Il-Do Taekwondo

Il-Do Taekwondo is a Taekwondo school founded by Grandmaster Chang Jin Kang in Santa Ana, California, in 1980. It later moved to Irvine, where the Irvine school opened in 1991, and the school describes itself as the first Taekwondo school established in Irvine.^[1][3] The name "Il-Do" translates as "One Way".^[2]

Locations #

• Heritage Plaza: 14220 Culver Dr #D, Irvine, California 92604, near Mitsuwa. Phone (949) 551-1800.^[1][2]
• Elite Fitness Taekwondo, Woodbury Town Center: 6254 Irvine Blvd, Irvine, California 92620, near Trader Joe's. Phone (949) 387-9888. Il-Do's website lists it as the second of its "two convenient locations", and it has its own page: Elite Fitness Taekwondo.^[1][4]

A third location, at University Center in Irvine, has since closed.

Instruction and lineage #

Grandmaster Kang leads the school and holds the rank of 9th degree black belt.^[2] He trained directly under Ro Byung-jick, the founder of the Song Moo Kwan.^[1] His page covers his competition record, military service, rank history and community work.

University program #

Kang created the first bachelor's degree program in Taekwondo at Concordia University, which the school describes as the first institution to offer such a degree outside Korea.^[2] He also taught Taekwondo as the official P.E. class at CREAN Lutheran High School in 2010.^[3] His page has the details.

Certification #

The school certifies students through World Taekwondo and the Kukkiwon, and its website carries a "Kukkiwon certified" banner.^[1][4]