Taegeuk Oh Jang

Quick Facts

About the kata

Taegeuk Oh Jang corresponds to the trigram ☴, wind. Per mookas.com's citation of the Kukkiwon's digital encyclopedia, wind is read by its strength, now as mighty power, now as calm. The Taekwondo Compendium (nbtkda.com) puts it as an image: a gentle wind can suddenly turn into a typhoon, and just as unexpectedly the form switches between techniques driven by trunk rotation. Here, for the first time, comes the downward hammer-fist strike me jumeok naeryeo chigi, the arcing elbow strike, the elbow strike to a target, and the back cross stance dwi kkoa seogi. English Wikipedia stresses the side kicks yeop chagi on the centre line come with a simultaneous hand strike. The Kukkiwon flags two special passages: after the kick come only blocks, low and to the trunk, and near the end the attack comes in a jump with a stamp. The single kihap belongs, per nbtkda.com, to the stamp with the simultaneous back-fist strike deung jumeok ap chigi. Phoenix Taekwondo counts 20 movements and 32 techniques and likens the floor pattern to the character 王, "king." Grading placement differs: nbtkda.com and both Korean and English Wikipedia link the form to 4th geup, while Phoenix Taekwondo tests it at 3rd geup.

The kata in different styles

Meaning of the name

The Korean Wikipedia notes this form's trigram as ☴, with the character 風 and the reading son. The Taekwondo Compendium (nbtkda.com) assigns it the pelvis and hip joint in the human body: the muscles around them should stay relaxed so the stance is stable and strong. The Phoenix Taekwondo club describes wind as fast and strong, yet gentle and invisible, and sees its principle in the sweeping hammer-fist strike and in the final step into the cross stance.

Bunkai – applications

We have not been able to find an application analysis in the sources, but the Taekwondo Compendium (nbtkda.com) writes about the targets of individual techniques. The arcing elbow strike, secured by the other hand (palgup geodeureo dollyeo chigi), should end at jaw height. The elbow strike to a target aims at solar-plexus height, not the chest or the shoulder. The downward hammer fist, according to the same source, travels a circular path from the hip to the rear shoulder and across in front of the forehead.

In competition

British Taekwondo's competition rules from June 2025 place Taegeuk Oh Jang among the compulsory forms for juniors, individuals, and pairs and teams, alongside Taegeuk 6 to 8, Koryo, Keumgang, Taebaek and Pyeongwon. Cadets and the youngest age group choose from Taegeuk 4 to 8; from the under-30 category onward the form is no longer on the list. We have not been able to find it on World Taekwondo's competition lists.

In grading syllabi

• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 1st poom
• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 2nd poom
• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 3rd poom
• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 4th poom
• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 1st dan
• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 2nd dan
• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 3rd dan
• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 4th dan
• Kukkiwon system (poom and dan): 5th dan

Technique Sequence — WT Taekwondo

Breakdown source: phoenixtaekwondo.net

1. #1
   Ap KubiArae Makgi
2. #2
   Yeop SeogiMe Jumeok Naeryeo Chigi
3. #3
   Ap KubiArae Makgi
4. #4
   Yeop SeogiMe Jumeok Naeryeo Chigi
5. #5
   Ap KubiAn Makgi
6. #6
   Ap KubiAn Makgi
7. #7
   Ap KubiAp Chagi
8. #8
   Ap KubiDeungjumeok Ap Chigi
9. #9
   Ap KubiAn Makgi
10. #10
    Ap KubiAp Chagi
11. #11
    Ap KubiDeungjumeok Ap Chigi
12. #12
    Ap KubiAn Makgi
13. #13
    Ap KubiDeungjumeok Ap Chigi
14. #14
    Dwit KubiSonnal Makgi
15. #15
    Ap KubiPalgup Geodeureo Dollyeo Chigi
16. #16
    Dwit KubiSonnal Makgi
17. #17
    Ap KubiPalgup Geodeureo Dollyeo Chigi
18. #18
    Ap KubiArae Makgi
19. #19
    Ap KubiAn Makgi
20. #20
    Ap KubiAp Chagi
21. #21
    Ap KubiDeungjumeok Ap Chigi
22. #22
    Ap KubiAn Makgi
23. #23
    Ap KubiEolgul Makgi
24. #24
    Ap KubiMejumeok Bakkat ChigiYeop Chagi
25. #25
    Ap KubiPalgup Pyojeok Chigi
26. #26
    Ap KubiEolgul Makgi
27. #27
    Ap KubiMejumeok Bakkat ChigiYeop Chagi
28. #28
    Ap KubiPalgup Pyojeok Chigi
29. #29
    Ap KubiArae Makgi
30. #30
    Ap KubiAn Makgi
31. #31
    Ap KubiAp Chagi
32. #32
    Dwi Kkoa SeogiDeungjumeok Ap Chigi
    kiai