Korean Hobby WordsHobbies & leisure words with romanization — free list

The word for hobby in Korean is 취미 (chwimi). To ask someone's hobby, say 취미가 뭐예요? Common answers include 독서 (dokseo, reading), 요리 (yori, cooking), and 여행 (yeohaeng, travel). This free list covers the most popular Korean hobbies with romanization.

KoreanRomanizationMeaning
취미 chwimi hobby
독서 dokseo reading (books)
영화 yeonghwa movie / film
음악 eumak music
게임 geim gaming / game
그림 geurim drawing / painting
사진 sajin photography / photo
요리 yori cooking
여행 yeohaeng travel
운동 undong exercise / sports
노래 norae singing / song
chum dancing / dance
낚시 naksi fishing
등산 deungsan hiking / mountain climbing
캠핑 kaemping camping
쇼핑 syoping shopping
산책 sanchaek walking / strolling
드라마 deurama TV drama / K-drama
만화 manhwa comics / webtoon
악기 akgi musical instrument
피아노 piano piano
기타 gita guitar
뜨개질 tteugeajil knitting / crocheting
정원 가꾸기 jeonwon gakgugi gardening

💡 Good to know

취미가 뭐예요? is the standard way to ask about hobbies. Many hobby words pair with 하다 (독서를 하다, 요리를 하다), while others use 보다 (영화를 보다 = watch a movie) or 듣다 (음악을 듣다 = listen to music).

Lesson: Hobbies & likes →Lesson: Invitations →

FAQ

How do you ask what's your hobby in Korean?
Say 취미가 뭐예요? (chwimiga mwoyeyo?) — literally what is your hobby? A casual version is 취미가 뭐야? The full vocabulary list is above.
How do you say I like watching movies in Korean?
영화를 봐요 means I watch movies, and 영화를 좋아해요 means I like movies. Combine them: 취미는 영화 보기예요 (my hobby is watching movies).
How do you say music in Korean?
Music is 음악 (eumak). To say you listen to music, say 음악을 들어요 — using 듣다 (to listen), not 하다.
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Written by Alvin Lim Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2)