In the 1950s, Hwang Kee (founder of Soo Bahk Do) saw an example of traditional attire used in the Kokoryu and Shilla periods. From that point on, Soo Bahk Do has used the traditional do bok for training. An image of the do bok can be seen on the left. On the left is shown the attire used by men and on the right, the attire used by women. The deep, indigo (midnight blue) trim was not only expensive, but also a sign of knowledge.
Our school follows the Korean tradition. Dan members wear the midnight blue trim, which can be a symbol of their commitment to seek after knowledge. Midnight blue belts are also used in place of the more popular Japanese tradition–the black belt.
Belt System
Along with following the Korean tradition for our uniforms, we also have a very unique belt ranking system. Only 5 colors are used: white, orange, green, red, and midnight blue. Each color represents a season: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Orange was introduced in 1975 as a transitional period between winter and spring.