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Quick
Andrew Quick

Zach Gregory

ENG 1201

28 April 2021

To Embrace

The History, Advantages, and Techniques of Taekwondo

Taekwondo, “Tae meaning “to kick” or “smash with the feet,” Kwon implies “punching”

or “destroying with the hand or fist,” and Do means “way” or “method.”(Morris). The art of

Taekwondo is known throughout the world, though many do not know how this art came about.

Taekwondo intrigues many, but what is it that catches the eye? Taekwondo has multiple

histories, though the most known might be the Taek-Kyon claim. With its intensive exercising

the martial art increases health, mobility, flexibility, strength along with many more.

Taekwondo has many challenges, may it be the drive to continue in a grueling exercise, or

push through that last stretch, it tests your body, as well as your mind.
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Taekwondo is an ancient art, having its origins dating back to 50 B.C. or what Koreans

call the “Golden Age.” During this period there were three ruling: kingdoms, Silla, Kogurgo and

Paekche. At this time there was much fear from invaders, which caused a high respect for martial

warriors and the military. A group called the Sunbae were created in the kingdom of Kogurgo,

with the purpose of protecting and preserving the country. The group allowed anyone who could
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prove themselves worthy to climb their ranks. This was the beginning of the ancient Taekwondo.

(Cook, 8)

Map of the Three Kingdoms (Cook, 8)

warriors that are credited with the growth and spread of Taekwondo throughout Korea”(Morris).

The Silla Lemin or Hwarang, were the sons of royals and high-ranking officials. The Hwarang

studied literature, different drawing arts, along with martial arts. They practiced two native arts,

kwonbop and Subak(also known as Taek-Kyon). These warriors were bound by a deep honor

code, consisting of loyalty to the country and restraint in battle. The Hwarang would also repair

the kingdom while not in battle.(Cook, 9) Later the three kingdoms would be united under Silla

in 670 A.D. with much of Silla’s battle success attributing to the Hwarang(Morris).

During this period the ancient Taekwondo art was called Taek Kyon, and was used by the

military for training their troops, while the under-class-men used it as a game, which was

“reminiscent of a traditional Korean mask dance”(National). Starting in 668 A.D. the Silla

dynasty ruled until 935 A.D. During their rule Taek Kyon was changed to Subak being mostly

used as a sport and recreational activity. In 935 A.D. the Koryo dynasty started its rule. Koryo is

derived from Koguryo and is also where Korea was derived. At this time Subak changed its

focus again back to fighting. In 1397 the Yi dynasty took over. This was the first dynasty that

allowed the martial art to be used specifically for fighting outside the military. As time past the

art became scarce and almost went extinct, with the introduction of gunpowder and other battle

inventions taking precedence.(Cook, 11)

Dating back to the three kingdoms period, Japan had been a thorn in the side of Korea,

with pirates attacking the Sillian country. Attacking the country, Japan swept through with

158,700 troops, while the Koreans tried to organize. Korea’s salvation would come in the form

of a man named Admiral Sun Shin Yi, also who the last dynasty would be named after. It was Yi

who would go on to defeat the Japanese, with his cunning wit and invention of the kobukson.
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The kobukson was the first iron clad ship, dominating the seas and being an essential instrument

to Koreas victory. Yi would go on to expel his life while leading his soldiers in the battle. (Cook,

11-12)

In 1910 Japan invaded Korea again, this time being successful. In an attempt to control

the populous, Japan band military arts, the Korean language, along with any book written in

Korean. This caused a surge of people learning Subak and other martial arts in secret, some even

traveled to China or Japan itself to learn martial arts. When Korea was liberated in 1945 those

who had learned martial arts wished to further the discipline, which started a rise in schools all

over the country “each claiming to teach the original”(Morris). It wouldn’t be until 1960 that the

Kwans, as the schools were called, would be unified under Choi Hong Hi. This is were “the

history of Taekwon-Do begins with the name of one single solitary individual: Choi Hong-

Hi”(Matthews). The beginning of the modern Taekwondo had begun. In Matthews “The True

History of TaeKwon-Do” the story of Choi Hong-Hi unfolds, causing the history of Taekwondo

to come alive.

Choi Hong-Hi was born in Myongchon, North Korea on November 9, 1918, growing up

under the control of the Japanese. While still in his early years Hong assisted in protests against

the unjust control, this caused Hong to be expelled from his school in Kwang Ju. Seeking to have

his child educated, Hongs father placed him with a local teacher, who instructed him in

Calligraphy and Chinese Classics. A little later he was sent to a Calligraphy master by the name

of Han Il-Dong. Han would go on to introduce Hong to TaekKyon, starting his martial arts

journey(Matthews).

