Day two of the 2026 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Chuncheon
As Chuncheon, Gangwon Province cements its place as a global taekwondo hub, the 2026 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships — which opened Wednesday — is drawing growing excitement from athletes and spectators alike.
The competition runs through Sunday at the Songam Sports Town Air Dome in Chuncheon, where national team-level athletes from 85 countries are vying for world titles across 42 divisions in both recognized and freestyle poomsae.
In the freestyle poomsae events, competitors perform high-difficulty kicks and creative movements choreographed to music.
In the recognized poomsae events, male and female athletes showcased precise, disciplined technique.
In the recognized poomsae team event, three athletes perform together, with judges evaluating technical accuracy, spacing, direction and synchronization of movement.
The cadet recognized poomsae pairs event features two athletes from different countries performing their routines simultaneously. The cadet category is open to competitors aged 12 to 14.
Each time the athletes pulled off a spectacular move, the crowd packed into Songam Sports Town erupted in cheers and applause.
Earlier Wednesday, Chuncheon city signed an agreement with World Taekwondo (WT) and the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) at Chuncheon City Hall to host three international taekwondo competitions from 2027 to 2029 as part of the World Taekwondo Culture Festival.
Under the agreement, Chuncheon will host the WT World Cup Team Championship, the World Para Taekwondo Open and the KTA Dynamic Taekwondo event each year from 2027 through 2029.
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