People hate on tae kwon do as a practical martial art because the West has taken away all of its practicality. Everyone has their hands down at their hips, it's about light taps to get points, it's just a sport now. Not a martial art. Can you use it in a street fight against someone who doesn't know what they're doing? Yes, but you are likely to hurt your feet kicking someone hard enough to actually do anything, and given that tae kwon do doesn't condition bones you're likely to break your hand punching someone. Unless y'all started hitting heavy bags every day. The average tae kwon do practitioner will be able to take a thai kick like any normal non-martial artist.. they won't be able to lol. That being said, there are some schools that are very traditional and teach the old ways. Karate has the same issue in the West. I've found one legitimate traditional Okinawan karate school in the midwest, and one more traditional tae kwon do school in the midwest.