The Heritagization and Institutionalization of Taekkyeon: An Intangible Cultural Heritage

Taekkyeon, a Korean traditional martial art focussing on the harmony of the individual and community has been listed as the first martial art of the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011. Though taekkyeon involves competitive elements as a martial art, taekkyeon masters and practitioners have emphasized its natural and playful characteristics, with connecting the peace of the inner self and the unity of the community. The increasing demand on the preservation and promotion of taekkyeon as an intangible cultural tradition has involved the intertwined processes of heritagization and institutionalization. This paper identifies and conceptualizes the two development processes of preserving and promoting taekkyeon.