Cultural Post 110 #3

[Seokjoon Han]

For this cultural presentation, I will be talking about Taekwondo. Taekwondo or 태권도 is a type of Martial Arts that originated in Korea. Taekwondo is still very popular todays is has been developing for over 5000 years and still is relevant in many people’s lives. Taekwondo, under the leadership of the World Taekwondo Federation, has grown into an international art and sport that is practiced in over 190 countries worldwide. In fact, Taekwondo is an official sport of the Olympics. In the United States alone, there are more than 5 million practitioners of Taekwondo. The rapid growth and expansion of Taekwondo have allowed the exposure of Korean culture toward other countries. Practitioners of Taekwondo wear uniforms that are called dobok(도복). Doboks come in various colors, though white or black are the most common. Like Karate, Taekwondo also have belts to indicate ranks. The junior section of ranks includes belts that range in color from white (the lowest rank) to red or brown(the highest). The senior section of ranks consists of only black belts but with varying degrees. The first degree of black belt would be the owest and typically 9 would be the highest rank of black belt. In Korean, dan or 단 is used to indicate the rank of the black belt. So for example, 1단 would indicate the first degree of black belt. Although many people see Taekwono’s utility only to self-defense, Taekwondo applies to everyday life. We can see this when we observe the word Taekwondo. Tae means "foot," or "to step on". Kwon means "fist," or "fight". Do mean the "way" or "discipline." The culmination of the three words explain the philosophy of Taekwondo. Taekwondo means "the right way of using all parts of the body to stop fights and help to build a better and more peaceful world." Let alone, Taekwondo can be characterized by unity: the unity of body, mind, and life, and the unity of the pose. Taekwondo emphasizes form or 품새 because one of the main pursuits of Taekwondo is to make your mind peaceful and synchronize your mind with your movements, and to extend this harmony to life and society. Taekwondo seeks to allow the principle of physical movements, the principle of mind training, and the principle of life become one and the same. I actually remember when I used to live in Korea, my mom enrolled us in a Taekwondo academy. I remember going to Taekwondo tournaments, being late to classes, and being disciplined for it, and the fun games we used to play after classes. Taekwondo helped to teach me discipline. It helped foster mentor relationships that caused me to grow physically and mentally. That’s how I understand why many parents enroll their children in Taekwondo. Taekwondo not only teaches self-defense but it teaches you discipline that leads to confidence. Taekwondo also helps develop one’s purpose and guides one to a community of other people also trying to better themselves. It’s no wonder celebrities such as Joe Rogan and  Arnold Arnold Schwarzenegger practice Taekwondo.