Activity Gallery

From Gyeongdang to the Korea 24-Ban
Martial Arts Cultural Promotion Association

Through the activity photos of the Korea 24-Ban Martial Arts Cultural Promotion Association, you can experience the dynamic forms of traditional martial arts—on foot, on horseback, with bows, and with swords.
Each photo captures the depth and beauty of Korean traditional martial arts and shows how our martial heritage is being preserved and developed.

Infantry (Ground) Martial Arts

Ground martial arts refer to those performed on foot, recorded in the Muye Dobo Tongji (1790, compiled under King Jeongjo). They involve practical combat techniques using weapons such as swords, spears, and cudgels.

They include swordsmanship, spear techniques, crescent sword techniques, and other weapon arts. Practitioners learn to harmonize offense and defense according to each weapon’s characteristics.

Features of Ground Martial Arts:

Swordsmanship: Using single or double swords such as the commander’s sword (Jedokgeom), long sword, or crescent sword.
Spear Techniques: Stabbing and slashing with long spears for close- and mid-range combat.
Crescent Sword Techniques (Woldo): Using large bladed weapons to suppress enemies on the battlefield.
Cudgel Techniques: Defensive and offensive use of the cudgel.

Each weapon has its own system of techniques, designed to cultivate agility and physical strength in combat situations.

Cavalry (Mounted) Martial Arts

Mounted martial arts are performed on horseback and are one of the 24-Ban Martial Arts. They cover the techniques cavalry soldiers used in battle—handling spears, swords, and bows while riding. Agility, balance, and harmony with the horse are essential.

As an important part of military training in Goguryeo and the Joseon Dynasty, these techniques maximized mobility and striking power on the battlefield. Today, they are restored in modern form to carry on their historical value.

Archery

Archery is a traditional martial art that represents long-range combat skills among the 24-Ban Martial Arts. Since ancient times, it has been regarded as a core element of military tactics, mainly used on the battlefield to strike down enemies from a distance. Archery requires not only technical skill in shooting arrows but also proper posture, breathing, and concentration. As a symbol of Goguryeo’s formidable military strength and a vital military skill inherited during the Joseon Dynasty, this martial art is now being reappraised for its cultural and historical value as part of Korea’s martial heritage.

Sword Dance (Geommu)

The sword dance is a traditional martial dance that pursues artistic expression through martial movements with the sword.

Its roots lie in the martial arts of the Silla Hwarang and the legend of Hwang Chang-rang (Samguk Sagi). Passed down through Goryeo and Joseon, it has been performed in both royal courts and among common people.

The sword dance harmonizes the flow of energy (gi) with graceful yet sharp sword movements, embodying both strength and beauty. It is not a sword for fighting, but for protection—expressing loyalty (chung), righteousness (ui), and warding off evil (byeoksa).

Cutting (Beggi)

Beggi (cutting) is a martial art technique of precisely and powerfully slicing a target with a blade, such as a sword or saber.

It requires not just strength but the harmony of posture, weight transfer, breathing, angle, speed, and rhythm.

Featured in the Muye Dobo Tongji through arts such as the sharp saber (Yedo), two-handed sword (Ssangsudo), and Japanese sword (Waegom), cutting was a fundamental technique used to overpower opponents or disarm weapons in real combat.

Even today, practitioners train by cutting straw bundles or bamboo to refine sword use, check their stance, concentration, and ability to channel energy from the danjeon (lower abdomen).