What Does the Korean Flag Mean?

Summary

In this video from the World Class Taekwondo YouTube channel, the host explores the history and meaning of the South Korean flag, the birthplace of Taekwondo. The white background symbolizes peace and purity, while the taeguk (the circle in the middle) represents balance in the universe. The red and blue halves symbolize positive and negative cosmic forces, respectively. The surrounding trigrams signify elements like water, fire, earth, and sky, representing movement, harmony, and essential life principles. The video highlights respect for both the American and Korean flags in Taekwondo schools.

Takeaways

• 👋 Welcome to the World Class Taekwondo YouTube channel!
• 📜 The video covers the history and meaning of the South Korean flag, the birthplace of Taekwondo.
• 🇺🇸 Many people learn about the American flag's meaning, but today the focus is on the South Korean flag.
• 📅 The current South Korean flag was introduced in the late 1940s.
• ⚪ The white background of the flag symbolizes peace and purity.
• 🔴🔵 The circle in the middle, known as the Taeguk, represents balance in the universe, with red symbolizing positive cosmic forces and blue representing negative cosmic forces.
• ⚛️ The trigrams around the edges of the flag represent the four natural elements: water, fire, earth, and sky.
• ⚖️ The trigrams also symbolize justice, fruition, wisdom, and vitality, emphasizing movement and harmony as essential principles of life.
• 🏳️‍🌈 Taekwondo schools often display both the American and Korean flags as a sign of respect to both countries.
• 👍 The video encourages viewers to like and subscribe for more content on Taekwondo and related topics.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the video on the Taekwondo YouTube channel?

The video aims to explain the history and meaning of the South Korean flag, the birthplace of Taekwondo.

When did the South Korean flag, as we know it today, come into existence?

The South Korean flag came into existence in the late 1940s.

What does the white background of the South Korean flag symbolize?

The white background symbolizes peace and purity.

What is the meaning of the circle in the middle of the South Korean flag?

The circle, known as the Taeguk, represents balance in the universe.

What do the red and blue parts of the Taeguk symbolize?

The red part symbolizes positive cosmic forces, while the blue part represents opposing negative forces in the universe.

What are the symbols around the sides of the Korean flag called?

The symbols are known as trigrams.

What do the trigrams on the Korean flag represent?

Each trigram represents one of the four natural elements: water, fire, earth, and sky. They also symbolize justice, fruition, wisdom, and vitality.

What is the overarching meaning of the trigrams on the South Korean flag?

The trigrams symbolize movement and harmony, which are fundamental principles of life.

Why are both the American and South Korean flags often displayed in Taekwondo schools?

Both flags are displayed to show respect to the country where the students live (America) and the country where Taekwondo originated (South Korea).

What do students do at the start of each Taekwondo class involving the flags?

Students bow to the flags at the beginning of each class to show respect to both the country they live in and the birthplace of Taekwondo.