itf patterns
Click on form name for video instruction and
demonstration. Click on specified Movements for
written instructions and additional historical information.
White Belt
CHON-JI literally means, “the Heaven the Earth”. It is, in the Orient, interpreted as the creation of the world or the beginning of human history, therefore, it is the initial pattern played by the beginner. This pattern consists of two similar parts; one to represent the Heaven and the other the Earth.
Ready Posture – parallel ready stance
Yellow Belt
DAN-GUN is named after the holy Dan-Gun, the legendary founder of Korea, in the year of 2333 B.C.
Ready Posture – parallel ready stance
DO-SAN is the pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Chang-Ho (1876-1938)
The 24 movements represent his entire life which he devoted to furthering the education of Korea and its independence movement.
Ready Posture – parallel ready stance
Green Belt
WON-HYO was the noted monk, who introduced Buddhism to the Silla Dynasty in the year 686 A.D.
Ready Posture – closed ready stance A
YUL-GOK is the pseudonym of the great philosopher and scholar Yi l (1536-1584) nicknamed the “Confucius of Korea”.
The 38 movements of this pattern refer to his birthplace on the 38* latitude and the diagram represents “scholar”.
Ready Posture – parallel ready stance
Blue Belt
JOONG-GUN is named after the patriot Ahn Joong-Gun, who assassinated Hiro-Bumi Ito, the first Japanese governor-general of Korea, known as the man who played the leading part in the Korean-Japanese merger.
There are 32 movements in this pattern to represent Mr. Ahn’s age when he was executed in a Lui-Shung prison (1910).
Ready Posture – closed ready stance B
TOI-GYE is the pen name of the noted scholar, Yi Hwang (16th century), who was an authority on neo-Confucianism.
The 37 movements of the pattern refer to his birthplace on 37th degree latitude, and the diagram represents “scholar”.
Ready Posture – closed ready stance B
Red Belt
HWA-RANG is named after the Hwa-Rang youth group, which originated in the Silla Dynasty in the early 7th century.
The 29 movements refer to the 29th Infantry Division, where Taekwon-Do developed into maturity.
Ready Posture – closed ready stance C
CHOONG-MOO was the name given to the great Admiral Yi Soon-Sin of the Lee Dynasty.
He was reputed to have invented the first armored battleship (Kobukson) in 1592, which is said to be the precursor of the present day submarine. The reason why this pattern ends with a left hand attack is to symbolize his regrettable death, having no chance to show his unrestrained potentiality checked by the forced reservation of his loyalty to the king.
Ready Posture – parallel ready stance
1st degree black Belt
KWANG-GAE is named after the famous Kwang-Gae-Toh-Wang, the 19th King of the Koguryo Dynasty, who regained all the lost territories, including the greater part of Manchuria. The diagram represents the expansion and recovery of lost territory.
The 39 movements refer to the first two figures of 391 A. D., the year he came to the throne.
Ready Posture – parallel stance with heaven hands
PO-EUN is the pseudonym of a loyal subject Chong Mong-Chu (1400), who was a famous poet and whose poem “I would not serve a second master though I might be crucified a hundred times” is known to every Korean. He was also a pioneer in the field of physics.
The diagram represents his loyalty to the king and country towards the end of the Koryo Dynasty.
Ready Posture – parallel stance with heaven hands
GE-BAEK is named after Ge-Baek, a great general in the Baek Je Dynasty (660 AD). The diagram represents his severe and strict military discipline.
Ready Posture – parallel ready stance
2nd degree black Belt
EUI-AM is one of the 2nd degree black belt patterns used in ITF-style taekwondo. Eui Am is the pseudonym of Son Byong-Hi, a leader of the Korean independence movement in 1919 C.E. The 45 movements refer of this form to his age when in 1905 he changed the name of the Confucian religion Dong Hak to Chondo Kyo(Heavenly Way). The diagram for this form represents his indomitable spirit while devoting his life to the prosperity of his nation.
- Ready Posture: Closed Ready Stance Type D
CHOONG-JAN is said to be the pseudonym given to General Kim Duk Ryang who lived during the Yi Dynasty (14th Century). This pattern ends with a left-hand attack, intending to symbolize the tragedy of his death at age 27 in prison.
Ready Posture – Closed Ready Stance Type A
JU-CHE is the name of North Korea's ideology. The term Ju-Che is nearly untranslatable in English: it means self-reliance and independence.
Ready Posture – Parallel Stance with a Twin Elbow
3rd degree black Belt
SAM-IL, literally meaning "3/1" or March 1, denotes the date of the Korean independence movement (i.e., the Samil Movement) which began on the 1st of March 1919.
The 33 movements in the pattern stand for the 33 patriots who planned the movement.
Ready Posture – Closed Ready Stance C
YOO-SIN is named after General Kim Yoo Sin, a commanding general during the Silla Dynasty. The 68 movements refer to the last two figures of 668 C.E., the year Korea was united. The ready posture in this form signifies a sword being drawn from the right rather than the left, symbolising Yoo Sin’s mistake of following the kings orders to fight with foreign forces against his own nation.
Ready Posture – Warrior Ready Stance B
CHOI-YONG is named after General Choi Yong, commander of the armed forces during the 14th century Koryo dynasty.
Choi Yong was greatly respected for his loyalty, patriotism and humility. He was executed by his subordinate commanders, headed by General Yi Sung Gae, who later became the first king of the Yi dynasty.
Ready Posture – Closed Ready Stance C
4th degree black Belt
YON-GAE is named after General Yon Gae Somoon, a famous general during the Koguryo dynasty. The 49 movements refer to the last two figures of 649 AD, the year he forced the Tang dynasty to leave Korea after destroying nearly 300,000 of their troops at Ansi fortress.
Ready Posture – Warrior Ready Stance A
UL-GI is named after General Ul Ji Moon Dok who successfully defended Korea against a Tang invasion force of nearly 1,000,000 soldiers led by Yang Je in 612 AD. General Ul Ji used hit-and-run tactics to destroy a large number of the opposing force. The diagram represents his surname.
The 42 movements represent General Choi's age when he designed this form.
Ready Posture – Parallel Stance with an X-Back Hand
MOON-MOO honors Moon-Moo (Munmu), the 30th King of the Silla dynasty. According to his will, the body was placed in the sea "Where my soul shall forever defend my land against the Japanese."
The 61 movements represent the last two figures of 661 C.E when Moon-Moo came to the throne.
Ready Posture – Parallel Ready Stance
5th degree black Belt
SO-SAN is the pseudonym of the great monk Choi Hyong Ung (1520 to 1604 C.E.) of the Yi dynasty. The 72 movements refer to his age when he organised a corps of monk soldiers with the assistance of his pupil Sa Myung Dang. The monk soldiers helped repel the Japanese pirates who overran much of the Korean peninsular in 1592 C.E.
Ready Posture – Closed Ready Stance A
SE-JONG is named after Se Jong the Great, the Korean king who is credited with the development of the the Korean Hangul alphabet in 1443 C.E. The diagram for this form represents the king, while the 24 movements refer to the 24 letters of the Korean alphabet.
The 42 movements represent General Choi's age when he designed this form.
Ready Posture – Closed Ready Stance B
6th degree black Belt
TONG-IL is the last of the ITF forms. Tong Il denotes the resolution of the unification of Korea that has been divided since 1945.
Ready Posture – Parallel Stance with an Overlapped Back Hand