Yoga is currently facing a period of stagnation due to the stagnation of program development, and to date, yoga is being integrated with various activities. Recently, the purpose of yoga has shifted, and movements have also changed in accordance with ...
Yoga is currently facing a period of stagnation due to the stagnation of program development, and to date, yoga is being integrated with various activities. Recently, the purpose of yoga has shifted, and movements have also changed in accordance with trends. This highlights the need for academic research to understand the historical flow and changes of yoga and to advance modern yoga. The researcher aims to analyze the introduction process and trends of yoga in Korea, establish alternatives for its continuous development, and propose a direction for modern yoga based on an analysis of domestic trends. As a research method, a literature review was conducted based on books, domestic and international academic journals, internet resources, newspaper articles, and other materials.
Chapter III derived the following results through the analysis of yoga trends. First, the major keyword of the 2000s was “well-being,” reflecting the strong interest modern people had in health; consequently, yoga emerged with strong functions related to beauty and weight loss, primarily for the purpose of health management. In the academic field, despite the resurgence of yoga, academic research was insufficient, and there was a lack of connection with practical application.
Second, the major keywords of the 2010s were “healing,” “YOLO,” “small but certain happiness,” and “work-life balance,” which led to expanded participation in hobbies and leisure activities. Accordingly, yoga also saw an expansion the participation in and the hosting of various yoga festivals. The late 2010s marked a period of transition and experimentation with online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the academic field, research lagged behind the expansion of the yoga field, failing to keep pace with the realities of the field.
Third, while the key keyword of the 2020s is the utilization of AI-based artificial intelligence, which is being actively applied across various sectors, yoga has been unable to keep up with technological advancements and social changes. Yoga has been fused with trendy activities or expanded into one-time experiential classes. In the academic field, while research topics have diversified, studies regarding program development or new initiatives in the yoga field have been lacking.
Based on this, Chapter IV aims to propose a direction for modern yoga. First, by proposing yoga programs tailored to different life stages, participants were segmented by age group, reflecting their physical characteristics and objectives. Second, elite athletes, dancers, and people with disabilities were selected to propose customized programs for specific purposes. The goal is to expand the scope of yoga utilization by providing differentiated approaches tailored to their unique environments, physical characteristics, and objectives, unlike those of the general public. Third, artificial intelligence applications were proposed. We aim to expand activities beyond spatial and temporal constraints to prioritize participant convenience, accessibility, and interest, enabling sustained individual participation without the need for an instructor.
Subsequent research requires the development of programs tailored to individual characteristics and objectives. It is necessary to investigate the feasibility of developing artificial intelligence applications and to study the development and effectiveness analysis of yoga programs segmented by elite sports disciplines and positions of players. Through these efforts, the scope of yoga utilization will expand, its value will rise, and it will contribute to health promotion and the improvement of quality of life.