As a father, I can honestly say there is no better place to take your children if you want them to…read moredevelop coordination, confidence, discipline and respect. My kids LOVE it here, the staff is nice, master Hernandez is so patient and fun with the kids I wouldn't take them anywhere else!

Brought my daughter here earlier this year and she has loved every moment of her time here! Master…read moreChung and his instructors have a good balance of discipline and kindness, which helps out a lot, especially since my daughter goes to class after school and usually has lower energy. After only a few months, I've seen her significantly improve in technique and energy. I highly encourage anyone interested in having their kids practice martial arts to check them out!

Excellent Dojang. Master Victor and his instructors are top notch and very good at what they do. I…read morewouldn't send my children anywhere else to train Taekwondo!

Great instructors focusing on character growth in addition to taekwondo moves. So glad our son…read moreloves it here

We've been part of this Taekwondo school for about a year now, and the growth we've seen in our…read more6-year-old son has been incredible. Before joining, he would get easily distracted and often gave up quickly when things became difficult. Over time, we've seen a big improvement in his focus, resilience, and patience. He now sticks with challenges instead of giving up, and he's learning how to stay calm and manage his emotions better when things don't go his way. These are skills that have helped him not only in Taekwondo but also in everyday life. The instructors and masters are very understanding, patient, and supportive. They take the time to guide each child and provide the encouragement they need to grow both physically and mentally. We're very grateful to be part of this community and highly recommend this school to any parents looking for a positive and supportive environment for their kids.

Master Steinhauser and his instructors are so great with the students. They are firm and demand…read morerespect, but make the atmosphere fun and the school an enjoyable place to learn. The school is very unassuming, in the back of a business park. It makes you feel welcome and not pressured at all. Like training in your living room. This is a great place for everyone, from the very young to the, shall we say, wiser students to learn the art of Taekwondo. Bonus: the school is very reasonably priced. Great for parents with kids who have multiple hobbies; it won't break the bank.

I am a female who started Southern CA TKD Academy at 39 years old.! Never thought I could complete…read morethis very important life lesson. The best thing I've ever done for myself! The instructions for direction, strength, discipline, protection for myself and loved ones were excellent. It's amazing what we can do for ourselves, disabled or not. I was never disappointed and thrilled with the instructors while learning from masters of this true direction. This art is for all ages, the children get better grades and self esteem. Young adults and older adults get better jobs while learning a well driven life. I am forever grateful!

This post is in response to Christina P's 11/2025 review…read more I am a studio parent who was present for this "final incident" referenced by Christina P. and whose child was directly involved, I felt it was important to add some context because I feel this parent's comments are retaliatory. The initial poster failed to include details of what happened. The children had been participating in a relay race followed by a pizza party. This poster's child was frustrated because my son, who is still developing his gross motor skills, was not fast enough for her and she felt he caused their relay team to lose. In response, she had a meltdown and threw pizza at my child's face. She is a sweet girl and I understand that children have big feelings at this age, but it's also true that actions have consequences. She did not apologize to him afterward, and in Taekwondo, integrity and respect are core values we take very seriously. This academy is first and foremost a discipline-based martial arts center, not a daycare, play gym, or therapy environment. The expectations for behavior, emotional regulation, and respect are part of the reason many of us choose this school. We want our children to learn structure, resilience, responsibility, and how to manage disappointments in safe and appropriate ways. Master Cynthia handled the situation exactly the way an experienced martial arts instructor should. She calmly removed the child from the group, asked her to sit with her parent, and invited her to return when calm. Poster's child was never left to cry alone. This is simply not true. With 10-15 young children in the room and food being served, this was the safest and most reasonable response. It is not the instructor's job to provide emotional counseling during class, and in a martial arts environment, stepping out to reset is a normal, age-appropriate boundary. I also want to speak to the comment about the school not being a "safe place." I have never once felt unsafe bringing my child here -- actually, the opposite is true. This academy has been one of the most positive, consistent, and community-oriented places in my son's life. We have students at the studio who began at age 3 or 4 and are now teenagers with black belts. I am incredibly proud to watch these kids grow into disciplined leaders in their schools and communities. Children are raised here. Families stay for years. That doesn't happen in a place that is unsafe or neglectful. Master Cynthia is a fifth-degree black belt who has spent over 30 years teaching children. She is firm, fair, and exceptional with young students. She sets boundaries with love, holds kids accountable, and teaches them values that matter: integrity, respect, self-control, and responsibility for their actions. These are qualities I want in the person teaching my child martial arts. The children absolutely love her and she has been an incredible influence in my young child's life as well as many of the other kids at our studio. I am sorry this family had a difficult moment. But from a fellow parent who witnessed the incident and whose child was affected, I feel strongly that this review does not reflect the reality of what happened, nor does it reflect the culture, safety, or professionalism of this school. Our experience here has been overwhelmingly positive, and I would recommend this academy without hesitation.

