Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a legendary martial art that has its origins in early Korea. It literally means the way (do) of kicking with the foot (Tae) and striking with the hand (Kwon). Although there is much debate on the actual date of origin of modern day Taekwondo, its roots can be traced back to the early history of the Korean Peninsula. Each of the three kingdoms of early Korea conducted warrior's martial arts contests during their ritual seasons. At that time, people learned techniques from their experiences of fighting others. It is believed that these contests were the true grounding of today's Taekwondo, whose name descended from "Subak" and "Tae Kyon".

The main feature of Taekwondo is its inherent free-fighting combat nature emphasizing powerful kicks in addition to bare hands to repel an opponent. It is referred to as a "hard" style. The hand and foot techniques were combined and called various names such as Tang Su, Kong Su, Kare-te, Tae Su, etc. Soon after the liberation of Korea in 1945, there was a movement to unify the arts under one name. In 1955 a special board of many Taekwondo masters, historians, and prominent leaders were formed for this purpose. At the session for naming the art, "Taekwondo" was chosen.

Taekwondo has been modernized and accepted as an international sport unlike any other martial art. Its introduction into the Olympic Games helped Taekwondo gain worldwide acceptance. Now, it is perhaps the most popular martial art in the world.