There are fifteen black belt patterns to complete the 24 patterns. There is actually an extra black belt pattern, increasing it to sixteen in total. Each of these patterns are detailed below along with their grade, number of movements, ready position, meaning and diagrammatic symbol.
The original sixth black belt pattern was Ko-Dang. In the early 1980s General Choi replaced Ko-Dang with Juche. This was because Go-Dang (an alternative to Ko-Dang) was the name of a famous South Korean anti-communist. As Taekwondo spread through the world, including North Korea, Ko-Dang was replaced to avoid offending anyone. Ko-Dang is no longer an official part of the ITF Taekwondo syllabus although many Taekwondo clubs still choose to teach it to their second degree black belts as well as Juche.
Kwang-Gae Tul
Grade: 1st Degree Black Belt
Movements: 39
Ready Position: Parallel Stance with a Heaven Hand
Meaning: 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 AD, the year he came to the throne.
Kwang-Gae Tul Diagram
Po-Eun Tul
Grade: 1st Degree Black Belt
Movements: 36
Ready Position: Parallel Stance with a Heaven Hand
Meaning: Po-Eun is the pseudonym of a loyal subject Chong Mong-Chu (1400 AD) 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 unerring loyalty to the King and country towards the end of the Koryo Dynasty.
Po-Eun Tul Diagram
Ge-Baek Tul
Grade: 1st Degree Black Belt
Movements: 44
Ready Position: Parallel Ready Stance
Meaning: 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.
Ge-Baek Tul Diagram
Eui-Am Tul
Grade: 2nd Degree Black Belt
Movements: 45
Ready Position: Closed Ready Stance D
Meaning: Eui-Am is the pseudonym of Son Byong Hi, leader of the Korean independence movement on March 1, 1919. The 45 movements refer to his age when he changed the name of Dong Hak (Oriental culture) to Chondo Kyo (Heavenly way religion) in 1905. The diagram represents his Indomitable Spirit, displayed while dedicating himself to the prosperity of his nation.
Eui-Am Tul Diagram
Choong-Jang Tul
Grade: 2nd Degree Black Belt
Movements: 52
Ready Position: Closed Ready Stance A
Meaning: Choong-Jang is the pseudonym given to General Kim Duk Ryang who lived during the Lee Dynasty, 14th century. This pattern ends with a left-hand attack to symbolise the tragedy of his death at 27 in prison before he was able to reach full maturity.
Choong-Jang Tul Diagram
Juche Tul
Grade: 2nd Degree Black Belt
Movements: 45
Ready Position: Parallel Stance with a Twin Elbow
Meaning: Juche is a philosophical idea that man is the master of everything and decides everything. In other words, the idea that man is the master of the world and his own destiny. It is said that this idea was rooted in Baekdu Mountain which symbolises the spirit of the Korean people. The diagram represents Baekdu Mountain.
Juche Tul Diagram
Ko-Dang Tul
Grade: 2nd Degree Black Belt
Movements: 39
Ready Position: Closed Ready Stance C
Meaning: Ko-Dang is the pseudonym of the patriot Cho Man Shik, who dedicated his life to the Korean Independence Movement and to the education of his people.
Ko-Dang Tul Diagram
Sam-Il Tul
Grade: 3rd Degree Black Belt
Movements: 33
Ready Position: Closed Ready Stance C
Meaning: Sam-Il denotes the historical date of the independence movement of Korea which began throughout the country on March 1, 1919. The 33 movements in the pattern stand for the 33 patriots who planned the movement.
Sam-Il Tul Diagram
Yoo-Sin Tul
Grade: 3rd Degree Black Belt
Movements: 68
Ready Position: Warrior Ready Stance B
Meaning: 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 AD, the year Korea was united. The ready posture signifies a sword drawn on the right rather than left side, symbolising Yoo Sin’s mistake of following his King’s orders to fight with foreign forces against his own nation.
Yoo-Sin Tul Diagram
Choi-Yong Tul
Grade: 3rd Degree Black Belt
Movements: 46
Ready Position: Closed Ready Stance C
Meaning: Choi-Yong is named after General Choi Yong, Premier and Commander in Chief 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 Lee Dynasty.
Choi-Yong Tul Diagram
Yong-Ge Tul
Grade: 4th Degree Black Belt
Movements: 49
Ready Position: Warrior Ready Stance A
Meaning: Yong-Ge is named after a famous general during the Koguryo Dynasty, Yon Gae Somoon. The 49 movements refer to the last two figures of 649 AD, the year he forced the Tang Dynasty to quit Korea after destroying nearly 300,000 of their troops at Ansi Sung.
Yong-Ge Tul Diagram
Ul-Ji Tul
Grade: 4th Degree Black Belt
Movements: 42
Ready Position: Parallel Stance with an X-Back Hand
Meaning: Ul-Ji is named after general Ul-Ji Moon Dok who successfully defended Korea against a Tang’s invasion force of nearly one million soldiers led by Yang Je in 612 AD. Ul-Ji, employing hit and run guerrilla tactics, was able to decimate a large percentage of the force. The diagram represents his surname. The 42 movements represent the author’s age when he designed the pattern.
Ul-Ji Tul Diagram
Moon-Moo Tul
Grade: 4th Degree Black Belt
Movements: 61
Ready Position: Parallel Ready Stance
Meaning: Moon-Moo honours the 30th King of the Silla Dynasty. His body was buried near Dae Wang Am (Great King’s Rock). According to his will, the body was placed in the sea “where my soul shall forever defend my land against the Japanese.” It is said that the Sok Gul Am (Stone cave) was built to guard his tomb. The Sok Gul Am is a fine example of the culture of the Silla Dynasty. The 61 movements in this pattern symbolise the last two figures of 661 AD when Moon Moo came to the throne.
Moon-Moo Tul Diagram
So-San Tul
Grade: 5th Degree Black Belt
Movements: 72
Ready Position: Closed Ready Stance A
Meaning: So-San is the pseudonym of the great monk Choi Hyong Ung (1520-1604) during the Lee Dynasty. The 72 movements refer to his age when he organised a corps of monk soldiers with the assistance of his pupil Sa Myunh Dang. The monk soldiers helped repulse the Japanese pirates who overran most of the Korean peninsula in 1592.
So-San Tul Diagram
Se-Jong Tul
Grade: 5th Degree Black Belt
Movements: 24
Ready Position: Closed Ready Stance B
Meaning: Se-Jong is named after the greatest Korean King, Se-Jong, who invented the Korean alphabet in 1443, and was also a noted meteorologist. The diagram represents the King, while the 24 movements refer to the 24 letters of the Korean alphabet.
Se-Jong Tul Diagram
Tong-Il Tul
Grade: 6th Degree Black Belt
Movements: 56
Ready Position: Parallel Stance with an Overlapped Back Hand
Meaning: Tong-Il denotes the resolution of the unification of Korea which has been divided since 1945. The diagram symbolises the homogenous race.
Tong-Il Tul Diagram
