[2][3] There have been other terms for "wrestling" in Korean used alongside ssireum, such as gakjeo (각저:角抵), gakhui (각희:角戱), gakryeok (각력:角力), gakji (각지:角支), chiuhui (치우희:蚩尤戱), sangbak (상박:相撲), jaenggyo (쟁교:爭交).

[4] Gak (각:角), a commonly used prefix, seems to have originated from the combative act performed by horned animals such as oxen when competing against one another for the superiority of physical strength.

[7]In traditional life, ssireum was a popular activity on the Korean holiday of Dano, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, and tournaments are held in the summer and autumn.

The traditional prize at a tournament was an ox, a valuable commodity in an agriculturally based society and symbolizing the strength of the contestant[citation needed].

Following an unprecedented joint application by both South and North Korea, ssireum was inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

Ssireum is conducted within a circular ring, measuring approximately 7 meters in diameter, which is covered with mounded sand.

The two contestants begin the match by kneeling on the sand in a grappling position (baro japki), each grabbing a belt—known as a satba (샅바)[10]—which is wrapped around his opponent's waist and thigh.

The match is awarded to the wrestler who forces the other contestant to touch the ground with any part of his body at knee level or higher.

The referees' decisions throughout the competition are absolute and held in the highest regard, meaning that athletes cannot challenge any judgments declared during the match.

The professional league is dwindling in popularity and many wrestlers have turned their attention to mixed martial arts fighting, even though ssireum involves no striking or submissions of any kind, as a means of making a living.

However, it can also be argued that ssireum is beginning to undergo global expansion as a popular martial arts sport, alongside taekwondo and hapkido.

The official first championships were held in Siauliai, Lithuania,[14] and a total of 120 wrestlers from 40 countries participated in the two-day event, according to the World Ssireum Federation (WSF).