Ssireum

Ssireum is Korea's indigenous grappling sport, where competitors grip a cloth waistband and attempt to throw each other to the ground, historically performed at the Dano spring festival. Champions called cheonhajangsa were the most celebrated athletes in Joseon-era Korea, and the sport boasts a lineage stretching back over 2,000 years. While not as globally widespread as Taekwondo, its historical depth is over 60% older than the average Korean martial art, making it a unique cultural touchstone.