At first glance, Taekwondo appears similar to the northern styles of Chinese Kung Fu or the Japanese Martial Arts of Jujitsu and Karate. Some styles of Taekwondo also employ throws that are similar to Judo. In fact, this observation is well grounded. In ancient times the Korean Peninsula was the bridge through which culture and ideas passed from China to Japan. Many elements of Korean culture, including Martial Arts, represent a transitional stage between the cultures of Korea's neighbors. China and Japan contributed to, rather than replaced Korea's native culture. Koreans have always been fiercely independent and take great pride in their national arts.

In many ways, the history of Taekwondo is parallel to the historical development of the "Hermit Kingdom" of Korea. Martial Arts were first introduced to Korea in 108 B.C., when the Northern part of the country was overrun by the Han Dynasty of China. The rest of the country consisted of about one hundred tribes loosely united into three rival kingdoms: Kogurya in the North, Paekche in the Southwest, and Silla in the Southeast. The Chinese fighting styles eventually reached these kingdoms, where they were modified and refined according to local needs. In terms of technology, Korea was less developed than its powerful Chinese neighbor and had not yet developed advance iron-working skills. Local swords were not as effective as their Chinese counterparts and were used more as religious and artistic objects that as weapons. Although most Korean Martial Arts have Japanese and Chinese parallels, a native school of swordsmanship akin to Kendo never developed. Because of this, open-handed fighting techniques were particularly important and were modified and refined.

For several hundred years the three kingdoms fought with each other for dominance. Silla, the smallest and most remote of these kingdoms was spared from Chinese attacks, particularly during the T'ang Dynasty (618-906 A.D.) It did, however suffer from constant attacks by Paekche, Koguryo, and Japan; the kingdom was forced to create a powerful army. To compensate for the death of efficient weaponry, fighting styles known as T'ang-Su (T'ang hand) were borrowed from the T'ang Dynasty of China. Koguryo also developed fighting techniques based on those of China these were eventually standardized into two schools, the Sorim Temple School and the Songkae School, and contests were held regularly before the King.

By the early Seventh Century, Silla succeeded in defeating Paekche and Koguryo and uniting the Korean Peninsula. Under Queen Songduk, students were sent to China to study military science and philosophy. Upon their return to Korea they introduced principles of Hwarang, a combination of Confucianist loyalty to the Monarch, Buddhist control of both mind and body, and various Chinese fighting techniques, including archery, horsemanship, and unarmed combat. The students also studied such Chinese military classics as The Art of War (Wu-Shu) by Sun Tzu. A Buddhist priest named Wong Wang later developed a moral code for the Hwarang fighters and transformed the science into a Do, or way of life. In many ways, Hwarang-Do resembled Bushido of Japan. Members of the Hwarang Corps are often compared with the Samurai. Just as the Samurai developed Jujitsu as a form of unarmed combat, the Hwarang developed a unique open-handed fighting style.

For many years the Hwarang was a dreaded army of remarkable prowess and legendary exploits. By the late Eighth Century, however, the Hwarang became overly confident in their martial abilities. Many abandoned the strict code of Hwarang-Do for a life of luxury. In turn, the Kingdom in Silla itself was weakened, and in 935 a.d. it was overrun by the Koryo Dynasty.

Koryo ruled Korea until 1392. Because the Kingdom was threatened by both China and Japan, the military principles of Hwarang-Do were restored and further developed. Once reserved only for members of the nobility, all Korean men were now encouraged to study Martial Arts, and eventually became a compulsory subject for all males over the age of six.

In 1392, however, the Koryo Dynasty was replaced by the Yi Dynasty (1392-1910). The rulers of the Yi Dynasty were generally devout Buddhists and scholars who scorned anything connected to fighting and warfare. Over time Kwonpup, or Taekyon as it came to be known, was limited to a handful of individuals found in remote Monasteries of Central Korea. The country itself suffered from a lack of competent warriors; nominally independent, Korea became a vassal state of the Ming (1368-1644) and Manchu (1644-1911) Dynasties of China. In 1910, Japan annexed Korea and forbid the practice of Martial Arts.

In 1941, in the midst of World War II, Japan again permitted, and even encouraged Korean youths to study the Martial Arts, particularly Jujitsu and Juken-Jutsu, or bayonet fighting. After World War II Korea regained its independence and sought ways to reassert its national identity. One method was encouraging youth to study the traditional Martial Arts. In 1950 Choi Hong Hi, a Korean officer, began training his troops in the ancient art of Taekyon. American and other troops stationed in the country (it was divided into a communist North and an American-backed South) eagerly studied Taekyon and brought it home with them to North America and Europe. In 1954 the South Korean government, eager to promote Taekyon as the national pastime, appointed Choi to head a committee that would standardize its movements and build a sport out of its lethal techniques. Among the first things that Choi did was choose a new name for the art, Taekwondo, emphasizing that it would be practiced as a way of life rather than as a deadly means of combat. In doing so, he imitated Jigoro Kano of Japan, who converted Jujitsu into Judo.

Taekwondo became extremely popular in both Korea and around the world. Some statistics show that it is now the most popular Asian fighting art studied in the United States. It is the preferred art of many action film stars, and one, Chuck Norris, was named world champion of Taekwondo eight times. International recognition of Taekwondo's popularity came in 1964 when Taekwondo became a demonstration sport in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.