Taekwondo originated on the Korean Peninsula. In its earlier days, it evolved from Taekkyon and Hwarangdo of the Three Kingdoms period of Korea, and was a folk combat art popular among the Korean people.
Before the last century, the term Taekwondo did not exist in Korea. Korean martial arts were mainly composed of Karate, Tang Soo Do, and a small number of folk styles like Taekkyon. During the Japanese colonial period, a large number of Korean young students went to study in Japan, where they received systematic training in Shotokan Karate. Upon returning to their home country, they began founding dojos to teach students.
After Japan's defeat, Korea gained national independence, and a large number of Karate and Tang Soo Do dojos emerged. Early Korean propagators of Karate combined the traditional national martial art Taekkyon with Karate, calling it Tang Soo Do, and the earliest batch of Korean dojos appeared—these later became known as the Nine Kwans.
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