Taekwondo Cultural Experience with NEXEN’s Global Employees

Gaon Taekwondo in Sinchon, Seoul recently hosted a special Taekwondo cultural experience class for NEXEN’s international employees, held as part of a Korean culture program for staff invited from around the world.

Many foreigners think of K-POP, Korean food, or hanbok when they imagine Korean culture. But in practice, Taekwondo turns out to be one of the most exciting experiences of all — putting on a dobok, learning kicks, and trying board-breaking lets visitors feel Korean culture with their own bodies, not just watch it.

This session went well beyond a few simple kicks. Participants started with basic Taekwondo etiquette, then moved on to simple poomsae movements, target kicking with mitts, and finally a board-breaking experience. Many who were shy at first grew more and more engaged, and the board-breaking moment drew cheers from the whole group.

Teaching Taekwondo to foreign guests calls for a different approach from regular adult classes. More than language, what matters most is fun and cultural experience. At Gaon, the goal is to let visitors enjoy Taekwondo naturally within the flow of a Korean cultural experience, rather than simply drilling technique.

As an adult-focused dojang, Gaon Taekwondo makes it easy for foreign adults to join without pressure. We regularly run programs for corporate global training, inbound travel agencies, university Korean-language institutes, and tourist groups. After class, many participants told us it was far more fun than they expected and that it felt like a real taste of Korean culture.

Is there any experience more Korean than trying Taekwondo, Korea’s national martial art, firsthand? Gaon Taekwondo will keep introducing more visitors to Korea’s Taekwondo culture through programs like this one.