if I agree with his decision. I will say though that it has impacted a lot of people either way, I've heard mostly for good. So, good for Norris.