The Kukkiwon, World Taekwondo Headquarters, will showcase the power and discipline of Korean martial arts through a spectacular Taekwondo demonstration as part of the Korea Festival 2025. The performance is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025, at 6:50 p.m. at the Umm Al Emarat Park Amphitheatre in Abu Dhabi, with free admission and no reservation required for the general public.
The demonstration will feature the renowned Kukkiwon Demonstration Team presenting dynamic performances that capture the essence of Taekwondo through various techniques including breaking demonstrations, poomsae (traditional forms), and self-defense methods. The team aims to vividly convey the spirit and energy of Korean martial arts to the local audience through their disciplined and powerful performances.
The Kukkiwon, established in 1972 as the World Taekwondo Headquarters, has been instrumental in expanding and developing Taekwondo globally through its comprehensive initiatives. These core activities include conducting Taekwondo Dan promotion tests, nurturing Taekwondo leaders, researching and developing advanced techniques and theories, hosting the prestigious World Taekwondo Hanmadang, operating the demonstration team, and dispatching qualified Taekwondo masters to more than 50 countries worldwide.
The Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team, which audiences will witness at the festival, was founded in 1974 and has been showcasing spectacular Taekwondo performances for over 51 years. The team has participated in major international events, including memorable performances at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, helping to introduce Taekwondo to global audiences during these prestigious sporting events.
In recent years, the demonstration team has achieved remarkable international recognition, including becoming the runner-up on the popular U.S. CBS television program "The World's Best" in 2019. This achievement brought Korean martial arts into the spotlight of American entertainment and demonstrated the team's exceptional skill level on an international stage.
The team's commitment to globalizing Taekwondo is evident through their extensive international outreach efforts. They visit approximately 20 countries every year and have performed in more than 200 countries to date, playing a leading role in spreading awareness and appreciation of Taekwondo worldwide. The upcoming Abu Dhabi performance represents another significant opportunity for the team to share Korean martial arts culture with international audiences and strengthen cultural exchanges between Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
