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Where did Taekwondo originate?
Short Answer: Korea
Like most martial arts it was developed as a way for people to learn how to defend themselves. The Taekwondo we know today has evolved over thousands of years. “Taekwondo originated in Korea more than 2,000 years ago, evolving from ancient self-defense practices developed during the Three-Kingdoms Era. Although the name Taekwondo was coined in the mid-20th century to describe the modern art of hand and foot techniques, its roots can be traced back to Taekkyon, a traditional Korean martial art.” Before 1955 Taekwondo had gone by many names, but in an attempt to unify the sport the name “Taekwondo” was officially adopted in 1955.
Taekwondo translates to “The way of the Hand and the Foot” and focuses on using both hand and feet to defend yourself. Taekwondo is known for it’s powerful dynamic kicking. It made it’s first appearance in the Olympics in 1988 as a demonstration sport and again in 1992. But on September 4th, 1994 it was officially included as an Olympic Sport as a full medal sport. However, it was not included in the 1996 Olympic games, but instead made it’s first appearance as a full medal sport in the 2000 Olympics.
Before taekwondo was officially established there were a couple of founding schools (or “Kwan”‘s). They were:
- Chung Do Kwan
- Moo Duk Kwan
- Song Moo Kwan
- Ji Do Kwan
- Chang Moo Kwan
- Yun Mu Kwan
After World Ward II, many new martial arts schools opened mixing martial arts from other countries like Japan and China. In 1959 the Korean Taekwondo Association (KTA) was created. This was the first time the kwans had united and their goal was to create a single korean martial art. However, in 1966 one of the kwans (led by General Choi Hong Hi) wanted everyone to adopt his personal style of taekwondo. When he received resistance, he broke off from the KTA and created his own association known today as the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF). He eventually exiled himself from Korea and took ITF with him. In 1972, the Kukkiwon was created as a National Academy for Taekwondo. The following year (1973), the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) was crated. They later changed their name to just World Taekwondo (WT) because of the meaning WTF had come to mean. Their focus in creating the WT was to promote sparring internationally and take it to the olympics. Although some of the kwons initially followed ITF, the majority of them eventually joined the Kukkiwon style.
Taekwondo in America
Taekwondo first came to America in the 1950s. It was initially taught to military personel on base. The art grew siginificantly as Korean immigrants started opening their own schools. Jhoon Rhee is often called “The Father of American Taekwondo” as he is credited with teaching members of Congress in 1965. He originally came from the Chung Do Kwan in Korea, later adopted the ITF style, and eventually created his own style the Jhoon Rhee Taekwondo System. Haeng Ung Lee moved to Nebraska in 1962 opening his own school. In 1969 he co-founded the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) with his friend and former student Richard Lee. H.U. Lee also originally came form the Chung Do Kwan in Korea, but after immigrating to America, developed his own style known today as the Songahm Style. The ATA eventually adopted this style and now exclusively follows it.
The creation of the US Taekwondo Federation in 1963 and the World Taekwondo Fedration in 1973 helped formalize the sport over time. The WT is the most followed taekwondo organization. The major difference between WT and ITF is that WT associates with the Kukkiwon in South Korea. They certify ranks and it serves as a central hub for the standards of WT. In ITF, each faction has it’s own system for certifying ranks.
Here at Beyond Sports Taewkondo, we associate with the Kukkiwon and WT. The benefit of this is it is globally recognized. Once you get to Black Belt, we certify your rank through Kukkiwon in Korea. This means that you could go anywhere in the world and still be recognized as a black belt. Although there may be differences in every school you go to, we do our best to align with the core moral principles, which are the five tenets of Taekwondo: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, and Indomitable Spirit. When we first opened, we would state these tenets as part of every class. However, we noticed that students – particularly younger students – didn’t quite understand what all these big words meant. So in 2018 we developed our Student Creed. The Creed states each tenet, gives a definition, and a way we can apply it into our lives. Our creed is as follows:
Beyond Sports Taekwondo Student Creed
By living the following principles, I develop my mind, body, & spirit to become my best self:
Courtesy
“Being respectful and considerate of others.”
I always show respect for myself, my family, and my community.
Integrity
“Doing what is right even when no one is watching.”
I choose what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy.
Perseverance
“Never giving up.”
I pick myself up each time I fall. I can do hard things.
Self Control
“Doing the right thing at the right time.”
I only use what I learn to protect, defend, and keep my environment safe.
Indomitable Spirit
“Always believing in myself.”
I can do anything I set my mind to. I am a positive example for everyone around me.
I go Beyond my limitations and by doing so, lead the way for others to follow.
I am a force to be reckoned with.
Our mission at Beyond Sports Taekwondo is to give as many people as possible the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to be their best selves. And that is what we strive for each day in our Taekwondo classes. We have classes for all ages 3 and 1/2 and older. And we have seen a huge difference in the lives of our students since implementing this creed. We hope that as you go about your day, that you can apply these principles, and watch it change your life.