Subak

Subak (Korean: 수박; Hanja: 手搏) was a historical Korean martial practice involving unarmed combat. The term literally means “hand striking” or “bare-hand fighting” and appears in Korean sources from the Goryeo and Joseon periods. In historical records, Subak is described both as a method of combat and as a competitive activity.

The exact techniques and characteristics of Subak are uncertain due to the fragmentary nature of surviving documentation. Some scholars consider it to be related to, or an earlier name for, Taekkyon, while others treat it as a distinct but possibly connected practice.

Subak declined during the late Joseon period. In modern times, efforts to revive or reconstruct Subak have emerged, particularly in North Korea and among Korean communities in Manchuria, though the historical continuity of these practices remains a subject of debate.

Subak should not be confused with Subyeokchigi (수벽치기), a separate hand-slapping game, nor with the modern martial art Soo Bahk Do, which uses the same pronunciation but is unrelated historically.