Continuing his academic endeavors, Hong traveled to Japan, where he also studied

Karate. He claimed to have received a II Degree Black Belt, though the degrees are not
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confirmed for any of the Kwan founders. At this time Koreans were compelled to joined the war

for Japan, this caused Hong to be conscripted into the war. Once completing his training Hong

was assigned to Pyongyang Korea, where he join a secret Korean group to overthrow the

leadership. The group was eventually betrayed and convicted. Scheduled for execution on

August 17, 1945, Hong was spared August 15, 1945, the end of World War Two(Matthews).

General Hong-Hi (Matthews)

Having the Kwans unified in 1960, started the rise of a truly Korean martial art. Hong

was made the president of the newly formed Korean Taekwondo Association(KTA), propelling

his dream of the Korean art. As Taekwondo was developed poom-se was created for the art.

Poom-se was a series of moves, kicks, punches and such, to instill in the student reflexes for an
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encounter. To separate Taekwondo from Karate the KTA made two major distinctions for the

martial art. Taekwondo implemented full contact sparring, increasing the use of legs and feet

throughout. Fist attacks to the face were prohibited. These distinctions solidified the art as its

own, cutting ties from Karate.

As Taekwondo matured and became its own, two variations of the martial art emerged,

Taekwondo the martial art and Taekwondo the sport. Because of these two sections of

Taekwondo much discussion over the future of Taekwondo was made. Eventually all the

disagreement caused Hong to move his ITF, International Taekwondo Federation, formed in

1966 with the goal of spreading Taekwondo to the world, to Canada. With Hong gone, the KTA

moved to focus on the sport side of Taekwondo, becoming the World Taekwondo Federation in

1973. The WTF is the only international association recognized in Korea. The WTF would go on

to focus most of its efforts in the sport of Taekwondo. In 1988, the first Olympic demonstration

was preformed in Seoul Korea. In 2000, Taekwondo was recognized as an official sport in the

Olympics, starting a new period for Taekwondo.

With the early years of Taekwondo credited to Hong, it would be Dr. Un Yong Kim who

was responsible for the growth and acceptance of Taekwondo as a world sport. (Cook, 29) Kim

was born in Seoul, Korea on March 19, 1931. After serving during the Korean War, Kim would

go on to graduate from Texas Western College, mastering Spanish and English. Returning home

to become a diplomat, Kim would receive his doctorate in 1963 at Yonsei University, and later in

1965 be “appointed representative to the 20th United Nations General Assembly”(Cook, 29)

In 1967, an instrumental decision was made for Taekwondo. Orchestrated By Dr. Un

Yong Kim, a group of Taekwondo instructors immigrated to the United States, with the goal of

starting an unique competition. Eventually known as the First Universal Open Championship, the
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competition would feature martial arts from all around the world, something that had never been

done before. Going on to be a large success, the event would host over two thousand spectators

and four hundred and fifty competitors. The competition would be an annual event, continuing

for an entire decade through the efforts of Dr. Kim and Grandmaster Chun.(Cook, 29-30)

Dr. Kim would go on to become the president of the Korean Taekwondo Association

(KTA) in 1971, eventually being the president of the newly formed World Taekwondo

Federation (WTF) in 1973. Through the efforts of Dr. Kim and others, Kukkiwon was created

and built, which would serve as the headquarters for the WTF. Built in 1972, the Kukkiwon

building was equipped with management offices, lockers, sparring mats, and a museum. The

building would not only serve as the headquarters, but also a place for teams from around the

world to come and test their skills. Dr. Kims dream of a world recognized sport was coming

alive. (Cook, 31-32)

History is an essential part to understanding what makes Taekwondo, but it’s what

happens in the dojo that interests many people. From kicking to punching, to exercises,

Taekwondo has much to offer. For many years Taekwondo has been focused on enhancing the

body. From the round house to the ax-kick, Taekwondo incorporates a variety of kicking, maybe

even having the most variety, in the martial arts. The martial art has a large emphasis on

flexibility. It is even said the Taekwondo practitioners are among the the most limber people in

the world. Taekwondo students are also known as some of the best kickers, with such a focus on

the leg it is not surprising. The most important factor in Taekwondo is the self-defense aspect.

The art trains one to “recognize situations in which physical self-defense may be

necessary”(WMAA), this allows one to control situations to their advantage.

reflexes, even how one thinks. With the training of Taekwondo it allows one to strengthen the

mind and body, by disciplining the mind and coordinating the body (WMAA). Muscle tone and

strength are increased with “Isometric and dynamic tension exercises”(WMAA), flexibility is

practiced with simple stretching exercises. The Taekwondo processes will lead to a longer and

happier life.

