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Jegichagi() is a 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.
In Korea, children usually play alone or with friends in winter seasons, especially on Korean New Year. Briefly explaining the rules, the player kicks a jegi up in the air and keeps on kicking to prevent from falling to the ground. In a one-to-one game, a player with the most consecutive kicks wins. In a group game, the players stand in a circle, and take turns kicking the jegi. Players who fail to kick the jegi upon receiving it and let it drop to the ground lose. As a penalty, the loser tosses the jegi at the winner so that he can kick it as he wishes. When the loser catches the jegi back with his hands, the penalty ends and he can rejoin the game.Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. "Korean Traditional Folks Games". http://news.mofat.go.kr/enewspaper/articleview.php?master=&aid=1743&sid=27&mvid=626 . 2010-04-22 This has developed, and people combined two or three materials and made new ways of playing jegichagi. Though the game was traditionally mostly played in winter, it has become a year-round game.
According to Samguk Yusa, the ancient Korean record, the people of Goguryeo were skilled at playing Cuju, the Chinese game of kicking a ball. Jegichagi evolved with the influence from Cuju that was widely played in Korea at this time. Kim Yushin of Silla stepped on and tore off Kim Chunchu's otgoreum, two long ribbon ties in Korean traditional costume, under the mask of playing jegichagi and had his sister sew it back on. Through that event, Kim Yushin's sister eventually married and became wife of Kim Chunchu, later Muyeol of Silla.이이화, I-hwa Yi. 한국사이야기, Korean History. vol. 14. Seoul, Korea: 한길사, HanGilSa, 2001. p39.
In 2000, Korean Jegichagi Association was founded to make new rules in order to fit this traditional game well into today’s generation. Although jegichagi is well known as many of other famous traditional games in Korea, the game is losing its popularity. In effort to keep traditional jegichagi alive within children’s mind, the Board of Education in South Korea ordered jegichagi as one of the required activities in physical education courses in school, usually 3rd or 4th grade.
In August 2011, an American company released a children's toy called Kikbo based on jegichagi.
A simpler method is to place a small pile or two or three coins in the centre of a 25 cm square cut from a plastic bag or tissue paper. The paper is bunched around the coins, and the coins are tied in place with string or a rubber band. The loose part of the bag or paper is then cut into strands.
The most important factor of good jegi is its weight, which should be around . If it is too light, it is very hard to control jegi since it falls to the ground before the next kick is ready. However, if it is too heavy, it is hard to kick the jegi high enough.
Other ways to play include:
A way to practice jegichagi is to use a tied jegi, where a length of string ties the jegi to a fixed point such that it hangs in the air. In this way, a player can continue hitting it without having to pick up the jegi every time it falls to the ground.
Beginners have a habit of placing the arm towards the front while kicking jegi with the thought that the arm helps balancing the body. However, it does not. When using the right foot to kick jegi, it is better for the right hand to be held at the hip.
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