Taekwondo’s Trip Abroad
“Kihap!” Amidst the sea of white doboks, thirty vibrant stripes of color danced like snakes around the waist of each student. Sweat drips from each of their brows, but the strict discipline engrained in their blood forces them to still their mind and control their body. “Bah ro, Cha ryuht, Kyung nae!” Each student returns to ready position, snaps to attention, and then bows to the instructor standing at the front of the room. Although, Taekwondo is a fundamental identifier of Korean culture, the art has failed to carry its popularity into American culture. Perhaps, the allure of the art for some equates to the dislike for others. Initially forged as an unarmed fighting style for the armies of the old dynasties in Korea, Taekwondo has an unbreakable link between the history of its origin country and to the very identity of Koreans themselves. The martial art survived thousands of years of cultural oppression and periods of unpopularity to eventually become the National Sport of Korea in 1971 (Korea.net). Often, combining the intense physicality of a fighter, the strategic mentality of a chess player, and the rigorous discipline of a monk, Taekwondo encompasses all three realms of human existence: the physical, mental, and spiritual planes. Thus, the emphasis of the art does not rely on solely technique or endurance, but on the combination of all three planes of human existence.
The fundamentals of both, American and Korean culture highlight precisely why the art has failed to gain traction within the United States. Americans praise constant movement and the bustle of everyday life does not escape the average American as they transition to their leisure activities either. Similarly, many Americans have been trained to reject complacency as they cling to the idea of the “American Dream”: a globally recognized notion that each person has the ability to pursue their own happiness (Amadeo 2020). While this inspiring idea has brought many newcomers into America in search of opportunity, Kimberly Amadeo also comments on the inability for material progress to satisfy one’s lust for happiness (Amedeo 2020). In constrast, South Korea has a very traditional mindset. Confucius ideals and ancestor remembrance often govern the actions of each integrated familial unit within Korea (Commisceo). Koreans hold the past in a high regard as they emphasize tradition. Thus, it makes sense that the traditional art of Taekwondo is widely popular in its country of origin. Similarly, Americans’ intense focus on material progress and continuous motion fundamentally contradict the very philosophy and lengthy journey, which Taekwondo emphasizes.
Just as culture beliefs lay the foundation for Taekwondo’s failure to gain traction in the US, the characteristics of the art reflect heavily in the character of its supporters. While some may say that Taekwondo’s physicality and aggressive nature may relate to American ideals, I argue that Taekwondo does not stress the aggressive style that other popular martial arts do. For example, UFC has become widely popular, to the point where the official UFC account has more traction than the official NFL account on Instagram, because if its intense brutality and global following (Mazique 2019). On the other hand, Taekwondo stresses self-defense and only utilizing violence as a last resort. For example, the characteristic fighting styles of UFC fighters often incorporate many traditional martial arts combined with a sense of primal brutality. Determined not to lose on National Television, each fighter typically finishes a match in one of two ways: unconscious on the mat, or covered in blood, be that their opponents or their own. In contrast, Taekwondo participants train for years to master control over their body: flexibility for stylistic kicks, muscle control of board breaking, and fast-twitch speed for competition. Taekwondo highlights the development of a warrior’s mind and the mastery of one’s own body, thus the art appeals more to the Korean culture, in which historical importance is held in a higher regard then brute athleticism.
Moreover, America exerts social pressures on adolescence to participate in popular activities as a way to “fit in.” These external influences often persuade kids to compete in activities that are widely popular and accepted by society. For instance, a child who competes in one sport may feel pressured into quitting if all of his/her friends are involved in a different, more popular sport. Furthermore, when I was younger, I, personally, felt that it was harder to continue in a sport, while I knew all of my friends were together playing a different sport. While social pressure on kids is not unique to America, I argue that it contributes to Taekwondo’s plateauing popularity in America. Kids are often not encouraged to branch out from the set group of popular sports (i.e. football, baseball, tennis, etc.) or they may feel pressured to leave a unique sport by the mainstream influences of America. However, this social concept may exist in equal magnitude within Korean culture and yet the consequences are an increase in the participation in Taekwondo, as that is viewed as the normal sport.
Another reason for Taekwondo’s minimal integration into American culture has been its failure to significantly influence the identity of many Americans. The vast majority of Americans explore hobbies and interests, which they associate with their own personal identity. For some, peers or family members influence this identity. For instance, a little kid may call himself or herself a Trojan because one of their parents graduated from USC. On the other hand, some individuals find their identity simultaneous to them discovering their passion, such as when a young teenager realizes they love playing American football, they may also begin incorporating terms into their identity such as: athlete, football player, or competitor. While the physicality and competition, which Americans tend to appreciate, superficially exists within Taekwondo, the identifying trait that binds the art to the Korean culture is severely lacking within the States. Not only did Korea initially lay the foundation for the techniques and the philosophy of Taekwondo, but Korea also routinely fought cultural oppression, especially during the Japanese Occupation, to preserve this essential aspect of their identity. In contrast, in the United States, Taekwondo is often seen as just “another martial art,” because the extreme culturally identifying ties are not prevalent outside of Korea. Unlike in Korea, where people often gravitate toward Taekwondo because of its rich philosophical history and cultural importance, Americans interested in martial arts often find the cheapest, closest, or “coolest” style, because each art is viewed as an interchangeable substitute for one another. Taekwondo represents just one example of how people choose to identify within their own culture. Often, the activities, movies, or events, which relate one’s historical culture to their current identity, are able to gain significant traction despite geographic borders.
The evolution of the art of Taekwondo in each country can further explain the divide between popularity and appeal. As Korea continues to look to its past for inspiration for its future, Korean Taekwondo remains an art deeply rooted in historical tradition, yet evolving with Korean culture. The focus of dojangs in Korea is to further spread the art, while maintaining a strict allegiance to tradition. One popular method of doing so is to hold public demonstrations, in which Taekwondo martial artists exhibit magnificent mastery of the technical and mental aspects of the art. One demonstration team, the K-tigers, has gained an immense following by performing complex physical routines to popular K-pop songs, a further indication of the embracement of traditional Korean culture. On the other hand, Taekwondo in America has become increasingly commercialized, to the point where modifications are being made to the traditional art to increase consumer retention. For example, some American-run dojangs have adapted the belt ranking system to have more belt ranks so each student can progress to the next belt faster. This appeals to the reward-oriented Americans who need a constant supply of satisfaction in order to continue spending money at one’s dojang. However, the commercialization of Taekwondo has shifted the focus of the art away from personal development to superficial self-defense with the owners of the dojang sacrificing any traditions they must to maintain a profitable business.
Although the fundamentals of the art have remained in American Taekwondo, many changes have occurred to attempt to appeal to a drastically different population within the United States. Even with these commercial adaptations, American Taekwondo lacks the popularity of the art in Korea, primarily because of the lack of history combined with the futuristic mindset of many Americans. In contrast, more brutal sports have increased in appeal over the years within America, which begs the questions: “Have Americans evolved to dislike refinery?”
Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd. Korea- Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. www.commisceo-global.com. 1 Jan. 2020 https://commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/Korea-guide
