I recently ran across a CNBC article discussing the rise of “Virtual Taekwondo,” not just as a game, but an actual sport. Known as “e-sports”, this is a growing industry boasting more than $25 billion in revenue in 2019. In fact, this last November, World Taekwondo debuted their very first Taekwondo Virtual Championships in Singapore.
I must be honest; my initial reaction was not positive. My concern is always that we are trading real, tangible experiences in our technology-focused society for something that isn’t genuine. This is a prime example. According to the CNBC article, virtual Taekwondo “allows athletes to experience the intensity of sparring without the physical contact.” With that in mind, you might be surprised to know that I am genuinely intrigued.
E-sports are rising in popularity
Like it or not, the rise in popularity of e-sports is a reality (a real reality, not the virtual kind). Virtual Taekwondo itself is the result of a collaboration between World Taekwondo and Refract Technologies, a Singapore tech company. Developers expect Virtual Taekwondo to “exist” alongside traditional Taekwondo and see it as a new discipline of the sport. The cutting-edge equipment used includes a headset, 2 hand controllers, and a sensor on the spine, thighs and calves. Ultimately, the entire body is meant to function as one big game “controller.”
Potential benefits
Virtual Taekwondo is promoted as a way to encourage more people to engage in the sport by making differences in body type, disabilities, and size irrelevant. Further, many hope it will provide athletes who can no longer participate in traditional Taekwondo because of age or injuries a new avenue for competition.
Designing the game in a way that is attractive for spectators also appears to be a goal of developers. This has the potential to increase an overall appreciation for Taekwondo and its aesthetics worldwide. In fact, it has been shown that e-sports consumption is positively associated with an admiration of athletes’ skills. These things will likely have a positive effect on the sport of Taekwondo overall.
It’s not without controversy
Whether you consider e-sports, including Virtual Taekwondo, a new type of competitive sport or not likely depends on your viewpoint of sports in general. Defining the many emerging areas of e-sports will be important for how the industry is viewed going forward. As technology increasingly plays an important role even in traditional Taekwondo (for example, the use of electronic sparring equipment at tournaments), the lines between these two worlds will be almost unavoidably intertwined.
Is there a take-home for parents?
I still believe that traditional Taekwondo is the superior learning format to capitalize on the benefits of engaging in the sport. It’s difficult for me to visualize effectively incorporating the 5 tenets of Taekwondo (courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit) into your child’s life by plopping a headset on. Having said that, if a child has disabilities that make traditional Taekwondo impossible, the possibilities of Virtual Taekwondo are endless.
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