Grandmaster Jeff Schare is a 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
* 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
*August 2025 – 9th Dan Black Belt Certified by the United Taekwondo Association
*January 2026 – Elected President of the United Taekwondo Association