The Origin of Taekwondo | ART OF ONE DOJO

 

Known for its speed, power, kicks, and acrobatic techniques, Taekwondo has become one of the most popular martial arts, especially in competition. So in this article, we're going to take a quick look at the history and origin of Taekwondo. Now I just want to say that the Korean martial arts have an incredibly rich history, and I couldn't possibly include every detail in this article, so this is going to serve more as a nod of respect to those who practice the art, as well as provide a quick peek at its history for those interested in learning more.

Early Korean Martial Arts: Subak and Taekyeon

Taking a look back at early history, Korea was originally divided into three kingdoms, one in the north and two in the south, which took up the entire Korean peninsula and also part of what is China and Russia today. These three kingdoms formed a joint system of unarmed combat called Subak, and each one contributed their own specific techniques and teachings, often based on the terrain and environmental influences.

Subak flourished both in military training as well as culturally, becoming a very popular sport and form of entertainment. It is even said that the king practiced the art. Subak faded with the fall of the kingdoms and the rise of the Joseon dynasty.

During the Joseon period in Korea, there was an emphasis on literary and cultural arts over the physical combat of martial arts, and Subak lost its dominance and its practice was restricted to competition in sport. At some point during the Joseon dynasty, the art of Taekyeon emerged. Now there is a little bit of historical debate as to whether Taekyeon was a new art or simply Subak under a different name.

Taekyeon utilizes techniques to trip, throw, or take your opponent off balance. It emerged as a popular art and even remains today in competition and exhibition. Now there is a lot more history to both Subak and Taekyeon as well as several other arts, including the art of Gongdo, but hopefully this provides a little bit of historical foundation.

Hwang Ki and the Foundation of Modern Korean Martial Arts

In 1914, a man by the name of Hwang Ki was born and found a passion in the martial arts. He was said to have extensively studied and mastered Taekyeon during high school. Under the Japanese occupation of Korea, it is believed that many native Korean martial arts were banned or restricted, with Koreans having to train in the Japanese arts.

Ki seemingly had attracted the attention of Japanese authorities, so he sought out a new path and headed to China. While living in China, Ki claimed to have trained in the Chinese art of Yang Kung Fu, studying its effectiveness in close quarter combat. In addition to his native Korean roots and Chinese training, he also studied Okinawan Karate.

When the Japanese occupation fell at the end of World War II, Ki returned to Korea and became one of five founders of a new martial arts system. These schools, or Kwans, were established by martial artists that had a mixture of Japanese and Chinese influences. At the end of the Korean War, four more schools joined and together they make up the original nine Kwans and created the foundation of Tang Soo Do.

Each Kwan taught their own version of the arts and their influence and popularity spread quickly throughout Korea, even into the military. In 1952, the president of South Korea suggested that the Kwans be combined into a single unified art. The Kwans began to work together and call this art Tai Soo Do.

The Emergence of Taekwondo

Ki continued to develop his own teachings and his art of Munda Kwan Tang Soo Do went on to become one of the most dominant versions of the art. During the formation of this unified art, General Choi Hong Hai, and also one of the founding Kwans, suggested the name Taekwondo. Choi is often referred to as the founder of Taekwondo, although there seems to be some controversy to this and it's a topic of debate.

In 1959, the Korean Taekwondo Association was formed in order to complete the unification of the arts. Choi did not fully agree with the politics as the South Korean government did not want any inclusion of North Korean martial arts, while Choi felt that they should include all Korean arts. In 1966, Choi broke off and formed his own organization, the International Taekwondo Federation.

The South Korean government eventually dropped support of the ITF and Choi established headquarters in Toronto, Canada. In 1973, the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism established Kukilon, the official World Taekwondo Academy. Together with the KTA, they formed the World Taekwondo Federation in an effort to promote the art as an international sport.

Taekwondo's Global Expansion

In 1962, Taekwondo was introduced to America when Joon Gu Ri opened up his first American school in Washington, D.C. He is often recognized as the father of American Taekwondo. Taekwondo continues to flourish today with many different schools and variations and is currently only one of two Asian arts to be included as an Olympic sport. So that is the abridged version of the history and origin of Taekwondo.