When an instructor shouts Momtong Bandae Jireugi in the middle of the dojang, they are not asking for a generic strike: they are marking a height, a target and a mechanic. Knowing the Korean parts of the taekwondo body is not a purist's whim, it is the key to understanding what is attacked, what is defended and what scores in a match. This guide organizes the vocabulary into three blocks: the height zones, the body tools and the targets recognized in the regulations. At the end you will have a map that can be used tomorrow in class.
The Korean language of Taekwondo is functional, not decorative. Each term describes a specific region of the body, and that precision translates into safety, clean technique and quick communication between instructor and student. Without that vocabulary, the practitioner depends on imitation; with it, they understand.
01The three heights: Eolgool, Momtong and Arae
The first division that any white belt learns is the three vertical zones. Eolgool (얼굴) literally means face, but in a technical context it encompasses the entire upper zone: from the collarbone upward. Momtong (몸통) is the torso, the middle band between the shoulders and the navel, where the majority of scoreable targets in gyeorugi are concentrated. Arae (아래) is the lower zone, below the belt.
This tripartition organizes both attacks and defenses. An Eolgool Makki blocks upward, a Momtong Makki crosses the torso, an Arae Makki sweeps downward. The logic holds in poomsae, in sparring and in self-defense. Those who internalize these three heights stop memorizing isolated techniques and start to read sequences.
In World Taekwondo's competition rules, valid points in gyeorugi are concentrated on Momtong (with protective gear) and on Eolgool (only with kicks). Arae is outside the scoring. In ITF, the spirit is similar although the scoring mechanics change, and the lower zone is trained more frequently for sweeps and strikes.
02The head and face in detail
Within Eolgool it is worth distinguishing parts. Meori (머리) is the head in a broad sense, while Eolgool is reserved more for the face. Turk (턱) is the chin, a classic target for circular kicks like Dollyeo Chagi. Kwan-janori (관자놀이) designates the temple, a prohibited zone in competition but studied in Hosinsul.
Mok (목) is the neck, and Twi-Mok (뒷목) the nape. Both appear as prohibited zones in any contact regulation, which does not prevent the advanced practitioner from knowing them to understand why certain trajectories are controlled so carefully. To name is to protect.
A useful detail for the oral exam: Ko (코) is the nose, Ip (입) the mouth, Nun (눈) the eye and Kwi (귀) the ear. They are not sports targets, but they appear in explanations of self-defense and in the anatomical description of poomsae applications.
03The torso as a scoreable zone
Momtong is the territory where much of the match is decided. Within this band, Myungchi (명치) is the solar plexus, the favored target of classic Jireugi. Galbi (갈비) are the ribs, attacked with side and circular kicks. Bae (배) is the abdomen, and Deung (등) the back, prohibited as a front target but present in throws.
The current electronic chest protector covers virtually all front and lateral Momtong, leaving the back out of the scoreable zone. This explains why competitors constantly turn to present their front to the opponent: it is not aesthetics, it is regulation reading translated into body.
In modern gyeorugi, mastering Momtong is not just knowing where to strike, but understanding which angles activate the sensor and which are lost in the air.
Eojjae (어깨) is the shoulder, Pal (팔) the complete arm, Palkup (팔굽) the elbow and Sonmok (손목) the wrist. Although they are not scoreable targets, they are technical anchors: the shoulder guides Jireugi rotation, the elbow is used as a tool in Palkup Chigi.
04The legs and the lower zone
Arae includes Heori (허리), the waist, a constant reference for positioning the belt and measuring kick heights. Daribi (다리) is the leg in general, Mureup (무릎) the knee, Jeonggang-i (정강이) the shin and Balmok (발목) the ankle. Bal (발) is the foot, fundamental for classifying impact surfaces.
The knee appears as a tool in Mureup Chigi, an upward strike used at close distances. The shin, although not named as a target, is a blocking zone and impact area in low kicks of application. Knowing these names allows the instructor to correct without touching: just pointing with the word is enough.
The groin, Naranghi (낭심), falls outside any legal sports target and is trained only in self-defense contexts with protection. Its mention in class is usually accompanied by control warnings.
05Body tools: what strikes
The vocabulary not only describes targets, it also describes weapons. The closed fist is Jumeok (주먹), and its front knuckles are Ap Jumeok, the front of basic Jireugi. Sonnal (손날) is the knife hand, used in Sonnal Mok Chigi. Pyeon Sonkkeut (편 손끝) are the extended finger tips, a penetration tool in advanced poomsae.
In the leg, the surfaces are even more varied. Ap Chuk (앞축) is the metatarsal, the base of Ap Chagi. Baldeung (발등) is the instep, the surface of modern Dollyeo Chagi. Balnal (발날) is the outer edge of the foot, used in Yeop Chagi. Dwitkumchi (뒷꿈치) is the heel, the tool of descending Naeryeo Chagi.
- Ap Chuk: metatarsal, for penetrating front kicks.
- Baldeung: instep, for quick circulars.
- Balnal: outer edge, for side kicks.
- Dwitkumchi: heel, for descending and spinning kicks.
- Balbadak: sole of the foot, for pushes.
This classification is not theoretical. In an exam, the evaluator may ask for a Dollyeo Chagi with Baldeung and another with Ap Chuk, and both are distinct techniques with distinct applications.
06Applying the map in the dojang
A simple way to fix the vocabulary is to associate each term with a technique already known. If Eolgool Makki rises to face height, that word is anchored. If Momtong Jireugi strikes the solar plexus, Myungchi is learned on its own. The frequent mistake is studying the Korean parts of the taekwondo body in a flat list, without connecting them with movement.
Another strategy is to work by families: one session dedicated to hand tools, another to foot surfaces, another to torso targets. Muscle memory and verbal memory reinforce each other. After a month, the practitioner responds to the Korean command without mentally translating it.
For those preparing for a grade examination, it is worth memorizing at least three terms per zone and two tools per limb. It is the minimum basis for sustaining a technical conversation with a Korean instructor or reading an original manual without getting lost in each line.
Body vocabulary is the skeleton on which all the rest of Taekwondo language is mounted: directions, positions, techniques. Once this map is organized, the names of the kicks stop being isolated syllables and become precise descriptions. The natural next step is to study the positions (Seogi) and the directions, where these same pieces appear again combined.