History of Taekwondo and the Korean Tradition

Introduction

Taekwondo is the national martial art of South Korea and one of the principal Olympic combat sports, with continuous documented practice from ancient Korean martial arts traditions through the modern Olympic Taekwondo tradition. The Taekwondo tradition has been shaped by Korean military tradition, Korean Buddhist religious tradition, and broader Korean cultural tradition. The modern global Taekwondo landscape is anchored by World Taekwondo (WT, originally the World Taekwondo Federation / WTF, established 1973), the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF, established 1966 by Choi Hong Hi), the Olympic Games (with Taekwondo at every Summer Olympic Games since 2000 Sydney as a regular medal sport), the World Taekwondo Championships (held biennially since 1973), the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series, various continental championships including European, Asian, Pan American, African, and Oceanian championships, and various national Taekwondo championships. This article surveys the full history of Taekwondo from ancient Korean martial arts traditions including Goguryeo Kingdom subak and taekkyon, the Silla Kingdom Hwarang warrior tradition, the Joseon Dynasty taekkyon revival, the post-World War Two kwan (school) period, the 1955 Choi Hong Hi naming of "Taekwondo," the 1959 Korea Taekwondo Association establishment, the 1961 Korean military Taekwondo establishment, the 1966 ITF establishment by Choi Hong Hi, the 1973 WTF establishment, the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games demonstration sport inclusion, the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games full medal sport inclusion, the modern Taekwondo competitive era, and the future of the global Taekwondo landscape.

Ancient Korean Martial Arts

Taekwondo extends from ancient Korean martial arts traditions, with earliest documented Korean martial arts references extending from at least the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE - 668 CE). The continued Korean martial arts tradition has produced extraordinary cultural developments through approximately 2,000 years. The Goguryeo Kingdom (37 BCE - 668 CE) established the ancient Korean martial arts tradition. Various Goguryeo tomb murals at the Muyongchong tomb (the Tomb of the Dancers at Tongguo, modern Jilin Province in China) include various depictions of Korean unarmed combat activities. The Silla Kingdom (57 BCE - 935 CE) Hwarang warrior tradition extended the ancient Korean martial arts tradition. The Hwarang ("Flowering Knights") training included various unarmed combat training, armed combat training, and broader cultural and philosophical training. The Baekje Kingdom (18 BCE - 660 CE) extended the ancient Korean martial arts tradition. Various subsequent Unified Silla Kingdom (676-935 CE), Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), Korean Empire (1897-1910), and Japanese colonial period (1910-1945) developments continued through subsequent decades. The subak ("hand fighting") tradition established the ancient Korean unarmed combat tradition. Various subsequent Goryeo Dynasty subak developments extended the subak tradition. The taekkyon ("foot technique") tradition established the ancient Korean foot-based unarmed combat tradition. The 1983 UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity recognition of taekkyon extended the taekkyon cultural recognition. The Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) taekkyon revival extended the taekkyon tradition. The 1798 Muyedobotongji ("Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts") publication by King Jeongjo extended the Korean martial arts cultural tradition.

Post-War Kwan Period

The post-World War Two kwan (school) period (1945-1955) established the modern Korean martial arts tradition. The 1944 Chung Do Kwan founding by Lee Won-kuk (the Korean martial arts master who had trained in karate under Funakoshi Gichin in Japan) established the principal modern Korean martial arts school. The continued Chung Do Kwan tradition through subsequent decades has continued. The 1945 Moo Duk Kwan founding by Hwang Kee (the Korean martial arts master) extended the principal modern Korean martial arts schools. The continued Moo Duk Kwan tradition through subsequent decades has continued. Moo Duk Kwan subsequently became the principal source of the subsequent Tang Soo Do tradition. The 1946 Yun Moo Kwan founding by Sang Sup Chun, the 1946 Chang Moo Kwan founding by Yoon Byung-in, and the 1946 Ji Do Kwan founding by Yon Kwae Byung extended the principal modern Korean martial arts schools. Various subsequent developments through subsequent decades have continued. The 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement and various subsequent Korean War recovery shaped subsequent Korean martial arts development. The 1953 Oh Do Kwan founding by Choi Hong Hi at the Korean Army headquarters established the principal modern Korean military martial arts school. Various subsequent kwan including Han Moo Kwan, Kang Duk Won, Jung Do Kwan, Bok Moo Kwan, and various others extended the principal modern Korean martial arts schools. Various subsequent kwan unification efforts through the 1950s and 1960s gradually consolidated the Korean martial arts under common organizational structures, though political differences between various kwan leaders persisted through the 1960s and 1970s. The Korea Taekwondo Association formed the principal organizational vehicle for unification efforts.

