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King Chin-Hung's next selection method was to choose handsome male youths of noble birth, some as young as twelve years old. These youths were dressed in the finest clothing, their faces were attractively painted with elaborate make-up, and they were extensively instructed in Buddhism, poetry, and song. It was believed that those who did well in these activities had the grace to become competent warriors, so they were selected as Hwarang trainees. Sor Won was the first to be selected for the Hwarang and was made a "kuk-son" (general).

The best translation for Hwarang-do is "way (do) of flowering (hwa) youth (rang)." Members of the group were also known as "flower knights" but the Hwarang movement had no similarities to the Knights of medieval Europe. Some believe the Hwarang and the Japanese samurai were similar, but the Hwarang movement pre-dates the samurai and did not have the political influence of the samurai. In addition, Silla youth did not remain Hwarang for life, as did the Samurai, and they were not born into the group and its privileges. The Hwarang movement remains a unique spiritual and physical training that has never been duplicated in Korea or anywhere else in the world. The modern Taekwondo hyung "hwa-rang" is named after the movement.

The Samguk Yusa (Legends of the Three Kingdoms) implies that Shinson, the spirit of the supernatural being, was often called Miruk by the Koreans. The people of Silla referred to the Hwarang as "yonghwa Hwarangdo." Traditionally, Yonghwa is a mountain in India where the Miruk lived. Linguists of today realize that the terms "Hwarang," "Miruk," and "Shinson" may be used almost interchangeably.

The Hwarang-do consisted of two groups: the leaders and the cadets. The "Hwarang" (leaders) were selected from among the sons of royalty between the ages of 16 and 20. The "nangdo" (cadets) were assembled from the rest of the young nobility, totaling between 200 and 1000 at any given time, but sons of low ranking families were also members. However, not all Hwarang were men; women served in the upper hierarchy. Each band of Hwarang was led by a woman known as Won Hwa "original flower" who was a mother figure to the young men and only engaged in combat when absolutely necessary.

The Hwarang were organized on a clan or village basis with a fixed social structure. They learned traditional values through communal life and rites, and learned mutual understanding and friendship through military arts, poetry, and music.

The young men were educated in many disciplines, including history, Confucian philosophy, ethics, and horse riding. They were taught to use the sword, staff, hook, spear, and bow and arrow. They were extensively trained in archery (mounted and un-mounted), swordsmanship, military tactics, and of course, in Subak. The martial art itself was taught but the Buddhist ideals of self-sacrifice and compassion for the weak were also stressed. They were trained in the Buddhist doctrine of the Maitreyanna (Future or Messiah Buddha) sect. Many Buddhist priests, including the famed Won-hyo (617-686 AD), for whom the Taekwondo hyung "Won-hyo" is named, were Hwarang during their youth. Other notable members were Kim Yu-Sin and Kim Chun-Chu, both of whom contributed to the unification of the three kingdoms.

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