Hopaesool is a martial art and competition sport using the Hopae, a name plate held by its rope. It is reminiscent of nunchaku, stick fighting and fencing. During the Joseon period, Hopaes were identification cards worn at all time by men over the age of 16.
Program
- Receive a foam Hopae with your name written in Korean on it
- Experience the art with an expert
- Take souvenir photos & videos
- Receive a certificate
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Guiding in English with translation from Korean
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Restaurants recommendation (meal fee not included)
Traditional Korean dance is called either Hanguk Chum or Hanguk Muyong. It includes court, folk and ceremony dances.
Its movements remind of traditional brush calligraphy and make use of the Ogeumjil (bending and flexing of the knee) for a strong anchoring in the ground.
Program
- Practice a choreography with the dance teacher
- Use a traditional fan in the dance
- Write your name in Korean on the fan
- Take souvenir photos with the teacher
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Guiding in English with translation from Korean
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Restaurants recommendation (meal fee not included)
Korean sword dance is called Geommu. It is practiced with one or two sword. This sort of dance was practiced for Korean kings in the past. It can be found on ancient paintings as well.
Geommu requires coordination, rhythm but also precision and effective gestures as one handles a metal bladed (unsharpen) sword. This art is required in certain schools of Korean sword which you can also try in Seoul.
Program
- Meet the master
- Wear a warrior Hanbok
- Introduction to the swords
- Basics of the art
- Learn a choreography
- Souvenir photos
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Guiding in English with translation from Korean
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Restaurants recommendation (meal fee not included)
- Meet a performer and teacher, specialist of the theatrical mask dance
- Watch and follow the moves of the dance
- Learn about the history and characteristics of the dance
- Take a souvenir photo with the instructor
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Guiding in English with translation from Korean
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Restaurants recommendation (meal fee not included)
Traditional Korean archery is called Hwalssogi or Gukgung. It is recognized as South Korea’s Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 142.
This ancestral competitive sport differs from Olympic shooting in many aspects: body position, grip of the bowstring by the thumb and shooting from 145 meters instead of 70. Additionally, the traditional Korean bow is a composite bow, smaller in size and used without accessories such as sight, stabilizers or dampers.
ℹ️ Please note that for safety reasons, it is not possible to shoot at 145 m. The session takes place at a distance of about 10 meters from the target.
Program
- Watch the archers shoot the target from 145 meters away
- Visit a museum of Korean archery
- Learn about handling and shooting the Korean bow
- Shoot a target
- Take souvenir photos & videos with the bow
- Receive a certificate
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Guiding in English with translation from Korean
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Restaurants recommendation (meal fee not included)
I would like to express my deep gratitude to Sébastien for his exceptional qualities as a guide and translator, as well as for his humanity, which made this experience unforgettable. Thanks to him, I had the chance to discover fascinating traditions such as traditional Korean archery, whose beauty and precision amazed me, as well as traditional Korean wrestling, an experience that was both intense and rewarding. These two activities were a real culture shock for me, in the best of senses: they opened a unique window on the soul of Korea. I deeply loved every moment, and it is largely thanks to Sébastien’s warm and enlightened accompaniment. (translated from French)
— Alex P. (Dec, 2024)
A great experience with Sebastien from Jinja Korea Tours! We started the day by observing the experienced traditional Korean archery shooters on targets located at 145 meters. An impressive sight. Then, I had the chance to learn about this practice for an hour with Sébastien’s wise advice, then he took me on a tour of the archery museum to complete this cultural and sporting discovery. The weather was rainy but it was not a problem because we were sheltered. We then went to a very nice traditional Korean restaurant where we had a “makguksu”. I highly recommend Jinja Korea Tours for any visit to Seoul or South Korea! The organization and attention to detail made this experience perfect. Thank you again, Sébastien! (translated from French)
Ssireum is probably the most ancient fighting sport of Korea along with archery. There are wrestling next to mounted archery scenes painted on tomb walls from the Goguryeo period. South Korea recognized it as the 131stNational Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017. It was then inscribed on the UNESCORepresentative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018.
Program
- Train on a Ssireum sand arena
- Wear a Ssireum belt
- Learn offensive & defensive Ssireum techniques
- Engage in a competitive yet friendly match
- Take souvenir photos and videos
- Receive a certificate
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Guiding in English with translation from Korean
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Restaurants recommendation (meal fee not included)
I would like to express my deep gratitude to Sébastien for his exceptional qualities as a guide and translator, as well as for his humanity, which made this experience unforgettable. Thanks to him, I had the chance to discover fascinating traditions such as traditional Korean archery, whose beauty and precision amazed me, as well as traditional Korean wrestling, an experience that was both intense and rewarding. These two activities were a real culture shock for me, in the best of senses: they opened a unique window on the soul of Korea. I deeply loved every moment, and it is largely thanks to Sébastien’s warm and enlightened accompaniment. (translated from French)
Haedong Geomdo* is a martial art using the Korean sword. It is practiced with codified forms, cutting (paper, bamboo, straw, etc.), breathing exercices, etc. It is also practiced as a competitive sport with duels using foam swords.
* different romanizations exist: Haidong/Haedong Gumdo, etc.
Program
- Try the martial art along w/ the master students
- Learn how to hold a Korean sword
- Take souvenir photos and videos
- Receive a certificate
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Guiding in English with translation from Korean
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Restaurants recommendation (meal fee not included)
Martial art, fighting sport and game practiced by all ages as early as the 17th century, this hybrid fighting form mixes kicking, tripping and standup wrestling without hand strikes (in competition). South Korea recognized it as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, no. 76, in 1983. It was then inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011.
A match is traditionally won in 1 round when a fighter making the opponent touch the ground with any body part except their feet, as in Korean wrestling, albeit without grabbing clothes. A second way of winning is to kick the face with the foot. One hit is enough to win, avoiding repetitive impacts to the head. In contrast with Taekwondo, grabbing a kicking leg and attacking the legs is allowed.
Program
- Join a training session and experience the art
- Visit the last traditional outdoor training spot of Taekkyeon
- See the Horsehair cap rock where warriors would meditate before wars
- Take souvenir photos & videos
- Receive a certificate
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Guiding in English with translation from Korean
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Restaurants recommendation (meal fee not included)
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and an olympic sport since the Sydney Olympics in 2000. It focuses on kicks as Taekkyeon but with different rules (no projections, no grabbing of the leg, points to win, etc.)
This experience will have you train with Korean Taekwondo practitioners in an authentic Korean dojang with a friendly albeit highly skilled world champion8th Dan blackbelt.
Program
- Join a training session and experience the art !! Very physical !!
- Take souvenir photos & videos
- Receive a certificate
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Guiding in English with translation from Korean
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Restaurants recommendation (meal fee not included)
