Rhee Ki Ha

Discussion in 'Tae Kwon Do' started by TheMadhoose, Oct 10, 2011.

  1. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    Interesting site to come across for the ITF crowd. Is GM Rhee IX distancing himself from ITF NK in the aim of bringing the ITF's closer together or just promoting himself as the FIRST grandmaster of Taekwon-Do? I realy hope it is the former.
     
  2. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Got a link 'hoose?

    Mitch
     
  3. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

  4. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Hmmm, wait and see I think. It could be anything from starting his own group to seeking to unify the ITFs. Let's hope he can use his phenomenal reputation to achieve some unity in the modern TKD world.

    Mitch
     
  5. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    in saying that one of our Taekwon-Do UK Instructors was graded to 5th degree by him at a recent International Instructors Course. And we are affiliated to to one of the other ITF's than GM Rhee.
     
  6. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    That's interesting in itself. How did your ITF take that?

    Mitch
     
  7. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    Dunno to be honest thats for the politicians to argue.
     
  8. Seventh

    Seventh Super Sexy Sushi Time

    In terms of politics and such, I think the TKD forum is a wannabe Ninjutsu forum sometimes.
     
  9. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    It's actually nowhere near really. The machinations of TKD politics take place way above the level of most members. There is, as there is in any and every large organisation, a lot of jockying for position. I think this is especially true in Korea where the art is so intrinsically wrapped up in national pride.

    Imagine the IOC but tied up with the pride of one nation.

    But in all honesty most of TKD is pretty open and easy going.

    Mitch
     
  10. Seventh

    Seventh Super Sexy Sushi Time

    Point taken. I apologize for my rash judgement. It's just that I keep seeing threads debating unity and cleaning up TKD organizations.
     
  11. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    Unity - Yes
    Cleaning Up - No
    Most of us in TKD at grass roots level want to play together, its just that we rarely get the chance.
     
  12. Seventh

    Seventh Super Sexy Sushi Time

    Thank you for the information :) I'll keep that in mind!
     
  13. StuartA

    StuartA Guardian of real TKD :-)

    Thats 'a' rumour - true or not I do not know.

    AFAIA he wasnt as their recent WC's in NK.. which may have prompted the rumour. But he may have had his own (personal) reasons!

    Also, AFAIA the UKTA is still affiliated with ITF-NK!

    Finally, his son spoke of a similar rumour recently (about him, his son) and comfirmed his alleigence with ITF-NK still to quash them!

    Time will tell I guess.

    Stuart
     
  14. TheMadhoose

    TheMadhoose Carpe Jugulum

    Further to FGMR resigning from ITF-NK they now wont recognise him as a Grandmaster or even a Master.
    An email made public by the UKTA yesterday;

    46 years and 3 associations in the name if ITF and from 2002 ITF-NK and this is what they really think of him.
     
  15. Asterix187

    Asterix187 Valued Member

    Its harsh but in reality is all they can do and say. If you resign from a company you can't still represent yourself as a member of that company and use all rights and priviledges associated with being part of it. Therefore Dan grading's can't be sanctioned directly by ITF-NK. However, this is no different to any "independent" ITF group black belts.

    However, I do disagree with refusing to call him by GM Rhee. I think that's just a bit petty as the rank was given to him General Choi himself. I am sure that at ITF-NK events when they meet masters and grandmasters of other ITF associations they don't call them all Mr!

    looking forward to the release of http://www.this-is-tkd.com !!
     
  16. StuartA

    StuartA Guardian of real TKD :-)

    Its all politics mate. Wasnt ITF-NK the ones who started the FGMR and Senior master thing!

    Its a snub to be sure, but those that know TKD know who he is and what he achieved. Even across orgs and other arts people are still refered to by their title as a sign of respect.. the 'Mr' bit is really OTT!

    Stuart
     
  17. StuartA

    StuartA Guardian of real TKD :-)

    Not really.. they could have laboured the point about the UKTA being affliated to them and following their rules, without the 'Mr Rhee' part. He rarned his status whether in an org or independant!

    Yet ex-presidents are still refered to as president :)
    Serious, hes a Grandmaster in TKD.. not a Grandmaster in ITF - if you see my point. He may not represent them anymore, but he still (like us all) represents TKD and at the very least, his 'GM' title should remain in their eyes.. that was just petty. Never much liked the FGMR (or Senior Master) titles anyway.. perhaps he should get rid of them!


    Of course.. that makes sense... but he could still watch as a spectator and maybe advisor lol.

    Exactly

    I think its a test to the UKTA perhaps.. maybe to see where their loyalties lie... which I think we all know... and ITF-NK have seriously underestimated things!

    Stuart
     
  18. martinnharvey

    martinnharvey Valued Member

    I'd like to be a fly on the wall when someone addresses him as 'Mr Rhee' to his face.

    I graded under him from white belt to 1st kup. He was my instructor's instructor and I think it's great that he has left the UKTA. He is now free to teach whoever he wants.
     
  19. TKDstudent

    TKDstudent Valued Member

    I for one think there is nothing wrong with using Mister & someone's family to name to refer to them. As to titles I think that we never needed anything but master. Once the ITF added GM in, that was probably more than enough. I for one like the old style of master & GM reserved for the top person in the system. But that is long gone in TKD.
    I think the title 1st GM is beyond silly,as there are far too many people senior than GM Rhee. However that title seemed to surface when the title senior master came around. GM Rhee even advocated creating a new shoulder instructor flash for Sr. Master, using green so all the colors of the belts would be represented, which was not even the purpose of those colts in the first place. The colors have a different scheme & meanings. Now I even hear some people use the title senior GM or great GM.
    This is beyond silly. You either have a top scale or rank in TKD or you don't. Why keep raising the bar? Of course you have Kwan founders, pioneers of tkd & a principle founder of tkd. Some of these even made it to GM. You can always say that this particular GM was a pioneer & as such played an important role in the early days of tkd. But students around the world have come up the ranks in subsequent generations under a more in-depth system than some early pioneers did when they learned rudimentary basics of Korean karate & the like.
    As to GM Rhee leaving the ITF-NK I think he is owed a debt of gratitude for all his has done to help tkd spread around the world, his loyalty to his teacher to the very end & his service to his students over a long period of a life dedicated to ITF TKD. Anyone that disrespects him, is lacking in certain tkd qualities that are required of all TKDin. I also think that if one has an opportunity to meet him ,train & talk with him, they should take advantage of that opportunity. these Pioneers will not be in this place forever!
     
  20. Eck2x

    Eck2x New Member

    FGMR has not left the UKTA and remains the Vice President of the UKTA.

    While there have already been a few heated discussions in public (Facebook) no one is clear as to how the UKTA will move on, either with or without the ITF.

    I'm a UKTA first dan and disgusted by how the ITF-NK Exec Committee has handled the whole situation. An international body headed by FGMR and like minded black belts willing to teach anyone prepared to train is my preferred option.
     

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