Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK and the Korea Culture Foundation (KCF) held a seminar titled “Global Promotion Strategy for Taekkyeon” on September 1, 2025, at VANK’s Bomun office in Seongbuk District, Seoul. The event focused on building a philosophical foundation and practical strategies to raise global awareness of Taekkyeon, Korea’s traditional martial art.
Discussions centered on three main themes: Taekkyeon’s philosophical identity, global promotion strategies led by youth, and the potential for blending Taekkyeon with the Korean Wave (Hallyu).
Both organizations have long pursued efforts to popularize and globalize Taekkyeon. Previous initiatives include campaigns to have Taekkyeon recognized as an official event at the Asian Games and the Olympics, establish a “Taekkyeon Day,” pass a Taekkyeon Promotion Act, and incorporate Taekkyeon into educational curricula. These campaigns, supported by digital outreach, aim to highlight Taekkyeon’s cultural and philosophical value at home and abroad.
Kim Joon-il, chairman of the Korea Culture Foundation, emphasized Taekkyeon’s deeper meaning during the seminar by introducing the Korean philosophical concept of yeong-hon-baek (spirit, soul, and body). “If the body is baek, the mind is hon, and the spirit is yeong, then Taekkyeon begins with the body,” Kim said. “But it does not stop at physical training. It becomes complete when infused with mind and spirit, forming a holistic philosophical system.”
Kim explained that Taekkyeon is not simply a physical skill but “a comprehensive discipline that integrates body, mind, and spirit. Reinterpreted in a modern context, it can have global appeal.” He added, “The philosophy of yeong-hon-baek shows that Taekkyeon is not just a martial art or sport, but a path to reflecting on human existence and life itself. It represents a distinctly Korean philosophy that harmonizes body, mind, and soul.”
He also highlighted the role of young people in globalizing Taekkyeon, comparing the task to the recent success of K-pop Demon Hunters. “That project showed how Korean content can reach the world, thanks to the passion and dedication of director Maggie Kang, who drew on her Korean heritage. In the same way, our youth can become the ‘Maggie Kang’ of Taekkyeon.”
Kim likened Taekkyeon’s value to a jewel hidden in the mud: “The brilliance of a gem never disappears, but it must be uncovered and shown to the world. It is now the role of our youth to reveal Taekkyeon’s value and carry forward Korea’s cultural identity.”
He described Taekkyeon as a practice rooted in restraint and care: “Every sport is perfected by learning to let go of force. Taekkyeon is not about overpowering but about protecting the opponent from harm, embodying values of peace and compassion.” Kim added that reclaiming Taekkyeon, which thrived in Korean daily life until it was disrupted under Japanese colonial rule, is also about recovering cultural identity and philosophy.
Closing the seminar, VANK Director Park Ki-tae said, “This was not just a discussion of Taekkyeon’s technical aspects, but a chance to reflect on why we must share Taekkyeon with the world. It is a cultural heritage infused with Korean philosophy and spirit, another form of Hallyu that once connected Korea with the world. When youth lead this effort, Taekkyeon’s spirit of peace and respect can naturally spread worldwide.”
Youth researchers from VANK also shared their reflections. Kim Ye-rae said the seminar helped her understand that promoting Taekkyeon is about sharing cultural experience as well as martial skills, and that sustaining Hallyu requires both popular culture and deeper understanding of Korean traditions. Lee Sei-yeon added that introducing Taekkyeon abroad means conveying Korean ways of thinking and living, noting the potential to expand Hallyu beyond K-pop toward history and traditional culture. Baek Si-eun emphasized that sharing Taekkyeon’s spirit of peace and care allows youth to reconnect broken cultural ties and create new meaning.
Based on the seminar’s discussions, VANK and KCF plan to design youth-led global projects to promote Taekkyeon, spreading its values of peace, care, and philosophy worldwide. Their goal is to develop Taekkyeon not only as a heritage of the past but also as a forward-looking cultural content that connects with modern Hallyu.