In a study of what Taekwondo does to the brain it was discovered that “Taekwondo

training improved body intelligence and brain connectivity from the cerebellum to the parietal

and frontal cortex.”(Kim) The study tested BIS(bispectral index), ALFF(amplitude of low-

frequency fluctuation), and FC(cardiac frequency) on students of Taekwondo and those that were

not. The results showed that the TKD students expressed higher BIS scores. This demonstrated

that those that practice TKD have an increased sense of body function to energy within. It was

also shown that emotional control was increased. The ALFF tests showed similar results, having

high right frontal precentral gurus, which means they had high sense of space and time(Kim).

Taekwondo is made up of many complex philosophies, with so many different cultures

practicing the art it is not surprising. With that said most traditional Taekwondo practitioners

agree on five basic tenets.

Five Tenets of Taekwondo

English Korean
Courtesy Ye Ui
Integrity Yom Chi
Perseverance In Nae
Self-Control Guk Gi
Indomitable Spirit Baekjul Boolgool
(Cook, 37)
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Traditional Taekwondo is meant as a self defense art, along with a way of life. The tenets

presented are determined to lead one done a path of respect for others, in turn receiving respect.

One of the most exiting parts of Taekwondo is certainly the techniques, and so here are a

few techniques that one can try. Front Kick; this kick is the basic kick that everyone starts

learning. To preform this kick you start by placing a leg behind you, after which you bring your

knee forward and kick in a 45 degree angle pulling your toes back so as not to jam them. Round

House: another basic kick this one is a powerful kick to the side of an opponent. For this kick

you will stand in what is called guard stance. To enter guard stance one simply stands with both

feet facing the side, make sure you have your hands up and are looking forward. Now to perform

the round house, you take your back leg and bring your knee up in front of you and turn it to the

side. While doing this you should turn your front leg so the foot is pointing the same way your

knee is. It can’t be stressed enough to turn your front leg. If you don’t you can damage your front

leg. Turn your leg!

Some really fun kicks to try are the adobon and the back kick. First the back kick is

exactly what it sounds like it is. Stand in a guard stance again, just like the round house. Next

turn your front foot heal towards your target. After which you turn your head towards the side

that your back leg is on, you should feel a little twisted up. Lastly, release the back leg by

kicking straight back. Done in a swift motion this kick can be quite devastating. The adobon is a

personal favorite, and really fun if mastered. Again stand in guard stance. Though this time the

leg that will be kicking is the front one. Pick up your back leg and turn towards your back,

placing your back leg down in front of your other leg. Next kick with your leg that is now in the

back, pretty much being a round house. The fun comes once you start doing the kick with speed,

gathering force as you spin. Another fun thing to try with the adobon is the flying adobon. To
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perform this kick perform a normal adobon, but instead of setting your leg down in front of the

other keep it up, bringing it over to the side, and switch feet while it is still in the air. This is a

extremely fun kick to preform, and a kick that will leave a mark.

(Matthews)

Taekwondo is truly a treat to behold, having a rich history of dating back to 50 B.C.

Surviving through many different rules, and changing with the times to be something that sticks

with the people. Taekwondo boasts many advantages, from superb kicking, to great flexibility, to

values that with lead you throughout life, it will leave a mark on any practitioner. It wouldn’t be

Taekwondo without its techniques, each martial art has its signature style, and Taekwondo is no

exception. Taekwondo is easily distinguished by its focus on kicking and restraint against attacks

to the face. As time goes on people will always look to martial arts for exercise, defense, or even

confidence, and Taekwondo will be there for them to embrace.

Works Cited

Cook, Doug. “Traditional Taekwondo: core techniques, history, and philosophy.” YMAA
Publication Center, 2006.

Kim, Young Jae et al. “The Effects of Taekwondo Training on Brain Connectivity and Body
Intelligence.” Psychiatry investigation vol. 12,3 (2015): 335-40.
doi:10.4306/pi.2015.12.3.335

Matthews, Justin. “The True History of TaeKwon-Do: If there was no Chi Hong-Hi there would
be no Taekwon-Do.” TaekKwonDo Times, June 12, 2019,
https://taekwondotimes.com/news/2019/06/the-true-history-of-taekwon-do-if-there-was-
no-choi-hong-hi-there-would-be-no-taekwon-do/.

Morris, Glen. “The History of Taekwondo.” World Martial Arts Academy, 1994,
http://www.worldtaekwondo.com/history.htm.

National Geographic. “Taekwondo: Reflections of Korean Spirit.” YouTube, uploaded by

UDO MOENIG, and KIM MINHO. “The Invention of Taekwondo Tradition, 1945-1972: When
Mythology Becomes ‘History.’” Acta Koreana, vol. 19, no. 2, Dec. 2016, pp. 131–
164. EBSCOhost, doi:10.18399/acta.2016.19.2.006.

World Martial Arts Academy(WMAA). “Taekwondo Benefits.” World Martial Arts Academy,
http://www.worldtaekwondo.com/benefits.htm. Accessed 15, Mar. 2021.