What is Taekwondo?

Image Reference: Nizam Uddi@Wikimedia

Taekwondo (태권도) is a popular Korean martial art and a global sport. Over the course of its 5000 years of history, Korea has developed many different forms of martial arts. Among martial arts developed in Korea, Taekwondo is the modernized version. It became an Olympic sport in 1988 and is now a global sport that 80 million people around the world practice.

Taekwondo roughly means the way of fist and foot. Kukkiwon, the official Korean Taekwondo organization, defines Taekwondo as a martial arts sport in which practitioner train with the purpose of self-defense and self-fulfillment. It focuses on strengthening both body and mind.

In Taekwondo, practitioners attack and defend with bare hands and feet, not using weapons. The most defining characteristic of Taekwondo as a martial art is its kicking technique. Taekwondo uses different kinds of quick and powerful kicks.

Image Reference: @Wikimedia

According to Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquarters, the root of Taekwondo comes from many martial arts developed throughout Korean history. During the three-kingdom era (around 18 BC ~ 936 AD), precursors of Taekwondo, formally known as ‘Taekkyeon’ and other names, were actively trained by martial arts masters. ‘Subakhi’, another precursor name of Taekwondo, is frequently quoted in documentations of the Goryeo Era (918 ~ 1392) with recordings of the king’s high interest and respect for martial art. The practice of Subakhi continued to the modern era of the Joseon Dynasty (1392 ~ 1897) until the Japanese invasion. Despite the oppression during the Japanese colonial era, Taekwondo restored its former glory after the liberation by martial arts masters who had secretly protected the knowledge.

Taekwondo is a great exercise for increasing one’s stamina, strength, and flexibility. It also highlights self-restraint and act of rightfulness which benefits the growth of one’s mind and ethics.