My Pursuit of 8th Dan

For the past several months, my life has been shaped by discipline, repetition, and resolve. Long nights stretched into early mornings as I pored over the 8th Dan syllabus—physically demanding, yes, but even more so mentally.

The training pushed me beyond muscle and memory into the realm where true mastery resides: endurance of the mind.

On Monday, 17 November, I left the United Kingdom behind, boarding a long-range flight via Istanbul bound for Seoul. By the time I arrived on Tuesday evening, fatigue clung to me like a second skin, but the purpose of my journey burned brighter than any weariness. Despite only a few hours of rest, Wednesday morning brought me to the World Chungdokwan Headquarters for three hours of intensive training with Grandmaster Byeonghyun Shin. The session was exacting yet invigorating, a final sharpening of the blade before the true test. An early night followed—sleep at last.

Thursday: Grading Day This was the culmination of more than forty years of training, distilled into six formidable hours. Was I nervous? Hell yes. Did I doubt myself? On occasion. Did I make the right decision? Absolutely.

After registering at 9 a.m., we candidates began four hours of instruction under elite Kukkiwon masters. My instructor—himself a four-time World Poomsae Champion and a 9th Dan—led us through the required elements for 8th Dan: - Advanced basic movements - Hansoo - Cheonkwon - Jitae - Sipjin Before testing, we were greeted by the newly appointed Kukkiwon President—an honour and a reminder of the weight of the moment.

As candidate 808, I was the eighth of sixteen testing for 8th Dan. The number echoed in my mind as I stepped forward. My mouth was dry; nerves surged; yet decades of experience steadied me. The evaluation began with basic movements, followed by a randomly assigned poomsae. Fate dealt me Cheonkwon, arguably the most challenging of the selection. In a brief lapse, I missed a kihap at a critical moment—yet my technique remained crisp, measured, and confident, and the oversight proved not to be costly. Next came the designated poomsae, Hansoo, which I executed with precision and strength, every movement an embodiment of knowledge earned over a lifetime. By the end, the mental toll was immense—but so too was the reward.

At sixty-seven years old, I had stood among the best, proving that age is neither barrier nor excuse. It is simply a number. ⸻

Gratitude and Reflection I did not walk this path alone.

My black belts, ever inspiring in their dedication; my instructors, especially Grandmaster Shin, who pushed me to refine even the smallest detail; and above all, my wife and family—steadfast companions through more than forty years of training—stood with me in spirit on that testing floor. Now comes the waiting, with official results expected in December.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.