The Tae Kwon Do Belt System starts from 9th Kup and ends at 9th Dan. Nine is the sum of the five components (from the theory of Ohaeng Sol that describes the birth and death of all lives through interaction of the five components: fire, water, wood, metal, and soil), the heaven, the earth, Yin (Um) and Yang. The Kup system in Tae Kwon Do descends from 9 to 1, whereas the Dan system ascends from 1 to 9. This system stems from the eastern belief that all life forms descend from the heaven, live on earth, and return to where they came from. In the decimal system, 9 is also the highest number.

The belt rank are ordered as follows:

White (means "Purity, Innocence, a Beginning")

Orange (means "A New Dawn")

Yellow (means "The Earth, Foundation of Learning")

Green (means "Seed Planted in the Earth")

Blue (means "The Sprout Reaching Toward Heaven")

Purple (means "Royalty")

Purple Trim (same as purple)

Brown (means "The Ripening of the Plant/Tree)

Red (means "Danger")

Black (means "Maturity, Striving for Perfection" or "Impervious to Fear and Darkness")