K-Taekwondo: Pasadena Taekwondo Dojo Led by a 9th Dan

K-Taekwondo has moved its headquarters into Suite 100 at 1229 E. Colorado Blvd in Pasadena, and the new room already runs a full slate of children's belt classes, adult training and Friday sparring. The man in charge is Grandmaster Jin Ki Lim, a Kukkiwon 9th dan with a competition record from the early days of the sport, and newcomers can try two weeks of classes for $19 with a free T-shirt.

Grandmaster Lim's resume reads like a short history of competitive taekwondo. The school lists him as the 1980 Pro TaeKwonDo Asia Champion and a first-place finisher at the 1981 World Games, and it notes that he coached for the USA National Team in 2007. He was promoted to 9th dan by the Kukkiwon in 2019, and in 2026 he is serving as tournament director for the California International Taekwondo Tournament.

K-Taekwondo itself dates to 1992, according to the footer on its monthly calendars. The school also runs a sister studio on East Colorado Street in Glendale, and its website announces the Pasadena space as the new headquarters, now open.

Master Taehyung Lim teaches alongside the grandmaster. The team page describes him as a former member of both the USA and Korea national teams and a 6th dan Kukkiwon black belt. With two former national-level athletes on staff, the Friday sparring blocks get the kind of detailed coaching on footwork and scoring that competitive families look for.

The school follows World Taekwondo rules for its tournament work, the Olympic-style system with electronic body protectors and points for kicks to the trunk and head. Students who enjoy the sport side can move on to competition poomsae and sparring, while those who prefer a steady belt path can stay in regular classes for as long as they like.

The Pasadena class schedule for 2026 is built around belt-level groups. From Monday to Thursday, children's classes start at 4:00, 5:00 and 6:00 pm, each one for a different range of belts, and an all-belts adult class follows at 7:00 pm. Kids' classes cover ages four through thirteen.

Friday is sparring night, organized by age rather than belt. Children four to six spar at 4:00 pm, ages seven to nine at 5:00 pm, ages ten to thirteen at 6:00 pm, and adults close out the week at 7:00 pm. A regular membership includes two classes per week unless a student enrolls in a special program, such as the black belt preparation class or the nunchuck specials.

K-Taekwondo is one of the few schools in the area that puts its introductory pricing in writing. The Pasadena trial application offers two weeks for $19 or nine weeks for $99, both with a free T-shirt. For families who decide to stay, the school advertises that the first fifty students to enroll after a trial get 50 percent off, a discount that applies only to new one-year memberships.

Belt tests carry their own fee of $79, and the school adds a $5 late fee if payment is not made one week before testing day. To be eligible, a student must attend at least sixteen classes, show up in a clean dobok with the correct patches, and bring sparring gear from yellow belt upward. T-shirts are not allowed at testing, so plan laundry around the calendar.

The October 2026 calendar shows how busy the school is. It lists the CA Open tournament on October 3, an adult belt test on the evening of October 16 and the children's belt test the next day. A Halloween party is set for October 30 in Pasadena from 5 to 7 pm, an easy night for students to bring a friend in costume.

November brings a belt test at Pasadena on November 21. The school is closed for Thanksgiving from November 26 to 28, with no classes on those days, so families can plan travel without missing a session.

Families living between the two branches should start with whichever studio is closer to school or work, since both studios belong to the same school under Grandmaster Lim. Pasadena is the headquarters, so it is where the November belt test and the Halloween party are held, which makes it the natural home for students who want to be at the center of school events.

Use the two-week trial to try more than one class. Sitting in on a Monday belt class and a Friday sparring night gives a much clearer picture than a single visit, because the two sessions feel very different. Children who light up during sparring may be headed toward the competition path, while those who prefer precise movement often gravitate to poomsae.

For the first visit, wear athletic clothes and arrive early enough to fill out the trial application. Sparring gear is not needed in week one, but it becomes mandatory for testing from yellow belt up, so budget for a helmet, chest protector and pads within the first few months.

The studio sits on the stretch of Colorado Boulevard east of Lake Avenue, a few blocks from the Pasadena City College campus. After a Saturday visit, Caltech's tree-shaded grounds are a short walk south and make a quiet loop for a post-class stretch.

Old Pasadena, with its brick alleys and long line of restaurants and bookstores, is a quick drive west along Colorado. Theater lovers can catch a show at the Pasadena Playhouse, and on clear evenings the San Gabriel Mountains glow pink behind the boulevard as classes let out.

Address: K-Taekwondo Pasadena, 1229 E. Colorado Blvd, Suite 100, Pasadena, CA 91106. Phone: (818) 808-3456. Email: jktaekwondo@gmail.com. Trial: two weeks for $19 or nine weeks for $99, each with a free T-shirt. Testing fee: $79. Head instructor: Grandmaster Jin Ki Lim, Kukkiwon 9th dan. Founded: 1992.

Getting there: Metro A Line stations at Lake and Allen are each a short walk from the studio. Good fit for children and adults who want serious Olympic-style coaching with clear prices up front. Ask the Karpo APP for a ramen stop on Colorado Boulevard or to compare taekwondo schools across the San Gabriel Valley.