Virtual drive to boost taekwondo participation

SINGAPORE – On the giant video screen, two fighters are locked in a fierce battle on an orb with an outer space-themed background.

This is not a scene from a video game, but the duo are actually virtual avatars mimicking the actions of the taekwondo exponents in front of the screen.

The combatants, decked out in their taekwondo dobok, or uniform, are wearing virtual reality headsets with motion-tracking nodes in their hands and on their shins, as they execute kicks and punches across the floor.

Welcome to the world of virtual taekwondo, a non-contact version with no weight classes.

Each match is contested in a best-of-three format, with each round lasting 60 seconds. The aim is to land hits to drain the opponent’s power bar, akin to popular fighting video games.

The bout will end once a fighter depletes the power bar of his opponent or the one with the higher bar at the end of the three rounds wins, unlike the physical format where points are awarded by judges for legal hits.

The novel format appears to be gaining traction, as scoring moves during the bouts have elicited oohs and aahs from the over 600 spectators at the OCBC Arena, which is hosting the Nov 16-17 World Taekwondo Virtual Championships.

It is a sentiment shared by World Taekwondo’s (WT) virtual taekwondo committee chairman Yang Jin-bang, who believes that this version will encourage a broader range of people across different ages and genders to participate in the martial art.

The Korea Taekwondo Association president said: “In taekwondo, it’s not easy for the general practitioner to have a real competition because of injuries. When people practise taekwondo, they like to have fighting but they’re also worried about getting injured.

“Virtual taekwondo gives them the opportunity to practise sparring without injury, so a wider range of people like kids, adults, male, female, can all enjoy virtual taekwondo in a sparring format.”

Still a nascent innovation, virtual taekwondo featured at the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in 2023, when it was also held in Singapore.

The physical taekwondo made its first appearance as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, before becoming a full medal sport 12 years later, appearing in every edition since then.

Over 110 athletes, including 12 from Singapore, are taking part in the virtual world championships, which offer five categories: junior mixed (13-15 years old), young adult male, female and mixed (16-35), and adult mixed (36 and above).

Yang admitted that it will take time for the virtual version to become mainstream, even within the taekwondo community – the meet features exponents from only 23 countries besides the refugee team and neutral athletes, out of WT’s over 200 member associations.

However, he is confident the virtual version can become popular as the world body works to simplify the technology and bring down costs.

He said: “Compared to other e-sports, taekwondo e-sports is quite close to real, practical taekwondo. The techniques are the same and the format of fighting are almost the same, so it’s very easy to introduce this game to the taekwondo community.

“After these world championships, most of the World Taekwondo federations will recognise this game in one way or another, and they will try to start it in their own country.”

The 67-year-old also outlined WT’s plans to introduce more virtual taekwondo competitions, including international events such as the World Cup series and grands prix in the coming years.

Exponent Angelito Ong, who is representing the United States at the world championships, welcomed the developments while acknowledging that there are sceptics who are not convinced by virtual taekwondo.

The 53-year-old, who runs four taekwondo schools in the United States, said: “This is the technology right now, you have to adapt to it. I like taekwondo because they’re always innovating, developing technology, those are very important. I can see this being very popular four years from now and I want to be a part of it.”

On the first day of the competition, Singapore’s Javis Yap clinched the junior mixed title by beating compatriot Alexander Khor in two rounds, while their teammate Justin Peh settled for the young adult mixed silver after losing 2-0 to the Philippines’ Zyka Angelica Santiago in the final.