Choi Hong Hi and the 1955 Naming

Choi Hong Hi (1918-2002), the Korean martial arts master and Korean Army general, established the principal modern Taekwondo organizational tradition. The continued Choi Hong Hi tradition through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent decades. Choi Hong Hi's 1955 naming of "Taekwondo" (Tae "foot/jump" + Kwon "fist" + Do "way") established the principal modern Taekwondo name. The Choi Hong Hi 1955 name proposal at the Korean Taekwondo Naming Committee was driven by various subsequent Korean martial arts kwan unification efforts. The 1959 Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) establishment established the principal modern Korean Taekwondo governing organization. The continued KTA tradition through subsequent decades has continued. The 1961 Korea Taekwondo Association reorganization extended the principal modern Korean Taekwondo organizational tradition. The 1961 Korean military Taekwondo establishment established the principal modern Korean military Taekwondo tradition. The 1965-1973 Korean military Taekwondo demonstrations across various Vietnam War venues extended the Korean military Taekwondo international cultural prominence. The 1966 International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) establishment by Choi Hong Hi established the principal international Taekwondo governing organization. The 1966 ITF establishment in Seoul extended the principal international Taekwondo organizational tradition. The 1972 Choi Hong Hi defection to Canada shaped subsequent ITF developments. The 1972 Choi Hong Hi various subsequent political disagreements with the Park Chung-hee South Korean government extended subsequent ITF political developments. Various subsequent ITF developments through subsequent decades have continued.

WTF, ITF Split, and Olympic Inclusion

The 1973 World Taekwondo Federation (WTF, subsequently World Taekwondo from 2017) establishment in Seoul established the principal modern competitive Taekwondo governing organization. The continued WTF / World Taekwondo tradition through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent decades. The 1972-1973 ITF-WTF split established the two principal modern Taekwondo international governing organizations. Various subsequent ITF-WTF developments through subsequent decades have continued through subsequent decades. The 1973 inaugural World Taekwondo Championship at the Seoul Indoor Stadium established the principal modern World Taekwondo Championship tradition. Various subsequent World Taekwondo Championships principal winners including Korea (with the majority of World Taekwondo Championship gold medals), Iran, Chinese Taipei, Russia, Spain, France, Turkey, and various others have continued through subsequent decades. The 1980 IOC recognition of WTF established the principal modern Taekwondo Olympic Games consideration. The 1988 Seoul Olympic Games demonstration sport inclusion extended the principal modern Taekwondo Olympic Games tradition. The 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games Taekwondo demonstration sport inclusion (with the Taekwondo demonstration sport competitive events) established the principal modern Taekwondo demonstration sport tradition. The 2000 Sydney Olympic Games full medal sport inclusion established the principal modern Taekwondo Olympic Games tradition. The continued Taekwondo Olympic Games tradition through subsequent decades has continued. The 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Taekwondo gold medals were won by various athletes across various weight divisions. The 2000 Sydney Olympic Games men's Taekwondo gold medals included Mu Yen Chu of Chinese Taipei (the first Chinese Taipei Olympic gold medalist in any era), Steven Lopez of the United States, and various others.

Olympic Taekwondo and Modern Stars

The 2004 Athens Olympic Games Taekwondo events extended the principal modern Olympic Taekwondo tradition. The 2004 Athens Olympic Games men's Taekwondo gold medals included various winners across various weight divisions. The 2004 Athens Olympic Games women's Taekwondo gold medals included Hwang Kyung-seon of South Korea (the 4-time Olympic medalist) and various others. Hwang Kyung-seon, the South Korean Taekwondo athlete (born 1986), produced one of the most extraordinary individual Taekwondo Olympic careers in any era. Hwang's four Olympic Taekwondo medals (2004 Athens women's -67 kg silver medal, 2008 Beijing women's -67 kg gold medal, 2012 London women's -67 kg gold medal, 2016 Rio women's -67 kg bronze medal) established her as one of the principal Olympic Taekwondo athletes in any era. Steven Lopez, the American Taekwondo athlete (born 1978), produced one of the most extraordinary individual Taekwondo World Championships careers in any era. Lopez's five World Taekwondo Championships gold medals (2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2013) established him as one of the principal World Taekwondo Championships athletes in any era. Lopez's various Olympic Taekwondo medals (2000 Sydney gold medal, 2004 Athens gold medal, 2008 Beijing bronze medal) extended the Steven Lopez Olympic Taekwondo legacy. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Taekwondo events extended the principal modern Olympic Taekwondo tradition. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games men's Taekwondo gold medals included various winners across various weight divisions. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games women's Taekwondo gold medals included Hwang Kyung-seon of South Korea, Yu-Hyun Hong of South Korea, and various others. The 2012 London Olympic Games Taekwondo events extended the principal modern Olympic Taekwondo tradition. The 2012 London Olympic Games men's Taekwondo gold medals included Joel González Bonilla of Spain, Servet Tazegül of Turkey, Sebastian Crismanich of Argentina, and various others. The 2012 London Olympic Games women's Taekwondo gold medals included Wu Jingyu of China, Hwang Kyung-seon of South Korea, Jade Jones of Great Britain, and Milica Mandić of Serbia. The 2016 Rio Olympic Games, 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, and 2024 Paris Olympic Games Taekwondo events extended the principal modern Olympic Taekwondo tradition. Jade Jones, the Welsh-British Taekwondo athlete (born 1993), produced extraordinary results across the 2010s. Jones's two Olympic Taekwondo gold medals (2012 London women's -57 kg gold medal, 2016 Rio women's -57 kg gold medal) extended the British Taekwondo Olympic tradition.

