This blog post introduces sample phrases for including hobbies and special skills in your self-introduction, focusing on activities like sports, leisure, and dance.

Understanding Others and Myself Through Exercise

I frequently exercise during my free time. While my technical job involves more physical activity than an office role, repeatedly using only specific muscles often leads to other areas like my lower back or thighs becoming weaker. Weakened muscles make recovery difficult, and in severe cases, it could even force me to quit my job. That’s why I consistently exercise to build muscle and protect my body.
That’s why I always swim on my days off. At first, I could barely manage the doggy paddle, but after three years of consistent lessons, I’ve reached a level where my coach compliments me, saying I’m “as good as a professional swimmer.” Exercise didn’t just improve my body. Above all, it taught me patience. I had to constantly encourage myself countless times to get good at swimming, something I thought I’d never master, and I had to calmly control my impatient nature. After enduring that long period, the moment I could swim freely, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. It became the biggest stress reliever in my life and an important experience that helped me grow.
Since then, I’ve become much more active in sports. These days, I enjoy playing soccer with juniors I know. If swimming taught me how to strengthen both body and mind, soccer has helped me rediscover the joy of breathing in sync and cooperating with others. Moving forward, I aim to build myself stronger through exercise and learn about a broader world through my relationships with people.

Overcoming Loneliness During My US Study Abroad Years Through Basketball

During middle school, my father’s sudden overseas assignment took me to the US with my parents. Back then, I was completely unprepared—both mentally and linguistically—to live abroad. Adapting to the unfamiliar environment and culture proved far harder than I imagined. My parents, perhaps believing I should quickly acclimate to local life, enrolled me directly in school without any separate language courses. I found myself in a truly desperate situation, forced to adapt no matter how difficult it was. For the first few months, I sat at the very back of the classroom every day, barely managing to understand the teacher’s words. Even during lunch, I ate alone, living a life that was almost like being bullied.
Then one day, during PE class, I ended up playing a basketball game with my classmates. Surprisingly, I showed exceptional skill, and the kids who saw me play started to look at me differently. Basketball became the catalyst for natural conversations with the kids, and through playing together, we formed a community. During this process, my English improved rapidly, and I adapted noticeably to school life. Basketball transcended being just a sport; it became a precious medium that rescued me from the lonely and difficult early days of studying abroad.
Even now, I head to the basketball court without fail every weekend. Basketball isn’t just a hobby to me; it’s an activity with special meaning that lets me feel the bonds between people and saved my past self. Furthermore, when facing difficult times, I recall the experience of overcoming adversity through basketball back then and find strength again. That’s why basketball still holds an important place in my life and remains my own unchanging pillar of support.

The Power of Unity and Cooperation Forged Through Soccer

Every weekend morning, I join an early-morning soccer team to enjoy matches. I’ve always loved physical activities and tried various ball sports like table tennis, tennis, and baseball since childhood. But wanting to engage more seriously in a team sport, I’ve consistently played soccer with a club since college.
Football is a sport where victory can never be achieved by one person’s skill alone. While many focus only on the player who scores the goal, that single goal is actually the result of every team member synchronizing their efforts and combining their strength. It is precisely this aspect that I find so appealing about football. As I get older, the value of team sports, where you share achievements with others, resonates even more deeply.
Especially for someone like me who might seem somewhat introverted, soccer serves as a precious medium that fosters a deep sense of belonging through cooperation, strong teamwork, and sportsmanship. Several former colleagues from my previous workplace are also members of my current soccer team. They mentioned that what surprised them most when they first saw me on the field was how completely different I was from the person they knew at work – I was proactive and bursting with energy. Honestly, when I first heard that reaction, I was puzzled. Part of me felt a bit uncomfortable, wondering, ‘What kind of image did I project at work…?’ But as time passed and I reflected deeply, I realized I too had never created opportunities to show a new side of myself. I had just acted as if to say, “This is who I am, so please understand me this way.”
After that, I opened up a bit more and started mingling with them without hesitation. Our relationship deepened significantly through soccer. The brief exchanges during the game, the sweat we shed running together, the cheers when a goal was scored… all these moments held the power to help us understand and grow closer to each other. I feel it every time: soccer isn’t just a game of kicking a ball; it’s another way of life – laughing, running, and sharing together.

