Google Doodle Celebrates 2017 World Taekwondo Championships in South Korea

One of the most prestigious taekwondo competitions in the world kicks off Saturday in South Korea, and Google has decided to honor the event with its latest Google Doodle.

An animated GIF showcasing competitors practice the martial art will appear in several parts of the world, including Russia, Argentina and Iceland, among others, for the 2017 World Taekwondo Championships taking place in Muju.

The seven-day competition has been held on a biennial basis since 1973 and is seen as an important proving ground for the Olympic taekwondo event. Even more athletes from a greater number of nations will compete in Muju, seeking to make a name for themselves as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics approach.

Google also delves into the characterizations of taekwondo that distinguishes it from other styles of martial arts.

“Though taekwondo is an intensely physical sport, its philosophical roots center on the building of a more peaceful society,” Google’s description of the event reads. “By cultivating a foundation of respect, humility, and control in the individual, practitioners of taekwondo aim to inspire this sense of responsibility and spirituality in others through their actions and teachings.”