Traditional Korean Games

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GONGGI

Gonggi (공기, pronounced gong-gee) is a popular Korean children's game that is traditionally played using 5 or more small grape-sized pebbles. Nowadays, children buy colourful plastic stones instead of finding pebbles. It can be played alone or with friends. The stones are called gonggitdol (공깃돌), which means "gonggi stones."

The game generally begins with each player tossing the stones from the palm of their hand into the air. While airborne, the player switches his hand backside up. The gonggi stones are then caught on the back of the hand. The person with the leading amount plays first. Since only a few stones and a flat surface are needed for play, the game can be played by anyone almost anywhere.

TUHO

Tuho was originally popular among royal families and the upper class. In a manner similar to horseshoes, tuho players attempt to throw arrows into the top of a narrow-necked wooden jar. The score is determined by the number of arrows in the jar. Tuho is presently played by people from all classes.

JEGICHAGI

Jegichagi is a Korean traditional outdoor game in which players kick a paper jegi into the air and attempt to keep it aloft. A jegi is similar to a shuttlecock, and is made from paper wrapped around a small coin.

BADUK

A game of Baduk starts with an empty board. Each player has an effectively unlimited supply of stones, one taking the black stones, the other taking white. The basic object of the game is to use one's stones to form territories by surrounding vacant areas of the board.