IIh. HWOARANG

Learn about Hwoarang, the Korean Tae Kwon Do prodigy in Tekken 5. Discover his fighting style, nationality, age, and the official Namco story behind his rivalry with Jin Kazama.

Name: Hwarang (Hwa - Flower, Rang - Son/Man; generally written "Hwarang")

Fighting Style: Tae Kwon Do

Nationality: Korean

Age: 21

Official Namco Japanese story:

Hwarang is a genius Tae Kwon Do practitioner who sees Kazama Jin as a rival. At the close of the King of Iron Fist Tournament 4, Hwarang was captured by the Korean Army, and never realized his hopes of fighting Jin. After that, he was led to the Korean Embassy, where he heard something that he just couldn't believe from a man who identified himself as the ambassador. "You've been pardoned of this incident, so we won't press the issue. We have a message addressed to you from the army. Please read it." Looking over the letter, Hwarang suddenly stood up. "No way--! Hey, you! This is for real, right?!" A few days later, Hwarang hurried back to Korea with the letter in his hand. Two months later, with his service finished, nothing will get in his way. Hwarang, having gained his freedom, sets his sights on defeating Kazama Jin!

Notes on Hwarang:

The "Hwo" in "Hwoarang" is likely an artifact; the Japanese pronunciation is "Faran," and the characters are written "hwa" and "rang." The Korean word "hwarang" historically referred to a young man of prominence in the Silla dynasty, often a leader of youth groups and a warrior who helped spread Buddhism and Confucianism, contributing to the unification of ancient Korea. The Hwarangdo were a collective term for these individuals and their followers, serving as a way to socialize Korean youth, though their exact roles are debated by historians.