visitseoul.net

Taekwondo is taking the world by storm. The Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team surprised many when the team won 2nd place in America’s audition program, The World’s Best, in 2019, and when Korea’s World Taekwondo Demonstration Team also received media’s attention when the team got the golden buzzer on America’s Got Talent last year. Interest in taekwondo goes beyond the sphere of martial arts and is expanding to K-entertainment as well. Perhaps the next big thing among the hallyu trend, following K-pop, K-drama, and K-beauty, would be taekwondo.

Meanwhile, professional-level taekwondo performances are held at major tourist attractions in Seoul, including the Blue House and Gwanghwamun Square. If you’d like to find out more about the history and spirit of taekwondo in detail before visiting those places, we recommend you visit the Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquarters. If you’d like to actually experience taekwondo in person, you can also visit one of the number of taekwondo schools located across the country. Let’s begin the trip to Seoul with taekwondo.

Unlike any other area in Gangnam, Seoul, taekwondo’s place of origin, as well as the World Taekwondo Headquarters, Kukkiwon, is located among a quiet forest path and park. The design of the main building of the Kukkiwon captures the feel of atraditional hanok while also conjuring up imagery of the swift movements of taekwondo. This architecture itself leaves the strong impression that it is the main building of the Korean traditional martial artistry. The Kukkiwon Memorial Hall is next to the main building and is used as house the Taekwondo History Museum. Many souvenirs and materials related to taekwondo are exhibited in the Kukkiwon Memorial Hall, making it easier for visitors to understand the art form. The memorial hall is open only on weekdays, and more information can be found on the official Kukkiwon website.

For the globalization of taekwondo, the Kukkiwon established the Taekwondo Demonstration Team and has been at the forefront of promoting taekwondo all around the world since 1974. Currently, taekwondo instructors are cultivated in Korea and around the world through the World Taekwondo Academy. The Research Institute of Taekwondo, run by the Kukkiwon, also dedicates itself to laying a stronger foundation for the advancement of the martial art.
Next to the Kukkiwon, is Yeoksam Park, which provides several cozy and serene rest areas, making it a sweet spot for visitors to enjoy a little bit of slow time for themselves. With that noted, the Kukkiwon is yet another landmark of Seoul you'll want to explore - not only to learn more about the culture and history of taekwondo, but also perhaps to get in a nice walk in the surrounding grounds of the park, a location boasting a beautiful landscape across all four seasons.

Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team is a highly-skilled group that proudly placed 2nd at The World’s Best in 2019. With the background of the beautiful main building of the Cheong Wa Dae, the demonstration team appears with their black belts. Starting off with a poomsae (form) demonstration in a controlled manner with a swift, powerful shout called kihapsori, a series of stunning performances follow one after the other, including board breaking, power breaking, advanced spinning kicks, and demonstrations of self-defense skills that reflect actual situations, which heighten the audience’s interest.

The regular taekwondo demonstration performance at the Cheong Wa Dae takes place for thirty minutes every weekend from 5 pm to 5:30 pm, at the grand garden in front of the main office building. Further information regarding the performance schedule and reservations, can be found on the Cheong Wa Dae website. Please note that there will be no performance on August 13 and 14, and performances may be canceled on account of inclement weather.

Let’s not miss the chance to see Korea’s representative Taekwondo Demonstration Team performance at the Cheong Wa Dae. The special performance presented by this non-governmental diplomatic mission that plays an active role on the global stage is sure to leave an impression.

Gwanghwamun Square Gets Revived as a "Town Square"

Town squares are places where people meet up. They’re places where people come and gather freely to talk to one another in leisure. Gwanghwamun Square, which is one of the most well-known town squares in Seoul and where people have gathered and vividly experienced Seoul’s history and culture, is set to be reborn as a new space on August 6.

The most noticeable change with the new Gwanghwamun Square will be the size itself. It will be twice as big as the previous land area, with a quarter of the square being dedicated to natural greenery. The square has become a downtown park where people can come to relax and take a break with the various newly-created waterscape spaces, such as Yeoksa Mulgil (Waterways of History) and Tunnel Bunsu (Tunnel Fountain). In addition, the square will serve as the space that preserves and revives the history and culture of the previous Gwanghwamun Square by exhibiting cultural heritage, such as the Saheonbu Munteo (Saheonbu Gate). On the wall of the Grand Theater at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and the external wall of the KT Building, a media façade is built to provide media art of various planned exhibitions of cultural art, including content having to do with Korea’s traditional martial art form, taekwondo, and more. With these changes, visitors at Gwanghwamun Square will be able to enjoy a traditional Korean garden at Sagye Jungwon (Garden of Four Seasons) and a beautiful night with various content on the walls.

The ongoing Kukkiwon Demonstration Team’s performance at the Cheong Wa Dae will end on August 28. Afterward, the team will continue to perform at Gwanghwamun Square from September. Various entertainment events are planned at the new Gwanghwamun Square along with the taekwondo performances there.

On September 2, a special performance celebrating International Taekwondo Day (September 4th) will be held as well. Taejoo Na, a trot singer well-known for his taekwondo performance, and Daehoon Lee, former taekwondo athlete and Olympic medalist, will be the MCs of the event. During the event, Kukkiwon and the K-Tigers will showcase a splendid taekwondo performance, and LACHICA, the dance team that became very popular through the show, Street Woman Fighter, will show a dance performance using taekwondo moves.

With Gwanghwamun Square returning, bigger and more welcoming than ever, visitors will have a chance to enjoy new things to watch while better appreciating the history and culture of Korea.

• Address 175, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Kang’s Global Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a martial art in which the ultimate goal is spiritual cultivation through the strengthening and training of the physical body. Most Koreans tend to learn taekwondo when they are young at taekwondo schools, where they get physical training, learn basic social etiquette, and discover how to be keep a peaceful mental state. If you are left with the feeling of wanting more after watching a taekwondo demonstration at the Cheong Wa Dae or Gwanghwamun Square, how about actually getting a taekwondo lesson?

Kang’s Global Taekwondo, located in Jongam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, is where you can get lessons from a Kukkiwon master himself. Through systematic classes, even those who are trying taekwondo for the very first time can experience the art form without any difficulty. Moreover, Kang’s Global Taekwondo is a taekwondo academy officially designated as the Taekwondo Experience Program for Foreigners by the Seoul Tourism Organization, so there are established programs offered specially for foreigners.

There are one-day classes available along with regular classes, and the one-day class costs around 20,000 won. The taekwondo classes for foreigners are subject to changes depending on the date, so please make sure to inquire with the school for details first. Come learn taekwondo at Kang’s Global Taekwondo, where students of various ages and nationalities are working hard to acquire the spirit of taekwondo together as we speak. In fact, going through the real experience is the best way to fully enjoy Korean culture.

• Address 3F, 7, Jongam-ro 19-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
• Operation Hours Daily 10:00 to 23:00
• Instagram @shindong_kang