My 10-year-old son has been attending K Taekwondo for just over a year, and we couldn't be happier…read morewith the experience! Grand Master Lim and ALL the instructors are amazing--patient, encouraging, and truly dedicated to helping each student grow both in skill, confidence and discipline. We've seen such positive changes in our son's focus, discipline, and self-esteem since he started. The classes are well-organized, energetic, and fun, while still maintaining a strong sense of respect and structure. It's clear that the school cares deeply about each child's progress, both on and off the mat. If you're looking for a Taekwondo program that builds character as much as it teaches martial arts, K Taekwondo is the place to be!

I have 2 kids (9 and 8) who wanted to learn martial arts. I tried researching Karate vs Taekwondo…read morevs Hapkido and really could not decide what would be best. We randomly stopped by K Taekwondo on a Saturday (they were doing belt testing) and the kids loved what they saw. They have a really nice intro package (something like 6 weeks and free uniform for 40 dollars) and the kids enjoyed it from the get go. They have been going now for 3 months and overall the experience has been great. The instructors are great and the Grand Master is amazing. Kids look forward to the weekly classes (2 classes per week) and we are impressed by all they have learned to date. Would definitely recommend, for kids and teens and adults alike (they have a separate adults class).

Kim's Hapkido is an awesome place! My son started at the South Pasadena location when he was 5. But…read moreafter only 3 months, the Covid pandemic shut down everything. Afterwards, at age 8, he had his second start and has been learning Hapkido for nearly 4 years now. He enjoys it a lot. This school is a wonderful place to learn self-defense, develop self-confidence and how to stand up to bullies, practice discipline and respect, and forge friendships. Master Kim and every single instructor are great with the kids (and adult students, too!). Hapkido as a martial art combines kicking, striking, throws, grappling and joint locks into a very effective self-defense system. While these techniques might seem scary and, as a parent, one might be concerned about injuries during practice, there is no reason to worry at Kim's Hapkido. The entire team of instructors is patient and skilled, and safe instructions have priority. In all the years watching my son practice, I've never witnessed an accident or unsafe instructions, including during the sparring sessions. Kim's Hapkido employs a neat belt system, with about 13 different belt colors and stripes from white to black belt. While these many steps are more than what you typically have in other martial arts, they provide an effective motivational tool to keep attending practice. Achieving the next level belt color is based on performance and an official exam (with board breaking!), and each kid is immensely proud when they are awarded the new belt. No belt is given merely based on the time spent in the dojang, but rather is awarded based on the merits of having learned the respective set of techniques. By now, my son has climbed up the belt ranking by 10 steps, and each successful passing of a belt exam represents a wonderful highlight that nurtures his self-confidence and personal growth. The adult classes at the South Pasadena location usually are 8-15 in size, whereas the kids' classes are larger, depending of the day of the week. However, in all classes there are always multiple black belt instructors available; therefore the teacher-to-student ratio is excellent; during the detailed technique portion of the class, safe and personalized instructions are assured. My son attends practice 2-3 times per week (depending on his soccer practice), plus 1 sparring session in addition. The sparring sessions are restricted to intermediate + advanced students and require the wearing of well-padded sparring gear (hitting the head is prohibited!). The gender distribution is about 50:50, and it is great to see how girls hold their own during sparring; a valuable lesson to learn for the boys! Another clever concept is Master Kim's Star Program, where kids can earn small, star-shaped merit badges for their uniform, based on achievements outside of Hapkido (such as in school or church or another sport). Some of the kids wear over a dozen of them as a proud display of their varied accomplishments during their young lives! This is one more example of how thoughtful this place is with regard to instilling a sense of achievement in its students. Despite its location in the heart of South Pasadena with its high rental costs, Kim's Hapkido has managed to keep its membership fees fair and affordable, which I appreciate. The studio is nicely spacious and there is a designated seating area for the parents in case they want to stay during class and observe (or read a book). Parking is easy and free; there is street parking along Fair Oaks Ave, dedicated parking behind the studio, and a large lot behind the Canoe House across the street.

