Where does taekwondo come from?
Quick answer
Taekwondo comes from Korea. It developed in the 1940s and 1950s, combining traditional Korean fighting arts such as taekkyon with influences from Japanese karate, and was officially named in 1955. Known for fast, high kicks, it has been an Olympic sport since 2000.
What does “taekwondo” mean?
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tae (태) | To kick or strike with the foot |
| Kwon (권) | To strike with the fist |
| Do (도) | The way, or art |
So taekwondo means “the way of the foot and fist.”
How taekwondo developed
- Ancient timesKoreans practice martial arts such as taekkyon
- 1945After Japanese rule ends, several martial arts schools (kwans) open in Korea
- 1955The name “taekwondo” is adopted
- 1966The International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) is founded
- 1972The Kukkiwon headquarters opens in Seoul
- 1973The World Taekwondo Federation (now World Taekwondo) is founded
- 1988Taekwondo is a demonstration sport at the Seoul Olympics
- 2000It becomes a full medal sport at the Sydney Olympics
Belts
Taekwondo students progress through colored belts, often white, yellow, green, blue, red and then black, with stripes or levels in between, depending on the school. Black belt ranks are called dan.
Olympic taekwondo
- Fighters wear electronic body protectors and headgear that score hits automatically.
- Spinning kicks and kicks to the head score the most points.
- Matches use a best-of-three-rounds format.
- South Korea has won the most Olympic taekwondo medals.
Benefits
Taekwondo builds flexibility, balance, speed and self-discipline. Students learn poomsae (patterns of moves), sparring and breaking boards.
For more Korean culture, see what kimchi is and the first K-pop act to top the Billboard Hot 100. For Olympic records, see who has the most Olympic gold medals.
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