Haedong Geomdo* is the martial art of the Korean sword. It is practiced as a martial art with codified sequences, choreographed shapes, cutting (paper, bamboo, straw, etc.), work on breathing and a code of honor.
* different romanizations exist: Haidong/Haedong Gumdo, etc.
Program
Tryout of the Korean sword martial art with a high ranking master
Breathing exercise
Learn the basics, practice a pattern
Take souvenir photos in a warrior Hanbok holding a metal bladed sword
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 10~15 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 the target from 10~15 meters away
Take souvenir photos with the bow
Have a meal with your guide
⏳ Duration : 4h
📅 Availability : Thursday through Sunday except on legal holidays
⌚ Time : Friday morning (outdoor except in winter), afternoon or evening (indoor)
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)
⏳ This is a 1 or2 day experience. Go watch a competition of Ssireum and enjoy the traditional style of one of probably the most ancient fighting sport of Korea.
Competition calendar
ℹ️ The calendar only shows6 months. Contact us to know the later dates.
1-day experience
📍 Morning pickup at your hotel
🚅 Travel (by train or coach bus)
🤼♂️ Watch the competition
🍜 Lunch
🤼♂️ Watch more of the competition or 📸 visit the region
🍜 Dinner
🚅 Travel back to Seoul
📍 Guiding back to your hotel
2-day experience
1st day
En mode “Cheon-cheon-hi” (lento)
📍 Morning pickup at your hotel
🚅 Travel (by train or coach bus)
🤼♂️ Watch the competition
🍜 Lunch
🤼♂️ Watch more of the competition or 📸 visit the region
🍜 Dinner
🌙 Night at destination
2nd day
🥐 Breakfast
🤼♂️ Watch the competition or 📸 visit the region
🍜 Lunch
🤼♂️ Watch more of the competition or 📸 visit the region
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
Visit the last traditional training spot of Taekkyeon and try the dance-like steps of this ancient fighting art
Touch the “Battle rock” where warriors were meditating before going to war
Join a training session
Share a meal with your guide
⏳ Duration : 4h
📅 Availability : Saturday except on legal holidays
