The 2025 Daegu World University Taekwondo Festival (World University Taekwondo Festival, WUTF) concluded successfully after four days from the 5th to the 8th.
The tournament, now in its second iteration, is an international college taekwondo competition jointly sanctioned by the World Taekwondo and the International University Sports Federation (FISU). It was structured around certified patterns, freestyle patterns, and sparring matches at the G1 (ranking points) level. This included a Division 2·3 sector centered on recreational sports, allowing a wide range of participants from beginners to those seeking international stage experience.
A total of 899 participants (including athletes and coaches) from 41 countries took part in this event, with 115 foreign participants including local residents.
The youngest participant was born in 2019 (aged 6), while the oldest participant was born in 1980, making it a festival that brought together all generations through taekwondo. More than 2,000 people, including domestic and international volunteers, staff, and attendees, participated directly in the event.
The most highly anticipated match was the men's sparring -63kg G1 finals held on the 7th.
This match featured Korea Gas Corporation's Jang Jun, a bronze medalist from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and promising athlete Yang Won-seok from Yongin University, creating a tension befitting a final.
In the first round, Jang Jun gained the advantage using his overwhelming height and speed, but Yang Won-seok launched a fierce counterattack starting in the second round, turning the tide. In the third round, as the back-and-forth continued, Yang Won-seok scored a decisive point just before the end of the match, achieving a comeback victory with a final score of 2:1.
In particular, the G1 pattern finals held on the final day, the 8th, showcased a combination of technical perfection and artistry, eliciting enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Beyond a simple sports competition, this event also attracted attention as a venue for 'K-culture' and youth exchanges.
During the tournament period, traditional Korean games experiences, such as yutnori and jegichagi, were available at the Keimyung University campus where the matches were held, and on the first day, a collaborative pattern demonstration between the Bulgarian representative team and the Keimyung University Visa Pattern Team garnered attention.
Additionally, elderly taekwondo practitioners, including grandparents aged over 60 (commonly referred to as 'silver taekwondo' practitioners), took to the stage on the first day to showcase creative taekwondo performances and demonstrations, demonstrating the strength of 'taekwondo that transcends generations.'
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