Virtual taekwondo is on the rise as it makes its debut at Asian Games
Eileen Ng
Mon, July 6, 2026 at 10:10 p.m. EDT
5 min read
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — When Vietnamese athlete Nguyen Thanh Hien Linh stepped into her first virtual taekwondo competition in Singapore in 2024, she had little idea what she was doing
“I was just kicking into the air,” recalled the 21-year-old. Despite her background as an elite national taekwondo champion, she struggled in the virtual arena with no clue on strategy, skills or how the technology worked
Two years later, she won a gold medal at a recent virtual taekwondo competition in Malaysia and was part of a growing community of the gamified combat sport across Southeast Asia
Once unfamiliar and experimental, virtual taekwondo is now emerging as a structured competitive discipline. Co-developed by World Taekwondo and Singapore-based technology company Refract Technologies, it combines virtual reality technology with traditional taekwondo techniques to woo tech-savvy young athletes
Competitors wear VR headsets that transport them into a digital 3D arena, and strap motion-tracking sensors on their spine, thighs and shins. They use their bodies to control digital avatars in noncontact virtual matches, where every fast and well-timed strike depletes the opponent’s virtual health bar
Unlike conventional taekwondo where competitors are separated by age, weight and gender, virtual taekwondo places everyone in the same digital arena
It was showcased at Singapore’s Olympic Esports Week in 2023 and held its first World Championships in Singapore in 2024. This year, the sport will make its debut at the Asian Games in Japan, and it is expected to be included in the 2027 Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia
A physically demanding sport without injury risk
During last month’s Malaysian competition, athletes and coaches described how the discipline is reshaping perceptions of both martial arts and gaming
Singapore national athlete Brian Peh, 46, said he was not into gaming but joined the 2024 championship with his son out of curiosity. Both won gold and have since participated in many other local and regional games
Peh now also trains students in virtual taekwondo in his dojang, or training hall
“I always tell parents: your kids love games. Do you want them using their hands to play, or using their legs?” he said. “When they put on the headset and start to fight, wow, their energy is so high. They can play and play and they love it.”
Cambodian coach Vandy Yiv said more children and parents in his country are showing interest due to the low risk of injury. In a local tournament earlier this year, he said there were more participants for virtual taekwondo than traditional segments
