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PHOTOS Virtual taekwondo makes historic Asian Games debut

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By Choi Won-suk
  • Published KST

No weight classes, no gender divides: Pure skill on display as digital martial art makes historic debut

Thailand’s Tongchan Sasikarn and Mongolia’s Lkhagva Badam compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Tongchan won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Thailand’s Tongchan Sasikarn and Mongolia’s Lkhagva Badam compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Tongchan won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s An Hyang-sik and Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s An Hyang-sik and Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s An Hyang-sik and Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s An Hyang-sik and Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s An Hyang-sik and Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s An Hyang-sik and Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s An Hyang-sik competes in a virtual taekwondo match against and Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s An Hyang-sik competes in a virtual taekwondo match against and Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang reacts as she wins the first round in a virtual taekwondo match against South Korea’s An Hyang-sik at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang reacts as she wins the first round in a virtual taekwondo match against South Korea’s An Hyang-sik at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang reacts as she wins the third round in a virtual taekwondo match against South Korea’s An Hyang-sik at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang reacts as she wins the third round in a virtual taekwondo match against South Korea’s An Hyang-sik at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Sang won the match. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Kyrgyzstan’s Asymbek Uulu Alisher, left, and Singapore’s Yap Zong Han Darren compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Yap won the match. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Kyrgyzstan’s Asymbek Uulu Alisher, left, and Singapore’s Yap Zong Han Darren compete in a virtual taekwondo match at the Toyohashi Gymnasium during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan, Oct. 2. Virtual taekwondo made its debut as an official sport at this year's Asian Games. Yap won the match. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

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