I highly recommend Kim's hapkido! The teachers are excellent. They instill discipline and respect,…read morebut do it in a compassionate way. My son spent about a year and a half there and is much more confident. He achieved his yellow belt with a lot of work and practice. The kids learn self defense abd get good exercise in a fun, safe environment

Take your kids here if you want them to learn discipline and respect. It's a great environment for…read moreall ages and the instructors are extremely friendly. They offer Traditional Taekwondo and Sparring is on Thursdays. Can't recommend this place enough!

Hello my name is aidan thong from taekwondo for 1 years l am a yellow stripe l am really loud l am…read moreconfident And l am good at kick and hand technique l am also really good at form 5 and 6 l love my teacher and grand master park and they have the goodness park in the world the restroom is good and the have kicking bags and punching bags this the world cutest martial arts, tae kwon do karate from South Korea or North Korea things that master Park who did this in the 1974 I think so bye-bye guys I love karate I've been here since one year so bye-bye

The coaches here are all fantastic. I have two daughters in separate aged classes and they have…read morelearned so much, not only in jiu jitsu but in becoming better people. Coach Marco is a wizard at getting the kids to pay attention and grasp what is being taught. The kindness, safety, and combined knowledge is ever present here and I am so grateful we all train at this gym. My wife and I also train and continue to get better with every class. As someone that spends A LOT of time here, believe me when I say this is the gym you are looking for. It is more than just a place to learn, it can be a great community as well. Hearing some of the talks to the kids before class starts is inspiring. Coach Marco is like a violent Mr. Rogers in a Gi.

If you have children and haven't been to SBG SoCal, check it out!…read more We have toured all the major jiujitsu studios in Pasadena and none can match it in cleanliness, teacher:student ratios and quality of instructions. Coach Marco and his team really know how to teach and empower kids. Not only do the kids learn jiujitsu and other martial arts, they also learn life lessons. Marco has been a life coach for my son. Teaching him about humanity, friendships, bullying and respect. And it's super clean which I appreciate. If you are searching for a jiujitsu experience with both quality instructions and amazing instructors that care for your children, then check it out. I've learned how to properly execute gentle, yet firm, parenting, just by watching Marco in action. I also want to add that Marco and his team are heroes. During the Eaton Fire, they were helping displaced kids, housing them at the gym, and subsidizing dozens of kids' jiujitsu membership because of their loss. Kindness at its finest. A++++++

Kim's Hapkido is an awesome place! My son started at the South Pasadena location when he was 5. But…read moreafter only 3 months, the Covid pandemic shut down everything. Afterwards, at age 8, he had his second start and has been learning Hapkido for nearly 4 years now. He enjoys it a lot. This school is a wonderful place to learn self-defense, develop self-confidence and how to stand up to bullies, practice discipline and respect, and forge friendships. Master Kim and every single instructor are great with the kids (and adult students, too!). Hapkido as a martial art combines kicking, striking, throws, grappling and joint locks into a very effective self-defense system. While these techniques might seem scary and, as a parent, one might be concerned about injuries during practice, there is no reason to worry at Kim's Hapkido. The entire team of instructors is patient and skilled, and safe instructions have priority. In all the years watching my son practice, I've never witnessed an accident or unsafe instructions, including during the sparring sessions. Kim's Hapkido employs a neat belt system, with about 13 different belt colors and stripes from white to black belt. While these many steps are more than what you typically have in other martial arts, they provide an effective motivational tool to keep attending practice. Achieving the next level belt color is based on performance and an official exam (with board breaking!), and each kid is immensely proud when they are awarded the new belt. No belt is given merely based on the time spent in the dojang, but rather is awarded based on the merits of having learned the respective set of techniques. By now, my son has climbed up the belt ranking by 10 steps, and each successful passing of a belt exam represents a wonderful highlight that nurtures his self-confidence and personal growth. The adult classes at the South Pasadena location usually are 8-15 in size, whereas the kids' classes are larger, depending of the day of the week. However, in all classes there are always multiple black belt instructors available; therefore the teacher-to-student ratio is excellent; during the detailed technique portion of the class, safe and personalized instructions are assured. My son attends practice 2-3 times per week (depending on his soccer practice), plus 1 sparring session in addition. The sparring sessions are restricted to intermediate + advanced students and require the wearing of well-padded sparring gear (hitting the head is prohibited!). The gender distribution is about 50:50, and it is great to see how girls hold their own during sparring; a valuable lesson to learn for the boys! Another clever concept is Master Kim's Star Program, where kids can earn small, star-shaped merit badges for their uniform, based on achievements outside of Hapkido (such as in school or church or another sport). Some of the kids wear over a dozen of them as a proud display of their varied accomplishments during their young lives! This is one more example of how thoughtful this place is with regard to instilling a sense of achievement in its students. Despite its location in the heart of South Pasadena with its high rental costs, Kim's Hapkido has managed to keep its membership fees fair and affordable, which I appreciate. The studio is nicely spacious and there is a designated seating area for the parents in case they want to stay during class and observe (or read a book). Parking is easy and free; there is street parking along Fair Oaks Ave, dedicated parking behind the studio, and a large lot behind the Canoe House across the street.

