The History of Taekwondo

Few martial arts have travelled from their country of origin to become as recognizable around the world as Taekwondo.

Today, millions of people practice Taekwondo in dojangs across virtually every continent. Children learn their first kicks and forms, adults continue training for decades, and elite athletes compete for Olympic medals.

But Taekwondo's history is more complicated — and more interesting — than simply saying it is an ancient Korean martial art.

The modern martial art called Taekwondo emerged in Korea during the 20th century, while its development was influenced by much older Korean martial traditions, Japanese martial arts and the social and political history of Korea.

Understanding that history helps explain how Taekwondo became both a martial art and one of the world's most widely practiced combat sports.

Before Taekwondo: Korea's Martial Traditions

Korea has a long history of unarmed martial arts.

Historical records describe Subak, a form of bare-handed combat that was practiced during Korea's medieval period. Records from the Goryeo and Joseon periods describe various forms of unarmed fighting, military training and martial contests.

Another tradition frequently associated with the history of Korean martial arts is Taekkyeon, a traditional Korean practice characterized by distinctive footwork, flowing movements and kicking techniques.

These traditions are important to the story of Taekwondo, but it is important not to treat them as though modern Taekwondo simply existed under another name hundreds or thousands of years ago.

The history is more complicated.

Modern Taekwondo developed from a combination of Korean martial traditions and influences that emerged during the 20th century. Kukkiwon itself describes Taekwondo as a martial art and sport that was formed and developed in Korea, while acknowledging the influence of both Korean traditions and foreign martial arts.

The Japanese Occupation and a Changing Martial Arts Landscape

One of the most important periods in understanding modern Taekwondo is the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.

During this period, Japanese martial arts were introduced and practiced in Korea, including Judo and Kendo. Some Koreans also studied martial arts in Japan, including karate.

At the same time, Korean martial traditions continued to exist in different forms.

This period created an important crossroads.

When Korea was liberated in 1945, martial artists began establishing schools that combined different experiences and influences. These schools would become known as kwans.

The Five Kwans

Following liberation, a number of major martial arts schools emerged in Korea.

Kukkiwon identifies the period immediately after liberation as the beginning of modern Taekwondo, with the establishment of the major early kwans and the development of techniques that increasingly emphasized Korean characteristics, including kicking.

Among the important early schools were:

Chung Do Kwan

Moo Duk Kwan

Song Moo Kwan

Kwon Bop Moo Duk Kwan

Yun Moo Kwan

These schools did not initially teach one completely standardized martial art.

They had different instructors, philosophies, techniques, terminology and influences.

This is one reason the early history of Taekwondo can be confusing. There wasn't a single school called Taekwondo that suddenly appeared one day.

Instead, modern Taekwondo developed through the gradual consolidation of several Korean martial arts schools.

Where Did the Name "Taekwondo" Come From?

The word Taekwondo is generally translated as:

Tae — foot or kicking

Kwon — fist or hand

Do — way or path

Together, the name can be understood as "the way of the foot and fist."

The term "Taekwondo" emerged during the 1950s as efforts were made to unify the different Korean martial arts schools.

One of the most commonly cited figures in this part of the story is General Choi Hong Hi, who played a major role in promoting the name.

In 1955, the name Taekwondo was formally proposed and adopted in Korea.

This was a major turning point.

The name gave the emerging Korean martial art a common identity.

The Road Toward Standardization

The next challenge was bringing the different schools together.

In 1961, the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) was established as part of the effort to unify Taekwondo organizations.

Standardization gradually followed.

Promotion testing became increasingly centralized, competition rules developed, and the techniques and forms used in training began to become more consistent.

In 1963, Taekwondo sparring was included as an official event at Korea's National Sports Festival.

And Taekwondo was beginning to leave Korea.

During the 1960s, Korean instructors helped spread the art throughout Asia, Europe and North America.

The martial art that had only recently been consolidated within Korea was becoming an international phenomenon.

Kukkiwon: The World Taekwondo Headquarters

Another major milestone came in 1972, when Kukkiwon opened in Seoul.

Kukkiwon was established as a central institution for the development, promotion and standardization of Taekwondo. Today, it describes itself as the World Taekwondo Headquarters.

