Taekkyon

Korea’s dancing kicks.

A traditional Korean art of fluid, dance-like footwork, sweeps and kicks. UNESCO listed it as cultural heritage in 2011.

Fact file

Country: South Korea
Type: Striking
Main federation: 세계태껸연맹 (World Taekkyeon Federation) — WTKF

Sources: UNESCO — Taekkyeon · Korean Taekkyon Association

History

Taekkyon is a traditional Korean martial art with flowing, dance-like movements and a rhythmic stepping called pumbalgi. It was popular in Joseon-era Korea and was almost lost in the 20th century.

Master Song Duk-ki kept it alive, and it was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Korea in 1983. In 2011 UNESCO listed taekkyon as intangible cultural heritage.