A Seminar That Felt Like the Start of Something by Keith in the USA 🇺🇸

[HAEDONG]

A Seminar That Felt Like the Start of Something

Written by Keith Fentress, a representative of the USA HK Association

From September 18–20, 2026, our dojang in Sykesville hosted three days of testing, learning, and time together.

I came away with plenty to practice, a few sore muscles, and a stronger sense of what our Haedong Kumdo community could become.

Friday began with ten people taking their Dan tests. They came from Maryland, Ohio, Georgia, and Canada. The Sykesville Family Tae Kwon Do community showed up in force (WOW!).

It was one of the largest crowds I have ever seen at the dojang. Having that many people watch made me more nervous than I expected, but their support also gave me energy when I needed it (cutting the bamboo!).

After the test, we gathered at a local bar and restaurant. We shared stories, celebrated everyone’s effort, and enjoyed the easy camaraderie that comes when the hard part of the evening is finally over.

On Saturday and Sunday, Grand Master Kim led a seminar covering Ki Mu, Kukgums, healing, and forms.

With about fifteen participants, each of us had opportunities for direct feedback. Grand Master Kim could see the details of what we were doing—which was wonderful, even when I might have preferred that he miss a detail or two.

For me, the testing and seminar were ultimately about community. I have traveled to Europe twice for Haedong Kumdo seminars, and I hope to return, assuming they will have me.

I admire the connections practitioners there have built across countries. People travel to train together, and there are many experienced, high-ranking practitioners who can offer guidance and answer questions.

In the United States (and Canada), we are beginning that journey. It felt great to have people from four locations come together to test and train.

Everyone put in a lot of effort, but we shared plenty of laughs, too. The experience gives me hope that we can develop a strong Haedong Kumdo community in the United States.

As Grand Master Kim’s representative, I want to help build stronger connections among our schools and learn from the example our friends in Europe have set.

I am sure other JSKR HDKD communities around the world have lessons to share as well, and I hope to visit more of them as time and resources allow.

I was also fortunate to have Grand Master Kim stay at our home for a couple of days after the seminar. Each morning, we walked the dog in the fresh air and had good conversations about HDKD and life.

My family, one of my students, Jack, and I spent a day sightseeing with him in Washington, DC. We toured museums and enjoyed being together away from the dojang.

That evening, after we got home, Grand Master Kim asked Jack and me to put on our dobuks and cut bamboo in the rain.

It was not quite the relaxing end to a sightseeing day I had imagined, but it became one of my favorite parts of his visit. He watched closely and gave us detailed feedback on what we were doing well and what needed work. I know my cutting will improve because of that time with him.

We also had the chance to learn a portion of Star Hyung. Being among the first to learn something Grand Master Kim had developed was a privilege.

Grand Master Kim encouraged my wife and me to practice healing together using the needle and applicator. He gave us diagrams of the body and asked us to draw what we felt during each session. We have now done this for three days.

My experience has been a little different each day, and I am curious to see how our understanding develops over the coming weeks and months.
Grand Master Kim, thank you for a wonderful seminar and for the time you spent with us afterward.

I will do my best to apply the lessons you taught and the philosophy you shared. I hope these days will be remembered as another step toward the connected, supportive Haedong Kumdo community we can build together.

Lisa, Nick, Josh, Eli, Adam, Curtis, Justine, Dave (O Canada), Jack, Tae, Joshua, McKenzie, Tess, and Kate—thank you for being part of our USA HDKD community.

I look forward to training with you and seeing you all again at next year’s seminar, September 17–19, 2027.


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A Meaningful Beginning for the USA Haedong Kumdo Community

Comment by Grandmaster Kim Jeong Seong

미국 해동검도 공동체를 위한 뜻깊은 시작
김정성 총재 논평

Keith, thank you for sharing such a sincere and thoughtful reflection.

Your writing beautifully captures the friendship, training, and sense of community we experienced during the seminar.

I was especially pleased to see your commitment as my representative to building a stronger and more connected Haedong Kumdo community in the United States.

I will also write my own reflection to explain more deeply the meaning of breathing, Wavelength Practice, and Shin-Chim training that I hoped to share during this seminar.

The next USA seminar is scheduled for September 17–19, 2027. By then, I expect many more practitioners from across the United States to participate and many more students to take their Dan tests and become black belts.

I believe this year’s seminar was not simply an event, but the beginning of something much greater.

Thank you again to you, your family, and everyone who participated. I look forward to seeing an even stronger and more united USA Haedong Kumdo community next year.

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한국어

Keith, 진솔하고 깊이 있는 후기를 남겨주어 감사한다. 이번 세미나에서 우리가 함께 경험한 우정과 수련, 공동체의 의미가 당신의 글에 아름답게 담겨 있다.

특히 나의 미국 대표로서 더욱 강하고 긴밀하게 연결된 해동검도 공동체를 만들고자 하는 당신의 의지를 기쁘게 생각한다.

이번 세미나를 통하여 전하고자 했던 호흡과 파장운동, 신침수련의 의미를 더욱 깊이 설명하는 별도의 후기를 작성하려 한다.

다음 미국 세미나는 2027년 9월 17일부터 19일까지 개최될 예정이다. 내년에는 미국 전역에서 더 많은 수련생이 참가하고, 더 많은 사람이 유단자 심사에 도전하여 새로운 유단자로 탄생할 것으로 기대한다.

올해의 세미나가 단순한 하나의 행사가 아니라, 앞으로 더욱 큰 발전으로 이어질 새로운 시작이었다고 생각한다.

당신과 가족, 그리고 모든 참가자에게 다시 한번 감사한다. 내년에는 더욱 강하고 하나로 연결된 미국 해동검도 공동체를 만나게 되기를 기대한다.