Kukkiwon became particularly important for the development of what is commonly known as Kukkiwon or Kukki-style Taekwondo, which became closely associated with the international sport system.

In 1973, Kukkiwon hosted the first World Taekwondo Championships.

That same year, the World Taekwondo Federation was established. The organization is now known as World Taekwondo (WT).

Taekwondo was no longer simply a collection of Korean martial arts schools.

It was becoming an organized international martial art and sport.

Taekwondo Goes Global

By the 1970s and 1980s, Taekwondo was expanding rapidly around the world.

Korean instructors travelled internationally to establish schools and teach students. National associations formed in countries across Asia, Europe, North America, South America and elsewhere.

The kicking techniques that became one of Taekwondo's defining characteristics made the art visually distinctive.

High kicks.

Spinning kicks.

Jumping kicks.

Fast combinations.

Precise footwork.

Taekwondo was becoming recognizable even to people who had never stepped inside a dojang.

And competitive Taekwondo was developing alongside the traditional martial art.

From Demonstration Sport to Olympic Sport

Taekwondo's Olympic journey is one of the most important chapters in its modern history.

Taekwondo appeared as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and again at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

The sport then took another major step forward.

In 1994, the International Olympic Committee confirmed Taekwondo as an official Olympic sport beginning with the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

At Sydney 2000, Taekwondo athletes from around the world competed for Olympic medals for the first time as an official medal sport.

That transformed the public perception of Taekwondo.

A Korean martial art that had emerged only a few decades earlier had become an Olympic sport.

Taekwondo Today

Modern Taekwondo exists in several different forms.

For some practitioners, it is primarily a martial art focused on self-defense, discipline, technical development and personal growth.

For others, it is a competitive sport, with athletes specializing in sparring and competition.

For many students, it is a combination of both.

Training can include:

Kyorugi — sparring and competition fighting

Poomsae — formal patterns of techniques

Kicks and strikes — the technical foundation that gives Taekwondo much of its distinctive character

Self-defense

Breaking

Physical conditioning

Discipline and personal development

The emphasis varies between organizations, schools and instructors.

That diversity is part of Taekwondo's modern identity.

The Black Belt Is Only the Beginning

One of the most recognizable symbols of Taekwondo is the black belt.

But the significance of the black belt goes well beyond the colour of the belt itself.

A practitioner earning a black belt has typically spent years learning techniques, forms, sparring, physical conditioning and the traditions of their school.

More importantly, the journey requires consistency.

Students have to keep training when progress feels slow.

They have to learn from mistakes.

They have to develop control.

They have to respect their instructors and training partners.

And they have to keep showing up.

That is one of the reasons martial artists often describe the black belt not as the destination, but as the beginning of a deeper stage of training.

From Korean Dojangs to the World

The history of Taekwondo is ultimately a story of transformation.

It draws on a much older Korean martial culture, but the modern art took shape in the aftermath of Korea's liberation in 1945.

It developed through the kwans.

It was given a unified identity.

Its organizations were consolidated.

Its techniques and competition systems were standardized.

Kukkiwon helped establish an international framework.

Korean instructors carried it around the world.

And eventually, Taekwondo stepped onto the Olympic stage.

Today, someone can walk into a dojang in Seoul, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Los Angeles, London or virtually anywhere else in the world and begin learning an art whose modern history was shaped in Korea only a few generations ago.

That is a remarkable journey.

From Korean martial traditions to the modern dojang.

From local schools to a global martial art.

From the dojang to the Olympic Games.

That is the history of Taekwondo.

A Note on Taekwondo's History

You will sometimes see Taekwondo described as a martial art that has existed continuously in essentially its modern form for thousands of years.

The reality is more nuanced.

Korea has an ancient and significant martial arts history, including traditions such as Subak and Taekkyeon. However, the organized martial art known today as Taekwondo developed primarily during the 20th century, particularly after 1945.

Recognizing that distinction doesn't diminish Taekwondo's history.

If anything, it makes the story more remarkable.

In only several decades, Taekwondo went from a collection of Korean martial arts schools to one of the world's most recognizable martial arts and an Olympic sport.

And its story is still being written.