World Taekwondo Championships and Grand Prix

The World Taekwondo Championships (held biennially since 1973) established the principal World Taekwondo Championships tradition. The continued various subsequent World Taekwondo Championships through subsequent decades have continued. Various subsequent World Taekwondo Championships venues across various global cities have continued through subsequent decades. Various subsequent World Taekwondo Championships principal winners including Korea (with the majority of World Taekwondo Championship gold medals), Iran (the 1990s-2010s Iranian Taekwondo tradition), Chinese Taipei, Russia, Spain (the 2000s Spanish Taekwondo tradition), France (the 2010s French Taekwondo tradition), Turkey (the 2010s-2020s Turkish Taekwondo tradition), United States, China, Great Britain, and various others have continued through subsequent decades. The World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series, established 2013, extended the principal World Taekwondo competitive tradition. The continued World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series through subsequent decades has continued. Various subsequent World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series venues across various global cities have continued through subsequent decades. The World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final (held annually since 2013) extended the principal World Taekwondo competitive tradition. Various subsequent continental Taekwondo championships including the European Taekwondo Championships, Asian Taekwondo Championships, Pan American Taekwondo Championships, African Taekwondo Championships, Oceanian Taekwondo Championships, and various others have continued through subsequent decades. Various subsequent national Taekwondo championship developments through subsequent decades have continued. The 2017 WTF rebranding to World Taekwondo (removing the "WTF" abbreviation due to cultural and social media concerns) extended the principal modern World Taekwondo organizational tradition. The continued World Taekwondo organizational developments through subsequent decades have continued.

Taekwondo Rules and Technique

The modern competitive Taekwondo rules include the court dimensions (8-meter by 8-meter octagonal mat for various amateur and Olympic Games competitive events), various player positions, the scoring system, various weight divisions, and various other principal modern competitive Taekwondo rules. The Taekwondo competitive scoring includes various technique scoring criteria including punch techniques (1 point), body kick techniques (2 points), head kick techniques (3 points), spinning kick techniques (4-5 points depending on body or head target), and various other principal modern Taekwondo scoring criteria. The Taekwondo electronic scoring system (introduced 2009-2012 across various major Taekwondo championships) extended the principal modern Taekwondo scoring tradition. Various subsequent Taekwondo electronic protector ("hogu") developments through subsequent decades have continued. Taekwondo techniques include various subsequent punches (the various jirugi techniques), various kicks (the various chagi techniques including the ap chagi front kick, the dollyo chagi roundhouse kick, the yop chagi side kick, the naeryeo chagi axe kick, and various other Taekwondo kicks), and various other principal modern Taekwondo techniques. The Taekwondo Poomsae ("forms") tradition establishes the principal modern Taekwondo educational tradition. Various subsequent Poomsae including the Taegeuk Il Jang through Taegeuk Pal Jang (the 8 Taegeuk forms for the gup ranks), the Koryo, Keumgang, Taebaek, Pyongwon, Sipjin, Jitae, Cheonkwon, Hansu, and Ilyeo (the 9 Dan rank forms) have continued through subsequent decades. The 2018 Poomsae World Championships establishment extended the principal modern Poomsae competitive tradition. Various subsequent Poomsae World Championships principal winners including Korea, Chinese Taipei, China, Iran, Spain, Russia, and various others have continued through subsequent decades. The Taekwondo Dan ranking system (1st Dan through 9th Dan, with the 10th Dan honorary rank) establishes the principal modern Taekwondo ranking tradition.

