23/03/2026
Philippine Taekwondo: The Geup Ranking System
White Belt:
The entry-level rank for all beginners.
Symbolism: Represents innocence and the "pure" state of a student who has no prior knowledge of Taekwondo.
Yellow Belt:
The first step of progression after the white belt.
Symbolism: Represents the earth or the sun’s nutrients, signifying the foundation being laid and the seed of knowledge beginning to take root.
Blue Belt:
An intermediate rank signaling steady progress.
Symbolism: Represents the sky toward which the growing plant reaches, indicating that the student is moving toward higher levels of training.
Red Belt:
An advanced rank that requires significant discipline.
Symbolism: Represents danger. It is a warning for the student to exercise self-control and for others to be cautious of the practitioner's developing power.
Brown Belt:
In the Philippines, this is often the final color rank before the black belt.
Symbolism: Represents the trunk of the tree or the ripening of the plant, signifying stability, maturity, and readiness for the ultimate test of mastery.
Black Belt (Dan/Poom):
The highest level of the Geup system, transitioning into the Dan ranks.
Symbolism: The opposite of white; it represents the mastery of all previous colors and a maturity that is impervious to darkness or fear.
