Jegichagi - 제기차기

Jegichagi - 제기차기

Jegichagi is a Korean traditional outdoor game.

It requires the use of people's foot and Jegi. Jegi looks like a badminton shuttlecock, which is made of a small coin (quarter size) and paper. In Korea, children usually play alone or with friends in winter seasons, especially on New Year's day.

 

Rules

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 number of 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. This has developed, and people combined two or three materials and made new ways of playing jegichagi. Though Jegichagi used to be a game mostly played in winter, it has become a year-round game.

Easy way to make Jegi

Things to prepare: plastic bags or wrapping tissue paper, 2~3 coins, string, scissors, and scotch tape.

1. Pile the coins and tape them together
2. Prepare the plastic bag by cutting into a square about ~25 cm wide
3. Place the coin at the middle of the plastic bag
4. Hold the coin inside the plastic bag and tie it using a string
5. Cut the untied part of the plastic bag into thinner strands(~1.5 cm) using scissors.

Rules and Kinds of Jegichagi

Basic Rule

Players kick the jegi (paper shuttlecock) into the air using instep of the foot. The winner of the game is the player who kicks jegi the most times without letting it fall.

Kinds of Jegichagi

According to Korean Jegichagiai Association, there are 6 kinds of single or multiplayer jegichagi game: Putting into the target, kicking jegi farther, putting in a basket, running while kicking, jegichagi with performance, and jegi volleyball.

1. Putting into the target: On a 1.6m diameter circle on the ground, draw four smaller circles 20 cm each like archery target. Keep distance from the target at least 5m. Within 30 seconds, the player kicks the jegi into the air at least 3 times, then hit the target with the jegi. From the center, the score is given 120, 90, 60, 30 and if the jegi is not hitting the target, 5 points is given. Players try 3 times with switching the foot each time, the winner is the one who scored the most.

2. Kicking far: Kick the jegi into the air 3 or more times within 30 seconds, then kick the jegi as far as the player can to the front. Repeating 3 times with switching the foot each time, the winner goes to the player with the most score in sum.

3. Putting in a basket: On a pillar with height of 150 cm, set a 20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm basket. The player kicks the jegi into the air 3 or more times and then kick the jegi into the basket.

4. Running while kicking: 40m single or round trip can be played. For each 10m player runs, the player should switch his foot. If the player drops the jegi, he should go back to the last 10meter-line and continue playing.

5. Jegichagi with performance: In a 5m x 5m square on the ground, each player kicks the jegi with performance. At least 3 judges should watch and the score is given in average of them.

6. Jegi volleyball: 3 to 5 players make a team. Set a net with 120 cm height. Each team players should kick the jegi upon the net to the opposite side. For 3 players' game, the squre should be 5m by 5m, (7m x 7m for 5 players) The rule is very similar to common volleyball. When the player is in defence position, he can use any part of his/her body except hands. The first team who earn 7 points wins each set, and there are 5 rounds in a game.

Different Ways to Play Jegichagi

1. Hullangyi(헐랭이): Use of the inner side of the foot to kick 'jegi' while the other foot balances the body. The foot used to kick jegi should remain in air without touching the ground.
2. Ddangganghji(땅강아지): Similar to #1; however, the foot kicking jegi touches the ground each time before kicking again.
3. Left-right foot(우지좌지): Similar to #2, but both feet are used to kick Jegi alternatively with either the inner surface of both feet (or one inner and the other outer)
4. Appchagi(앞차기): Use of the top of the foot to kick jegi.
5. Ditbalchagi(뒷발차기): Use of the top lateral side of the foot to kick jegi.
6. Kigeegi(키지기): Each lift of Jegi must be higher than one's own height.
7. Mulgeegi(물지기): Continuously kicking jegi and catching it with your mouth.

How to Select Jegi and Practice

What is a good Jegi?

The most important factor of good Jegi is its weight. 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. Thus, a good Jegi should be the one of proper weight. (About 10g)

Practice using a tied Jegi.

Because it is difficult to do Jegichagi at a first try, it is very helpful to use a tied Jegi. Simply you tie one end of the string to a jegi and the other end to somewhere high enough to hold the jegi in the air. In this way, you can continue hitting it without having to pick up the jegi every time it falls to the ground. Although you fail to kick, the Jegi will always come back to the good position.

Practice while holding your pants.

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. Thus, if you are using the right foot to kick jegi, it is better for your right hand to hold the right side of your pants when doing Jegichagi.

Effects of Jegichagi.

1. Improves leg's muscular strength.
2. Improves agility.
3. Improves concentration.
4. Prevents obesity.
5. Improves patience and stamina.

The fact that Jegichagi uses muscles you rarely use stimulates the brain coordinated to those rarely used parts. Especially, the movement of right and left side of the body equally uses the right and left brain. Also, which side of the foot you use to kick jegi gives various health benefits to your body. When you use the inner part of your foot, it benefits your kidney, liver, and spleen. Further, when you use the outer part of foot, it benefits your bladder and stomach.

Jegichagi Today

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 the Jegichagi.