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Taekwondo · colour belts · 8 poomsae

Taegeuk poomsae 1–8: history, Il Jang step by step and meaning 태극 1–8장

Eight forms, one for each coloured-belt stage, each tied to a trigram of the I Ching — the same signs that sit in the corners of the South Korean flag. For a black belt you are normally expected to perform all eight back to back.

Taekwondo
NameTaegeuk 태극: the yin–yang “ultimate reality” of the Korean flag
BodyKukkiwon / World Taekwondo
Il Jang18 movements, kihap on 18; white → yellow
Floor lineThree horizontal lines joined by the centre line
1

Seoul, 1967. Taekwondo’s schools — the kwans — practise the Palgwae forms. More kwans keep joining the national association.

2

A new set is drawn up so that every kwan is represented. Eight trigrams, eight forms.

3

Today, a white belt turns left, low block, steps, punches. Movement one of a path that ends at black belt.

Illustrative scene, not a historical record.

History

  1. 1967–1971Kukkiwon-style taekwondo uses the older Palgwae forms, developed by the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) with input from some of the original nine kwans. [1]
  2. c. 1970–1971With more kwans in the KTA, the Taegeuk set is developed to represent all of them. By 1971 the Palgwae are considered deprecated, though some schools still teach them. [1]
  3. 1973The KTA and the Kukkiwon host the first World Taekwondo Championships in May (200 athletes, 17 countries). The Kukkiwon becomes the highest technical authority of the art. [2]
  4. TodayAll World Taekwondo poomsae competitions use the Taegeuk forms together with eight of the black-belt poomsae. [1]

The sequence, step by step

A summary in our own words to help you follow and remember the form. It does not replace a teacher, and details differ between associations. [3][4]

Taegeuk floor pattern: three lines joined by the centre (S = start)Sfront (examiner)123Il Jang: 1–4 line 1 · 7–10 line 2 · 13–16 line 3
Taegeuk floor pattern: three lines joined by the centre (S = start) — Simplified diagram.
  1. Step 1/7

    1–4 · first line

    Turn left 90° into walking stance (ap seogi) with a low block (arae makgi), step forward with a middle punch (momtong jireugi). Turn right 180° and repeat.

  2. Step 2/7

    5–6 · up the centre

    Turn to the front into front stance (ap kubi): low block, then a reverse middle punch (bandae momtong jireugi) in the same stance.

  3. Step 3/7

    7–10 · second line

    Turn right into walking stance with an inside middle block (momtong an makgi), step and punch. Turn 180° and repeat to the other side.

  4. Step 4/7

    11–12 · centre again

    Front stance: low block and reverse punch, moving up the centre line.

  5. Step 5/7

    13–16 · third line

    Walking stance with a high block (olgul makgi), then a front kick (ap chagi), landing forward with a middle punch. Turn 180° and repeat.

  6. Step 6/7

    17–18 · back home — kihap

    Turn to face back down the centre: low block in front stance, then step forward with a middle punch and kihap. Turn to the front and return to the ready stance (junbi).

  7. Step 7/7

    2–8 · what grows

    The other seven keep the same floor pattern. Back stance, knife-hand techniques, side kicks and elbow strikes appear step by step; the last forms add jumps and longer combinations (18 to about 27 movements).

Key stances

Apkubi: long stance, rear foot 30°, 70% frontFRONT▭ = 1 shoulder widthL30°RWeight ≈70% frontback 30%
Apkubi (Taekwondo forward stance)
Dwitkubi: L-shape, rear foot 90°, 70% backFRONT▭ = 1 shoulder widthL90°RWeight ≈30% frontback 70%
Dwitkubi (Taekwondo back stance)

All stances, with diagrams →

Meaning

Each form expresses the character of its trigram: Il Jang is Keon, heaven and light — the simple beginning; Pal Jang is Gon, earth — the end of the coloured-belt cycle before black belt.

The practical rules are the same in all eight: look before you move, exhale on each technique, kihap on the key movements, and finish on the spot where you started.

Variations between styles

Style / bodyWhat changes
Kukkiwon / WTTaegeuk 1–8 for colour belts, then the black-belt poomsae (Koryo, Keumgang, Taebaek…).
PalgwaeThe older KTA set (1967–1971), also based on the eight trigrams; still taught in some schools.
ITFA different system: the tul (Chon-Ji, Dan-Gun, Do-San…).
“Taegeuk” in other schoolsSome Tang Soo Do and Song Moo Kwan schools have “Taegeuk” forms that are really the karate Taikyoku — not the Kukkiwon set.

[1][5]

Principles and applications

Many schools begin with a bow to the flag or the instructor; the form itself does not require it, and it is not needed in personal practice.

A simple self-check for Il Jang: walking stance is short and natural, front stance long and low. If the two look the same, the form loses its rhythm.

Common mistakes

  • Walking stance as long as front stance.
  • Turning before looking.
  • Forgetting the kihap on 18.
  • Not finishing on the starting spot.

[4][1]

Sources

Content written by Wabukan from the sources below (checked on 2026-10-30). External links are references only.

  1. Wikipedia — Taegeuk (taekwondo) — en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia — Kukkiwon — en.wikipedia.org
  3. Springwater Taekwondo — Taegeuk 1 (Il Jang): diagram and steps — springwatertaekwondo.com
  4. Springwater Taekwondo — WT/Kukkiwon poomsae (movement counts) — springwatertaekwondo.com
  5. Wikipedia — Taikyoku — en.wikipedia.org

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Wabukan (2026). Taegeuk poomsae 1–8: history, Il Jang step by step and meaning. https://wabukan.com/formas/taegeuk (accessed 2026-10-30)
<a href="https://wabukan.com/formas/taegeuk">Taegeuk poomsae 1–8: history, Il Jang step by step and meaning — Wabukan</a>
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Updated: 2026-10-30