Hwoarang

Hwoarang is a Korean Taekwondo master, rival of Jin Kazama and pupil/student of Baek. Hwoarang is a short-fuse type of guy that will jump in to any fights – that’s his charm. 

Lore: He came in to the Tekken universe in Tekken 3. We see Hwoarang as a hustler and a gambler. He bets and wins for fraudulent schemes and other shenanigans. One time Mishima came to town and Hwoarang ended up fighting against Jin. Not knowing the cat, Hwoarang expected the usual – an easy victory and sweet rewards, but the end result is a shameful draw. Having uncomfortable feelings about this situation Hwoarang vows to never embarrass his teacher and starts to train hard. But hard news hits as he hears that his teacher Baek – became a victim of Ogre’s attack. Hwoarang now has a motive to strive for something in his life. The ending is fun because it shows the intensity of his and Jin’s rivalry. Hwoarang sees Jin being chased by Tekken force and decides to help him out. We don’t see the battle, but it seems that both Hwoarang and Devil Jin are excited. The next game, Tekken 4 has a lot more to do with Hwoarang’s own personality. He is drafted in to the Korean military – special Ops. Disobeying the rules and rebellious spirit get Hwoarang feeling an emptiness within himself and he misses combat and especially – having the ability to fight against Jin Kazama. The ending is cheerful for our Korean hero as he meets Jin and they’re starting to battle it out, but Korean military officials arrive and arrest Hwoarang. Jin saves the day by knocking guards away and the two run away, delaying their future battles. Hwoarang is taken by the army’s official and receives a dishonorable discharge in Tekken 5. He is seen riding a motorcycle full throttle trying to reach Jin Kazama when something shows on the road and causes Hwoarang to crash and his cycle explodes… It’s Devil Jin. This cutscene also does not show whether the two fight, only a teaser for the fans… In King of Iron Fist 5 Hwoarang defeats Jin, but then Devil Jin is summoned and is badly beaten by this evil monster. His visit to the hospital added even more motivation to him and Hwoarang starts dedicating towards self-improvement and working to become a better fighter and to beat Devil Jin. The ending shows Hwoarang defeating Azazel, but refusing to be consumed by the evil orb, trying so hard not to become similar Jin Kazama… Latest additions to his story from Tekken 7 make Hwoarang question Jin’s disappearance and he goes out to track him. The movie is yet another take on their relations. An Arabian soldier tries to throw a grenade at Devil Jin, but Hwoarang absorbs the blast himself, likely saving Jin from a lot of trouble. Hwoarang is special because his movements are mo-caped, they’re not drawn or created. His story revolves around Jin Kazama and the rivalry between them while the other party has other things going on. Hwoarang is also the only person (so far) to have defeated Jin Kazama in an official match.

Fighting, battles: If you played Baek, you sort of know Hwoarang and vice versa. His Taekwondo kicks are flashy, but hard to make combos with. The short two hit streaks are most common, but if your opponent gets the hang of what you are doing, you need a quick getaway plan and a runaway option because you can be in a lot of trouble as Hwoarang lacks versatility.

Moves, tips, tricks and techniques: 

2x kicks – Rage art

- Home surgery

- Left Right to Left Flaamingo

2 kicks – Rage Drive 2

Hwoarang is a good kicker and a Taekwondo fighter. He is hard to master and requires creativity to perform magical and spectacular combos. But don’t get discouraged now, just try him out. He’s fun!