Ssireum
The painting titled "Sangbak" (상박; 相撲) drawn by Kim Hong-do illustrates people gathering around to watch a ssireum competition in the late 18th century. | |
| Also known as | gakjeo; gakhui; gakryeok; gakgii; chiuhui; sangbak; jaenggyo |
|---|---|
| Focus | Grappling |
| Hardness | Full-contact |
| Country of origin | Korea |
| Creator | Unknown |
| Parenthood | Historical |
| Olympic sport | No |
| Ssireum | |
| Hangul | 씨름 |
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization | ssireum |
| McCune–Reischauer | ssirŭm |
Ssireum (Korean: 씨름; Korean pronunciation: [ɕ͈iɾɯm]) or Korean wrestling is a folk wrestling style and traditional national sport of Korea that began in the fourth century.
In the modern form each contestant wears a belt (satba) that wraps around the waist and the thigh. The competition employs a series of techniques, which inflict little harm or injury to the opponent: opponents lock on to each other's belt, and one achieves victory by bringing any part of the opponent's body above the knee to the ground.