Taekwondo and hapkido are both Korean martial arts that took shape after 1945, but they train very differently. Taekwondo is a striking art built around fast, high and spinning kicks, with sport sparring and forms, and it is an Olympic sport. Hapkido is a self-defense art built around joint locks, throws, pressure points and circular, redirecting movement, with low kicks, breakfalls and weapons such as the cane and short stick. Choose taekwondo for kicking, fitness and competition; choose hapkido for close-range self-defense and grappling. Many students train both.
| Taekwondo | Hapkido | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Korea, 1940s–1950s, from several kwans | Korea, late 1940s, from Choi Yong-sool’s teaching |
| Name means | The way of the foot and fist | The way of coordinating energy |
| Main focus | Kicks and strikes from distance | Joint locks, throws and counters at close range |
| Kicks | High, fast, jumping and spinning | Mostly low and practical, plus some high kicks |
| Grappling | Very little | Joint locks, throws, takedowns, breakfalls |
| Weapons | Not part of the standard syllabus | Cane, short stick, rope and knife defense |
| Sport | Olympic sport with large tournaments | Mainly self-defense, few competitions |
| Forms | Poomsae or tul at every belt | Technique sets rather than solo forms in most schools |
History
Where hapkido and taekwondo come from
Hapkido
- Choi Yong-sool (1904–1986): returned to Korea after about 30 years in Japan and began teaching a jujutsu-based art. He said he trained in Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu under Takeda Sokaku; how long he trained there is disputed.
- Seo Bok-seob: Choi’s first student, a judo black belt, who opened the first dojang under Choi in 1951 and added judo throws.
- Ji Han-jae: added kicks and strikes, taught the presidential bodyguard under Park Chung-hee and helped spread hapkido in Korea and abroad. The name hapkido came into use in the late 1950s.
- Today: many hapkido federations and styles exist, with no single governing body.
Taekwondo
- 1945 onward: several kwans (schools) taught karate-based arts in Korea, influenced by Korean kicking traditions such as taekkyeon.
- 1955: the name taekwondo was adopted, credited to General Choi Hong Hi.
- 1966 and 1973: the ITF and the World Taekwondo Federation were founded.
- 2000: taekwondo became an Olympic medal sport. See Olympic taekwondo.
For more on the main taekwondo branches, see taekwondo styles and the history of taekwondo.
Techniques
Technique differences
Taekwondo
Taekwondo trains speed, range and precision from a standing position. Students learn a large set of kicks, from the front, roundhouse and side kick to jumping and spinning kicks, plus punches and strikes, blocks and forms. Sparring is mostly kicking at distance.
Hapkido
Hapkido is built on counters. The student lets the attack come, moves off the line and uses the attacker’s force against them with:
- Joint locks: wrist, elbow and shoulder locks to control or disarm.
- Throws and takedowns: many adapted from judo, plus throws that use a joint lock.
- Strikes and kicks: punches, elbows, open-hand strikes and mostly low, fast kicks to the legs and groin.
- Pressure points: strikes and holds on sensitive points.
- Breakfalls: learning to fall safely is part of every class.
Philosophy
Philosophy and principles
Hwa
Harmony
Hapkido: do not meet force head-on; move with it.
Won
Circle
Hapkido: turn a straight attack into a circle and add its momentum to your own.
Yu
Water
Hapkido: flow around force the way water flows around a stone.
Jeongsin
Taekwondo tenets
Taekwondo: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit.
Hapkido’s three principles describe how to move; taekwondo’s tenets describe how to behave. See the five tenets of taekwondo and linear vs. circular martial arts.
Self-defense
Which is better for self-defense?
- Taekwondo is strongest at range: fast kicks keep an attacker away and can end a fight before it gets close. See is taekwondo effective in a street fight.
- Hapkido is strongest up close: grabs, holds, chokes and weapon attacks are trained directly, and many real fights end up at close range.
- Training method matters more than the name: a school that spars and practices against resisting partners prepares you better than one that only drills.
Choose
Hapkido or taekwondo: which should you choose?
- Choose taekwondo for kicking skill, flexibility, fitness, forms and the chance to compete, including at the Olympic level.
- Choose hapkido for practical self-defense, joint locks, throws and weapon defense.
- Try both: many Korean martial arts schools teach taekwondo and hapkido under one roof, and the two fit together well.
For other comparisons, see taekwondo vs. karate, taekwondo vs. jiu-jitsu and the most popular types of martial arts.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between hapkido and taekwondo?
Taekwondo focuses on fast, high and spinning kicks from distance and is an Olympic sport. Hapkido focuses on close-range self-defense with joint locks, throws, low kicks and weapon defense.
Is hapkido harder than taekwondo?
They are hard in different ways. Taekwondo demands flexibility and kicking skill; hapkido demands timing, falling skills and precise joint-lock technique. Neither is easy to master.
Can you learn hapkido and taekwondo at the same time?
Yes. Many Korean martial arts schools teach both, and the kicking of taekwondo and the locks and throws of hapkido complement each other.
Is hapkido in the Olympics?
No. Taekwondo is an Olympic sport, but hapkido is taught mainly for self-defense and has no Olympic event.
How does hapkido compare with tai chi?
Both use circular, yielding movement, but they are very different. Tai chi is a Chinese internal art practiced mostly as slow forms for health and balance. Hapkido is a Korean self-defense art with fast joint locks, throws and strikes against an attacker.
The short version
Taekwondo is a Korean kicking art and Olympic sport built on speed, range and spinning kicks. Hapkido is a Korean self-defense art built on joint locks, throws, low kicks and weapon defense. Pick taekwondo for kicking, fitness and competition, hapkido for close-range self-defense, or train both.