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Abstract
Since the introduction of martial arts into the mainstream and more recently the development of mixed martial arts, Jiu Jitsu's popularity has grown by leaps and bounds. In Seoul, Korea, the home of Taekwondo and Hapkido, Jiu Jitsu has been able to establish itself, yet no studies have been performed on the demand variables in Korea. The objectives of this study were to locate the dimensions of market demand for Jiu Jitsu academies. Study participants (N=159) were students at six Jiu Jitsu academies located throughout Seoul who were males and females 18 years or older. Even though the survey was conducted in South Korea, foreigners accounted for 19.9% of the participants. The study covered areas ranging from an academy's environment and instructor's qualifications to personal benefits. The results showed that consumers participate in Jiu Jitsu to improve their physical and mental health. The academy's characteristics were really of no importance to Jiu Jitsu participants.
Keywords: Martial Arts, Market Research, Jiu Jitsu, South Korea
Introduction
Although they have their roots in Asian systems of combat, due to an assortment of factors martial arts have managed to enjoy a sort of rebranding and are now used to achieve a diversity of goals: self-defense, combat sports, physical fitness (Hallander, 1987), and mental control training (Columbus & Rice, 1991; Daniels & Thornton, 1990; Finkenberg, 1990; Law, 2004; Richman & Rehberg, 1986; Spear, 1989; Trulson, 1986).
Since its introduction to a wide audience through the Ultimate Fighting Championship (Ultimate Fighting Championship [UFC], 2013), which began in the US in 1993, and Pride Fighting Championship (Pride FC, 2013), which began in Japan in 1997, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (often called BJJ or simply Jiu Jitsu) has spread worldwide. In part, it was thanks to the early successes of its practitioners that Jiu Jitsu quickly gained a reputation for dominating other fighting systems.
The wave of interest has even managed to reach the shores of Korea, which has a highly competitive market. For example, Taekwondo and Hapkido, both developed in Korea hundreds of years ago, remain very popular (World Taekwondo Federation, 2013) (World Hapkido Federation, 2013). Therefore, although many mixed martial artists train in Jiu Jitsu to prepare for grappling and ground fighting (UFC, 2013), Jiu Jitsu faces more than...