In Japanese-occupied Korea, Li Jundong (Jhoon Rhee) is the leader of a Korean resistance movement. He is living in the guise of a gardener working for the French priest Father Louis (Andre E. Morgan) and his niece Mary (Anne Winton). When follower Zhengzhi (Carter Wong) inadvertently blows Li's cover, Louis is taken prisoner by the villainous Bansan Karate School. Li, Zhengzhi, and Mary evade capture and try to rescue Louis, with the help of Huang Li Chen (Angela Mao), a Chinese woman trained in hapkido.
When Taekwondo Strikes contains examples of:
- Bitch Slap: The Japanese villains are very fond of doing this to Koreans.
- Blackmail: Mary threatened to tell Louis about Li's secret identity if he didn't teach her Taekwondo.
- Bullet Time: Used in one shot of Huang beating one of the villains.
- Chain Pain: Li is chained to a beam. After he saws through the wood with the chain, he uses it as a whip against his captors, and at one point almost strangles one of them with it.
- Distressed Dude: After Li is taken prisoner by the Bansan Karate School, his students must rescue him.
- It's All My Fault: Zhengzhi blames himself for Huang's mother's death, as his attempts at investigating the disappearance of Korean women drew the attention of the Bansan Karate School. Huang tells him, "I don't blame you. The Japanese have always been a menace to society. I will seek their comeuppance."
- Manly Tears: Li dabs at his eyes at Huang's mother's funeral.
- Nephewism: It's never stated why Mary lives with her uncle, only that she's his last remaining relative.
- Never Bring a Knife to a Fist Fight: When one of the villains draws a sword on Huang, she disarms him, then throws his sword away so it sticks in a tree. Then she backs him against the tree and uses his sword to kill him. Later, a room full of men with swords attacks her, and she effortlessly beats up most of them.
- No Name Given: With the exception of Lieutenant Makibayashi (Wong Fung) and Yokohama (Ken Kazama), none of the Japanese characters are named. The actors have credits like "Japanese" and "Japanese leader."
- Prisoner Exchange: Li offers himself in exchange for Louis. Naturally, the Japanese kill Louis as soon as Li is in their grasp.
- La Résistance: Li's followers live in a group of huts in the countryside, where he trains them in Taekwondo.
- Staircase Tumble: Huang flips a goon over her shoulder and hurls him downstairs.
- Tae Kwon Door: Huang pushes one villain behind a door and hits him with it.
- A Taste of the Lash: In the basement of the Bansan Karate School, Japanese spies whip their captives on the chest and stomach.
- Team Hand-Stack: Li tells Huang, "I hope you will join us." Huang puts her hand on his and says, "We share a common enemy!" They stack all four of their hands.
- Thug Dojo: The Bansan Karate School is a more extreme example than most - they're a front of the Japanese Secret Service, and they kidnap Korean women for use as comfort women.
- "Wanted!" Poster: The government prints one offering $500, more than most people make in a year, for information on Li's resistance group. One follower gives in to greed and snitches.
- Whip Pan: Used to transition from Li realizing that Mary has suddenly gone missing, to Mary at the Bansan Karate School.
- With My Hands Tied: Li wipes the floor with the Japanese mooks, even while his wrists are chained.