Taekwondo Globalization and Modern Era

The modern global Taekwondo circuit has substantially developed through subsequent decades. The continued World Taekwondo tradition through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent decades. Various subsequent international Taekwondo competitive developments through subsequent decades have continued through subsequent decades. Various subsequent Taekwondo globalization through subsequent decades has continued. Various subsequent Taekwondo spread to Europe, Americas, Australia, and various other countries has continued through subsequent decades. The 213 World Taekwondo member national federations (as of 2024) established the principal modern Taekwondo international cultural prominence. The Korean Taekwondo cultural diplomacy through subsequent decades has extended the cultural prominence of Taekwondo. Various subsequent Korean Taekwondo cultural exchange programs across various global cities have continued through subsequent decades. The Kukkiwon (Korean Taekwondowon, the principal Korean Taekwondo headquarters established 1972 at Seoul) established the principal modern Korean Taekwondo headquarters. The continued Kukkiwon tradition through subsequent decades has continued. The Kukkiwon various subsequent Taekwondo Dan certification, Taekwondo instructor training, Taekwondo demonstration team, and various other Kukkiwon developments through subsequent decades have continued. The 2023 Taekwondowon (Muju, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea) establishment extended the principal modern Korean Taekwondo cultural tradition. Various subsequent Para Taekwondo (Paralympic Taekwondo) tradition extended the principal modern Taekwondo tradition. The 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games Para Taekwondo inclusion (the inaugural Paralympic Taekwondo medal sport) established the principal Paralympic Taekwondo tradition. Various subsequent Taekwondo broadcast tradition through subsequent decades has continued. Various subsequent Taekwondo Refugee Athlete Team participation at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and various other Olympic Games and Taekwondo events extended the principal modern Taekwondo humanitarian tradition.

The Future of Taekwondo, Conclusion, and Sources

The future of Taekwondo faces a series of significant questions in the third decade of the twenty-first century. The continued World Taekwondo development, the continued various national federation development, the continued broadcast development, the continued globalization of the Taekwondo talent pool, the continued Para Taekwondo development, and the continued equipment developments will all continue to shape the Taekwondo landscape. The continued World Taekwondo development will continue through subsequent decades. Various subsequent World Taekwondo Championships, World Taekwondo Grand Prix Series, World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final, Olympic Games Taekwondo, Paralympic Games Para Taekwondo, and various other competitive events will continue through subsequent decades. The continued national federation development will continue through subsequent decades. Various subsequent Korean, Iranian, Chinese, Chinese Taipei, American, Spanish, French, Turkish, British, Russian (subject to various subsequent Russian and Belarusian sanctions following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine), and various other national Taekwondo federation development will continue through subsequent decades. The continued globalization of the Taekwondo talent pool will continue through subsequent decades. Various subsequent European, American, Asian, African, Oceanian, and various other Taekwondo athlete developments will continue through subsequent decades. Individual Taekwondo figures will continue to shape the Taekwondo tradition. The continued careers of various national Taekwondo federation administrators, various individual Taekwondo athletes, various individual Para Taekwondo athletes, and many others will continue to shape the Taekwondo legacy. Taekwondo will continue to evolve. The continued World Taekwondo development, the continued national federation development, the continued broadcast development, the continued globalization, the continued Para Taekwondo development, the continued equipment developments, and various other changes will all continue to shape the Taekwondo landscape through subsequent decades. Yet the basic principle of Taekwondo — the fundamental art of competitive Korean martial arts that has underpinned the Korean cultural tradition since ancient Korean martial arts traditions — has shaped the Korean cultural tradition for more than 2,000 years and shows no sign of fading. Sources include: Stuart Anslow, From Creation to Unification: The Complete History of Taekwon-Do (CreateSpace, 2014); Steven D. Capener, The Korean Path to Modernity: Taekwondo's Cultural and Political Roots (University of Hawaii Press, 2013); Choi Hong Hi, Taekwon-Do: The Korean Art of Self-Defence (ITF, 1965, various subsequent editions); Marc Tedeschi, Taekwondo: Traditions, Philosophy, Technique (Weatherhill, 2003); Doug Cook, Traditional Taekwondo: Core Techniques, History, and Philosophy (YMAA Publication Center, 2006); BBC Sport coverage, bbc.co.uk/sport (records and archives); World Taekwondo archives, worldtaekwondo.org (records and rankings); ITF archives, itftkd.org (records); Kukkiwon archives, kukkiwon.or.kr (records).