If you're looking for a good martial arts school and organization to send your kids to this is the…read moreplace. They have studios throughout southern California and are a pretty reputable and established hapkido family and organization. I studied under the founder at the Alhambra studio 30 years ago and his son at the Pasadena studio along the same timeline. I'm probably the oldest/longest Red-Black student/practitioner in their history which is probably the longest running joke. But now is probably the time to pass that torch on and I have three kids currently attending and learning the same things I did during my time there. My favorite memory from the old days was of when the head sparring instructor at the time "Red" was teaching defense against kicks and I raised my hand and asked what if your opponent kicks so fast you can't defend against their kicks. He invited me to demonstrate a kick like that against him. Me being the idiot I was, took his challenge. Except it probably didn't work out the way he planned, because I ended up hitting him so fast and hard with a roundhouse kick (after he told me to go for it) that the sound echoed across the studio before he could blink and his arms grasped empty air while my foot was already back on the ground before he could even react. I remember the stunned look on his face and the gallery of people at that moment and the words, "well okay, for the rest of us that can't kick like that, we need to practice this." He then proceeded to pummel me with his superior height and range in the sparring bouts that ensued later that night. Lol, those were good times and some of my fondest memories in life. If you ever see a tired old guy with a red-black belt hanging around from time to time, it might be that I'm still there keeping up the legend.

Very satisfied with everything here, from the instructors to the cleanliness of the facility and…read moreeverything they teach the kids. We loved Grand Master Han! My son is 4 years old and he absolutely loved it as well, it improved his flexibility, strength, confidence and discipline. I was sad that we had to take him out due to us moving out far. Highly recommended!!

Very impressed how this place in run. Grand Master Han runs a clean facility pushing kids to learn…read morenot only Ta Kwan do but also responsibility, discipline, respect and the value of commitment. All of which have built confidence in my son. This is not a play place but a a tightly run ship that we are so thankful to be part of.

We have tried Ideal Martial Arts when my son was around 4.5 years old. He loved the trial and we…read moresigned up for 2 months. Out of those 2 months, we did maybe 3-4 lessons and he absolutely was not having it. He was crying the entire time and did not want to engage. The masters tried everything they could to get him comfortable but nothing worked. Fast forward a year later, we gave it a try again and now he loves it. Same masters, always patient and kind. I would 100% recommend it.

We are on our second month at martial arts and my kids absolutely love it. The masters are great…read morewith small kids and have a great way to teach them and keep them involved.

We came here for several years before the penedemic. Master Alex was always funny, with a big smile…read moreon his face and lots of fun to be around. Kids loved him. Only best memories left of the master and his style of teaching.

It is very convenient for doing karate exercise and confidence of using a fist to practice fighting…read morewith other teammates