traditional taekwondo

The term traditional taekwondo typically refers to martial arts practiced in Korea during the 1940s and 1950s by the nine original kwans after the conclusion of the Japanese occupation of Korea at the end of World War II. The term taekwondo had not yet been coined. In reality, each of the nine kwans practiced its own style of martial arts, so the term traditional taekwondo serves as an umbrella term for these various styles. Many of the founders of the nine kwans had studied Shotokan karate, so traditional taekwondo shares many of the same techniques, forms (hyeong), and names as Shotokan. Traditional taekwondo is still studied today in martial arts styles such as Tang Soo Do, Soo Bahk Do, and Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo.

The original schools (kwans) that formed the organization that would eventually become Kukkiwon continue to exist as independent fraternal membership organizations that support the World Taekwondo Federation and Kukkiwon. The official curriculum of the kwans is that of Kukkiwon. The kwans also function as a channel for the issuing of Kukkiwon dan and poom certification (black belt ranks) for their members.