who we are
Our philosophy
We are a group of Song Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do Grandmasters & Masters who have banded together to spread Song Moo Kwan throughout the Greater Cincinnati area. We are a traditional Tae Kwon Do School where we believe Tae Kwon Do is an Art of Self Defense.
grandmaster jeffrey schare
9th Dan
President of Cincinnati Song Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do Association
President of the World Song Moo Kwan Federation
President of the United States Song Moo Kwan Federation
Grandmaster Jeff Schare is an 9th Dan Black Belt in Song Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do. GM Schare began his martial arts journey in 1972 at the age of nine years old under GM Il-Kwon Kim. GM Kim was a direct student of SGM Byung-Jick Ro, the founder of Song Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do. GM Schare was able to train with SGM Ro on several occasions in the 1970s. Another student of GM Kim, GM Ray Witte, took GM Schare under his wing and guided him up through the ranks. GM Witte was and continues to be a major influence in GM Schare's life. GM Schare has also trained in Hapkido and Shotokan Karate. GM Schare is a two-time Ohio State AAU Tae Kwon Do Champion and a Medalist in numerous National competitions.
GM Schare is a retired Homicide Detective with the Cincinnati Police Department, a Licensed Private Investigator in the State of Ohio and a certified expert in street self defense and police defensive tactics. GM Schare was one of the homicide detectives featured on the A&E show "The First 48" and the Identification Discovery channel show “The Real Murders on Elm Street”.
Tae Kwon Do Timeline:
* September 1972 - Began training in Song Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do under SGM Il-Kwon Kim, a direct student of SGM Byung-Jick Ro, the Founder of Song Moo Kwan* March 1975 - Promoted to Temporary 1st Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* April 1977 - Promoted to 1st Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* September 1981 - Promoted to 2nd Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* September 1985 - Promoted to 3rd Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* March 1990 - Promoted to 4th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* June 1995 - Promoted to 5th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* March 2000 - Promoted to 6th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* July 2006 - Promoted to 7th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Hwa Chong and GM Karl Stolberg * July 2014 - Promoted to 8th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Hwa Chong * August 2015 - Established Cincinnati Song Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do Association * August 2015 - Established United States Song Moo Kwan Federation* September 2015 - Established World Song Moo Kwan Federation* July 2018 - Promoted to 8th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Joon-Pyo Choi and WSMKU *July 2018 - 8th Dan Black Belt certified by AAU Taekwondo * July 2018 - 8th Dan Black Belt certified by the United States Black Belt Federation *August 2018 - 8th Dan Black Belt certified by the United Taekwondo Association * July 2023 - Promoted to 9th Dan Black Belt; certified under World Song Moo Kwan Federation Board of Examiners * July 2023 - 9th Dan Black Belt certified by the United States Black Belt Federation * June 2024 - Established Cincinnati Taekwondo Grandmasters Society
Tae Kwon Do Timeline:
* September 1972 - Began training in Song Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do under SGM Il-Kwon Kim, a direct student of SGM Byung-Jick Ro, the Founder of Song Moo Kwan* March 1975 - Promoted to Temporary 1st Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* April 1977 - Promoted to 1st Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* September 1981 - Promoted to 2nd Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* September 1985 - Promoted to 3rd Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* March 1990 - Promoted to 4th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* June 1995 - Promoted to 5th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* March 2000 - Promoted to 6th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Il-Kwon Kim and Song Moo Kwan* July 2006 - Promoted to 7th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Hwa Chong and GM Karl Stolberg * July 2014 - Promoted to 8th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Hwa Chong * August 2015 - Established Cincinnati Song Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do Association * August 2015 - Established United States Song Moo Kwan Federation* September 2015 - Established World Song Moo Kwan Federation* July 2018 - Promoted to 8th Dan Black Belt; certified under SGM Joon-Pyo Choi and WSMKU *July 2018 - 8th Dan Black Belt certified by AAU Taekwondo * July 2018 - 8th Dan Black Belt certified by the United States Black Belt Federation *August 2018 - 8th Dan Black Belt certified by the United Taekwondo Association * July 2023 - Promoted to 9th Dan Black Belt; certified under World Song Moo Kwan Federation Board of Examiners * July 2023 - 9th Dan Black Belt certified by the United States Black Belt Federation * June 2024 - Established Cincinnati Taekwondo Grandmasters Society
A tribute to senior grandmaster ray witte
9th Dan
Grandmaster Witte has trained for over 60 years and I have had the pleasure of training with him my entire time in the Martial Arts. I have watched Grandmaster Witte over the years mentor and develop many martial artists.During the late 80's through the 90’s Grandmaster Witte was the primary person at I.K.Kim Tae Kwon Do to handle all promotions and tournaments and black belt classes.There are many students who consider Grandmaster Witte to be their primary instructor or at least senior instructor. Most of these martial artists have started from white belt and have been guided along their martial arts path by Grandmaster Witte. I have listed a few of the senior most students that make up this group of Martial Artists.
Grandmaster Jeff Schare – 9th Dan
Grandmaster Don MacFarland – 8th Dan
Grandmaster Raymond Fay – 8th Dan
Master Cecil Dye - 7th Dan
Master Patrick Brown - 7th Dan
Master Milt Proctor – 5th Dan
Master Ken Fender – 5th Dan
Master Carmen Nyswonger – 5th Dan
Ms. Gayle Nyswonger – 4th Dan
Mr. Jason Phillips – 4th Dan
Grandmaster Witte brings practical experience to his teaching of the Martial Arts. He is currently a retired Cincinnati Police Sergeant and during his active years, Grandmaster Witte was the Physical Fitness/Defensive Tactics Instructor. With this responsibility as well as his years walking a beat in some of the roughest areas of Cincinnati, he has an understanding of practical application that is unsurpassed.
GRANDmaster raymond fay
8th Dan
master patrick brown
7th Dan
Master William ZImmer
6th Dan