HOW TAEKWONDO GOT ITS NAME

 by Phillip Starr

1955. The Korean War is over. Several Koreans who had attended Japanese universities and studied karate (primarily the Shotokan style) met in a tavern in South Korea to determine just what they would call the art in their country. They dared not refer to it as “karate” because that's a Japanese term and feelings from the Japanese occupation of WWII were still pretty raw. In fact, one Korean instructor had opened a small school, referring to his art as “Korean Karate” and the uproar over the use of a Japanese term was so furious that he'd had to close the place! So, what would they call it?

The argument went on late into the night, with most of those in attendance insisting that it be called “tangsoodo.” The word “tang” (唐) indicated that the art had come from China (in Okinawa, this character was pronounced “to.” Thus, their art of “tode” - China hand – which came to be known as karate). Others thought it should be “taesoodoo” and one individual, Gen. Choi Hong-Hi, liked the name “taekwondo.” A vote was taken and the vote held in favor of “tangsoodo.”

But...the art had been introduced to the military and a demonstration had been arranged as part of the show for the visiting dictator of South Korea. Everyone knew he'd ask what this hand-to-hand art was called and they dared not use the Japanese name! And so it came to pass that the leader of South Korea, with Gen. Choi by his side, asked what this fighting art was called. And...you guessed it – Choi told him that it was called “taekwondo”, an ancient Korean fighting art that had descended from arts such as taegyun (an ancient art that developed from Chinese sources). The name stuck. And Choi's associates were furious. Quite a number of them (who had insisted that it be called tangsoodo) broke off and started teaching the art under their preferred name.

Initially, both taekwondo and tangsoodo utilized the same forms (of the Shotokan lineage) but Choi would eventually change that and taekwondo would become become considerably different from its parent style. The tangsoodo stylists maintained the original forms and continue to do so to this day.