The Vitality of Life Gained Through Jazz Dance

After graduating from a specialized high school, I stepped into society immediately. While I took pride in starting my career earlier than most, working at a tax accounting office made me acutely aware of the need for deeper expertise. I realized I couldn’t remain in a supporting role forever; I needed to build for the future, not just get by with current tasks. With that resolve, I decided to challenge myself academically again just three years after high school graduation. As a result, I enrolled in the Computerized Taxation Department (evening program) at a university. The very fact of moving toward a new goal began to infuse my daily life with renewed vitality.
Meanwhile, another driving force for me is jazz dance. I first encountered jazz dance by chance during middle school, and it brought me immense joy and a sense of liberation. Moving my body to the music felt like a refreshing release deep within my heart. At one point, I was so captivated by its charm that I spent over five days a week in the practice studio. While my busy schedule now prevents me from practicing as often as before, I make sure to go to the studio at least once a week. Thanks to this, I not only maintain flexibility but also naturally release the stress of daily life.
I believe hobbies transcend simple leisure activities; they are vital sources of energy in life. After dancing jazz, I feel renewed strength to immerse myself in work again, and that energy positively influences my entire life. Moving forward, I intend to continue a life of learning and growth alongside jazz dance, taking each step firmly along my path.

Blowing Off Stress with Year-Round Outdoor Sports

When my mind feels heavy, gazing at the expansive, refreshing nature clears my thoughts. I love outdoor sports year-round, enjoying fishing, camping, hiking, wakeboarding, and snowboarding throughout spring, summer, fall, and winter. But upon reflection, what I’m truly passionate about isn’t just the activities themselves, but the raw, natural charm of the places where they unfold. The joy of moving my body in wide-open nature, not artificial facilities or confined spaces, is what captivates me most.
As I’ve enjoyed various outdoor sports, I naturally joined communities for each activity and met a truly diverse range of people along the way. While we share the common interest of outdoor sports, each activity has its own distinct atmosphere and personality. Interestingly, in these communities, people naturally strike up conversations and share information without hesitation, quickly becoming close. If we’d met in a work setting or daily life, it might have felt a bit awkward or uncomfortable. But with sports as our shared topic and goal, I could easily exchange opinions and feel free with anyone.
Of course, there was a time when I was so immersed in sports that it interfered with my daily life—literally putting the cart before the horse. However, after realizing I needed to balance life and leisure, I began setting my own standards and rules to regulate it. As a result, I now use sports not as an excessive hobby, but as a healthy outlet for stress relief. Enjoying sports outdoors throughout all four seasons not only trains my body and mind, but also creates new connections and feels like a precious gift that adds vitality to life.

The Aesthetics of Dedication, The Path of Martial Arts

I enjoy various sports, including Taekwondo and combat sports. Beyond being mere hobbies, these activities are my way of relieving stress and satisfying my curiosity about various martial arts. Simultaneously, they represent my determination not to neglect training that benefits my aptitude. Countless martial arts exist in the world, each with its own unique rules and characteristics. Yet, as one climbs toward the end of learning, one inevitably reaches the ‘aesthetics of dedication’—a realm encompassing spiritual maturity and self-cultivation. That point always makes my heart race. Though the beginnings and processes may differ, the state one reaches when practicing to the extreme is surprisingly similar.
What’s fascinating is that despite originating from entirely different cultures and histories, the movements devised for efficient physical use share a strange similarity. Observing this trend also stimulates my intellectual curiosity. Yet beyond this intellectual fascination, what satisfies me most is the moment I directly feel myself strengthened through training and the joy of witnessing my body’s transformed movements. That is why I intend to persevere in my practice. Even as I age and my physical movements become more limited, I want to maintain the effort and will to overcome this for my entire life. For me, martial arts training is not just exercise; it is an attitude towards life and a philosophy for disciplining oneself.

The Power of Friendship Forged Through Team Sports

Lately, I’ve been actively participating in soccer and baseball club activities. I’ve formed a team with friends and we play regular matches. The unity and solidarity that team sports provide are an irreplaceable strength. People naturally bond when they sweat together and synchronize their breathing; the camaraderie that develops in this process is hard to find in any other activity. I’ve tried playing squash alone or going for light jogs in the past, but without the joy of laughing and chatting while exercising, I couldn’t sustain it long. That’s when I realized that sports where you join forces with others, share ideas, and move toward a common goal suit my personality much better.
Of course, I’ve also tried sports like badminton or tennis, which are enjoyed one-on-one or in small groups. But the endless back-and-forth with a single opponent felt a bit monotonous. Ultimately, I concluded that team sports, where multiple people strategize and move together as a unit, better suited my personality and passion. Above all, these activities have become more than just a hobby; they’re a vital way to maintain connections and communicate with friends even after graduation.
Even if minor disagreements arise among friends, pooling our efforts toward the shared goal of the game naturally resolves conflicts. The friendships built this way have deepened over time, and our conversations no longer dwell solely on past memories but extend to today’s game and tomorrow’s plans. What began as a casual gathering for our own enjoyment gradually grew in passion. We’ve now developed enough skill to compete in amateur tournaments and achieve solid results.
For me, sports have transcended being a simple hobby; they are precious time spent laughing and sweating with friends, writing a page of life together. Today, we’re once again donning the same uniform, preparing to run across the field with one heart. In that moment, we’re hotter and happier than anyone else.

