DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Moo Duk Kwan is celebrating its 60th founding anniversary by hosting its biggest event in its history – the World Moo Duk Kwan Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa that will bring instructors and martial artists from five countries this June 13 to 19, 2025.
The Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa or High Rank Exams, will feature a week-long activity of intensive training, cultural exchange, and celebration of the Soo Bahk Do martial arts tradition. Instructors and practitioners from the United States, Australia, South Korea, Spain, and the Philippines will be participating in this global event.
The event will also pay tribute to the pioneers who brought the Korean martial arts to the Philippines in the 1960s and are now embraced by a new generation of master instructors.
Moo Duk Kwan, meaning “School of Martial Virtue,” is a Korean martial arts organization founded by Hwang Kee in 1945, who originally taught the martial arts style Tang Soo Do and later developed Soo Bahk Do.
The Philippine Moo Duk Kwan (PMDK) was formed on August 1, 1965, by Master Casimiro Grandeza in Bacolod City with the White Kimono Club. The White Kimono initially affiliated with the Japan Karate Do Association in the late 1950s, which drew the interest of Hwang Kee, who met Grandeza. After this encounter, the White Kimono was later affiliated with Moo Duk Kwan.
Since then, PMDK has established around 100 clubs over the years, with 15 remaining active and approximately more than 200 members. The Blue Warrior Moo Duk Kwan Soo Bakh Do and Black Cat in the Davao region have the highest number of members, with Mindanao as the center.
Kyosa Joyce Luda, a black belt holder and core group member of the PMDK, credits the continuous support of the people for the ongoing practice of Moo Doo Kwan in the country.
“The organization has become stronger amidst the setbacks. Challenges of competition and organizational concerns were surpassed because of the help of the people,“ said Angela Grandeza, an official of PMDK and granddaughter of Master Casimiro.
First time
The hard work of the PMDK now leads to its hosting of the Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa for the first time in many years.
“This is a historical event in our organization,” said Edgardo Grandeza, nephew of Master Casimiro, a Fifth Dan Black Belt holder and chair of the PMDK. He recalled that the Grand Master once visited the country in 1998.
Central to the week-long celebration are the Ko Dan Ja and Yu Dan Ja—formal examinations organized by the Grand Master that signify the transition of Moo Duk Kwan practitioners to higher levels of mastery.
Ko Dan Ja candidates, who are aspiring for senior ranks such as 3rd Dan and above, undergo an intensive six-day regimen of physical training, mental focus, and philosophical reflection. Their journey culminates in a final presentation on the seventh day, where they must demonstrate not only technical proficiency but also leadership qualities that are expected of high-ranking martial artists.
For Yu Dan Ja candidates, the examination focuses on the examiner’s knowledge of the values of Moo Duk Kwan, with an emphasis on precise technique and a deeper understanding of the art.
For the PMDK, 11 are aspiring to take the Yu Dan Ja and five for the Ko Dan Ja examinations.
Kyosa Angela Grandeza, a third-Dan black belt, will finally get to participate in the Ko Dan Ja after failing to attend the event in South Korea three times due to her visa being rejected.
Hosting the event in Davao gives Grandeza and other Filipino black belts the opportunity to join the Ko Dan Ja.
Three Filipino candidates are looking forward to reaching Cho Dan, the first-degree black belt. One of them is Keith Panganiban, who is motivated and also anxious about reaching his goal as an MDK practitioner.
Master Edgardo Grandeza emphasized their strictness in following the process of a full one-year training for practitioners to earn black belt status, as they call for practitioners to integrate Moo Duk Kwan values not just on the mat, but also into their lifestyle.
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Once in a lifetime
Students from Davao and other regions look forward to learning from international masters.
“This is the kind of opportunity you don’t think twice about. It’s a once in a-lifetime experience. Learning from masters of this level right here at home is something I’ll always be grateful for,” Blue Warrior student Mia Garrido said.
“It’s more than just training. It’s about growth, respect for tradition, and connecting with others who share the same passion.“
World Moo Duk Kwan international instructors who will lead the six-day Ko Dan Ja and three-day Yu Dan Ja (black belt) Shim Sa, as well as the three-day Moo Duk Kwan seminar, include:
- Sa Bom Nim Jared Rosenthal, USA TAC, 7th Dan
- Sa Bom Nim Craig Connor, Australia H.K.I, 7th Dan
- Sa Bom Nim Kim Wyles, WMDK TAC Zone 1, 6th Dan
- Sa Bom Nim Diego Salinas, WMDK TAC Zone 3, 6th Dan
The PDMK said more than 100 practitioners have registered for the three-day Moo Duk Kwan seminar, which focuses on advanced Soo Bahk Do techniques, philosophy, and application.
The Philippine hosting of the Moo Duk Kwan event is held in partnership with the Davao City Mayor’s Office, Agro-Industrial Foundation College of the Philippines, and The Royal Mandaya Hotel, the venue for key parts of the week-long activities. (davaotoday.com)
davao, Moo Duk Kwan
