We all know how seriously archery is taken in Korea as an Olympic sport. But: why archery? Why that sport, and not another?
The answer lies in a complex web of history. For much of the last thousand years, the Korean peninsula was called Joseon, and it was ruled by a long-standing imperial dynasty from the 15th to the 20th century.
This deep-rooted tradition continues today, as Korea prepares to host the Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships and the Gwangju 2025 World Archery Para Championships in Gwangju.
Archery in the Joseon dynasty was not only a military skill but also a cultural, spiritual and scholarly pursuit, carrying deep symbolic as well as practical value in Korean society. It remained so throughout an era marked by significant advancements in science and technology, and a strong intellectual culture influenced by Chinese traditions and Confucianism.
The taste for archery was set at the top. Many of Joseon’s monarchs were said to be masters of the sport. King Jeongjo (1776-1800) often displayed his skill with the bow and was described by one flattering account as “unrivalled by his contemporaries.” While practising at Suwon, he was reputed to strike the target 24 times out of 25.
Before the widespread adoption of firearms, archery was also the backbone of Joseon’s military forces. Korean archers were famed for their skill with the gakgung, a small but powerful composite bow made of horn, sinew, bamboo and wood – a highly refined version of older Asiatic composite bows. Even as gunpowder replaced bows, the gakgung remained highly valued for centuries for its range, accuracy and rate of fire.
In one of many technical innovations of the age, Korean armourers added a pyeonjeon, or grooved firing tube, which increased the range of the arrow, and developed the fire-arrow organ gun known as the hwacha, capable of firing over 100 arrows simultaneously.