My Hobby, Marathon — Me, Strong in the Long Run

My hobby is marathon running. Looking back, my connection with marathons began quite a long time ago. As an elementary school student living in the countryside, I traversed the long distances typical of rural areas daily. I had to walk to the distant town to buy groceries, and in those days without reliable transportation, my only trust was in my own two legs. The journey of running for a long time to reach my destination, then running for a long time again to return home, felt like an endurance race. I learned firsthand back then that it wasn’t just about running fast; it was crucial to manage my energy properly to avoid exhaustion.
Later, during middle and high school, I became a long-distance track athlete and dedicated myself fully to running. After moving to Seoul for college, I participated in various marathon events, freely indulging my desire to run. That’s how much I genuinely love running; it’s become an important hobby that occupies a significant part of my life. Especially during long-distance runs like marathons, I test my own limits and feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment when I surpass them. Even when breathless and parched, seeing myself keep running makes me feel fully alive.
Marathon running transcends mere physical activity; for me, it’s a microcosm of life. Every time I run a long race, I realize how closely it mirrors my life’s journey. Life is not a sprint but a marathon. I believe that merely gaining a temporary lead midway doesn’t guarantee victory in the end; rather, it’s the person who steadily maintains their own pace who laughs last. That’s why I choose a ‘winning strategy’ from the start: conserving energy by drinking water or briefly slowing down mid-race, rather than pushing too hard from the beginning. This attitude permeates my daily life as well. When working, I prefer to maintain composure and keep my own rhythm rather than rush ahead impatiently. I believe this is the only way to accomplish long-term goals.
For me, marathon running isn’t just the act of running; it mirrors an attitude and philosophy toward life. I will continue to enjoy the appeal of this long-term race, running the race of life at my own pace today and every day.

The Joy and Exhilaration of Climbing High Mountains

Hiking has been my long-standing hobby. I started hiking as a child, climbing small hills near home with my father. Often, just reaching the spring would leave me breathless and my legs too weak to continue. At those times, my father would say, “Go home ahead,” and climb to the summit alone. Watching his back, I felt he was truly remarkable. As I grew older, my desire to one day reach the summit like my father only grew stronger.
To hold onto that dream, I persevered through sheer determination and kept hiking. Finally, the day came when I stood on the summit alongside my father. The thrill of reaching the top for the first time is still vivid in my memory. A sense of accomplishment—“I finally did it!”—mingled with a physical exhilaration that washed over my entire body. In that very moment, I thought, “Ah, this is why people hike.” Since then, I’ve sought out mountains on my own, without needing anyone to invite me. I continue to take on new challenges each week, seeking out mountains I haven’t yet climbed.
As hiking became part of my daily routine, I gradually acquired the necessary gear. Equipped with safety gear, I began tackling higher mountains more professionally. As long as my father’s health permits, I want to keep climbing mountains together and building memories. Above all, the pleasure and vitality gained from hiking bring positive changes to my daily habits. The time spent climbing mountains has become more than just a hobby; it’s a driving force making my life healthier and more vibrant.

The Joy of Reaching the Summit While Hiking

Ever since my childhood in Japan, I’ve loved hiking immensely. Since my father’s hobby was hiking, even in Japan, we would head to nearby mountains together every weekend. We started with low, gentle hills, but after returning to Korea, we began challenging ourselves with higher peaks. It’s no exaggeration to say we’ve climbed nearly every major mountain: Jirisan, Gwanaksan, Daedunsan, and more. My father was always by my side during all those moments. While hiking, he would have many conversations with me and sometimes share profound insights about life.
He often said that hiking was not merely exercise but a microcosm reflecting life itself. The process of traversing steep dirt paths, climbing rocky mountains, and finally reaching the summit was like the journey of life. He also said that just as the scenery viewed from the summit holds the passage of time, the descent resembles the latter half of life. So he advised me to recall the process of climbing whenever difficult moments came in life and find strength.
I engraved his words deep in my heart. Still young, I have many goals I wish to achieve and many challenges to face. The process of achieving them one by one mirrors the journey of climbing a mountain. The exhilarating thrill felt upon reaching the summit is akin to the sense of accomplishment when achieving a goal, and the view from the top seems to unfold before your eyes the time and effort invested in getting there. That’s why I still enjoy hiking regularly, seeking to feel that emotion and sense of achievement again.
My love for hiking didn’t stay confined to Korea. It was the same when I lived in the United States. There, I formed a club with friends who shared the same hobby, planning and enjoying climbing trips together. This time, being with friends rather than my father brought a different kind of joy, and I experienced new challenges and a deep sense of pride on mountains with rugged, steep cliffs.
To me, hiking is more than just exercise; it’s a way of looking at life. Even when breathless and legs heavy, taking one step after another eventually leads to the summit. And in that moment, the overwhelming feeling of looking down upon the world will continue to draw me back to the mountains.