2018, Volume 14
Humane aspects inherited through the practice of taekwondo
Jeong-Hyeon Kwak1
1Department of Taekwondo, Gachon University, Seongnam-si, South Korea
Author for correspondence: Jeong-Hyeon Kwak; Department of Taekwondo, Gachon University, Seongnam-si, South Korea; email: muyein[at]gachon.ac.kr
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Abstract
Background and Study Aim: Taekwondo is the traditional martial art of Korea and is also a form of education that can be realized and achieved through the training of the ‘Mom’ or body. The ‘Do’ (the way or the true doctrine supported by morality or moral principles)’ cultivates competent individuals with common sense and discreet thinking. The aim of this review is knowledge about the potential and role of taekwondo, designated as the traditional martial art of Korea by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to provide basic information for future academic studies exploring the humane aspects of taekwondo training, which can be considered a discipline in humane studies.
Material and Methods: For this study, the review of books on taekwondo and humanities was first carried out, followed by a research on films, animations and performances that employ topics related to taekwondo.
Results: Through the above approach, ‘humanity’ or the ‘human nature,‘ excluded from economic concerns in diverse fields situated in the environment of material abundance in the 21st century resulting from industrialization, was identified as the basic foundation for diverse disciplines including taekwondo training, which can be considered as one of the disciplines in humane studies. It was determined that sports education emphasizing physical training, the cultivation of morality, and the attainment of knowledge to develop the whole man is the key for humane physical education.
Conclusions: The direction for taekwondo training as an alternative form of education for trainees of the 21st century was also provided by examining the potential and the role of taekwondo training as a humane discipline based on the above theoretical principles.
Key words: martial arts, literature, history, humanities, philosophy, physical training