Our family had a deeply disappointing experience at this Taekwondo academy, particularly under…read moreMaster Cynthia, whose approach is not suited for working with young children. The instruction our 6 year received relied on threats, exaggerated consequences, and punitive language that caused unnecessary distress. We went here for over a year. We encouraged being reprimanded for inappropriate behavior for our child, hoping for it to be a good learning environment. We were wrong. During our last and final incident, our daughter was told to "get out" of class and that she was going to be "fired", an alarming choice of words for a six-year-old. She cried alone on the mat until the Grandmaster stepped in and we left, and there was no follow-up from her instructor to check on her wellbeing or help her learn from the situation. The written response we later received after we terminated our contract only reinforced the lack of child-development understanding and professionalism. As a family, we do not feel safe with our young children being instructed by Master Cynthia. She is dismissive at best. Additionally, the facility is worn down, the bathrooms are consistently smell and dirty, and the overall environment feels neglected--concerning for a children's athletic space. We can't recommend this academy. Families looking for a supportive, developmentally appropriate martial arts program should look elsewhere.

Our kids have been training at Victory TKD for over 5 years now. We're proud to say that Victory…read morehas been a very positive, and enriching part of their lives. Especially now that they're both teenagers. Martial arts training has kept our kids in shape, and it's also helped them focus in school. We're very thankful that Grand Master Kim, Master Chad, Master Iszack and Instructor Cristina are a part of the community here at Whittier. If you're looking for a martial arts studio for your child to train, come on in. The student's accomplishments, and the studio's long history at Whittier speaks for itself.

So grateful for Grand Master Kim and all the staff at Victory Taekwondo. My son is on the…read more spectrum part of their adaptation special needs program. The staff is so patient and great with the kids. My son is also learning important life lessons and skills on his level in a safe environment. Can't say enough about how amazing the staff is here. Everyone goes above and beyond and beyond for each of the students. Victory Taekwondo is the best.

My son has been attending for a few months now and actually loves it. They teach discipline,…read morerespect and most important love. They also focus on teaching correct posture and form so if you want to learn the correct way, Hanmi TKD is the place.

Highly recommended! My kids have been coming here for the past 8 years. The training is effective…read moreduring class and at home. The grand master and instructors treat all the kids like family. I couldn't be happier!

We love Elite taekwondo! My son has been going here for a while now. We see lot of positive change…read morein him. He became more responsible at home (small things like, making his bed, cleaning up and help mom etc.). Weekly chorus- behavior book is working out great! He loves taekwondo classes specially sparring! Schedule works out great for us. Also love the stuff there. Master Choi is really great with kids. It's such a wonderful location for our community!

We have had a wonderful experience with Elite Fitness Taekwondo in Irvine. My daughter started here…read morewhen she was about 4 years old, and she is now 7. Over the past few years, we have seen tremendous growth in her confidence, discipline, and perseverance. In the beginning, she wasn't very interested, and there was a point when she even wanted to quit because the forms were becoming more challenging. I spoke with Master Choi about it, and he was incredibly supportive. The instructors slowed down the form practice to help her better follow along. With patience, encouragement, and consistent practice, she eventually mastered it -- and that moment was incredibly meaningful for her. Now, my daughter proactively practices her forms on her own, and Taekwondo has become part of her daily life. Through Taekwondo, she has learned not only physical skills, but also important life values: never giving up, respect, discipline, and self-control. Master Choi, Master Tracy, and all the black belt instructors consistently reinforce these lessons. They are firm when needed, but always kind and encouraging. You can genuinely see that they care about each child's growth. What I appreciate most is seeing the kids truly enjoy the classes while learning in a positive environment. We are very grateful to be part of ILDO TKD and highly recommend Elite Fitness Taekwondo to other families.