There were a number of rule changes at this year’s Jeju Peace Taekwondo Championship, and spectators say the event was more fun to watch because of them. Minhoe Kim reports.



Report


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Halla Gymnasium, Jeju City

55 to 22.

This isn’t the score to a basketball game, but for the final round of the high school category at the Jeju Peace Taekwondo Championship.

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Matches with 30+ points common

Spectators are often seeing matches climb to 20 or even 30+ points at this year’s event.

High scores mean the athletes are being offensive and taking more risks as they vie for the win, something that makes the matches more exciting for spectators.

Also, this tournament marks the start of a new rule system being implemented by Korea.

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Rule changes make for aggressive competition

Numerous changes have arrived with the system. First, penalty points are deducted without warning. Pushing one’s competitor is also allowed. This means that the sparring continues, which leads to aggressive offensive moves.

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Attack on trunk protector now 2 points, not 1

Athletes now earn two points as opposed to one for a valid attack on the trunk protector, which helps to remove the disadvantage for shorter athletes.

Under the new rule changes, physical strength matters more over the three rounds.

INTERVIEW
Yi Tae-sang / Coach, Ulsan Sports Science High School
When sparring, the athletes are very aggressive. I think that physical strength is now most important, with skill being second.

Despite the new rules only being introduced this year, the event went smoothly.

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Spectators absorbed in competition

This year’s spectators were more absorbed than ever in the competition.

KCTV Jeju broadcast the week-long event live nationwide.

Taekwondo commentators have said that live broadcasting has laid the foundation for the sport to gain in popularity.

INTERVIEW
Kim Gyeong-il / Korea Taekwondo Association
The tournament is fair. There have been no complaints from coaches. I believe that over the past 12 years the Jeju Peace Taekwondo Championship has helped lay a foundation for the sport and find potential in young athletes.

The 12th Jeju Peace Taekwondo Championship, highlighted with heated competition and passionate spectators, may be over, but it has left a lasting impression.

[Reporter] Minhoe Kim

The annual event is the earliest of Korea’s Taekwondo tournaments, and thus far, the response to the new rules has been favourable.

Minhoe Kim, KCTV