Hobbies in Korean: How to Talk About Your Interests Naturally
What do you like doing in your free time? Whether you enjoy reading, hiking, gaming, cooking, or watching Korean dramas, talking about hobbies is a great way to connect with Korean speakers.
In this guide, you'll learn how to ask about hobbies in Korean, describe what you enjoy, and keep a conversation going. You'll also understand the difference between 좋아해요 and 좋아요, learn useful everyday expressions, and avoid common beginner mistakes.
Quick Answer: Talking About Hobbies in Korean
취미가 뭐예요? — What's your hobby?
제 취미는 독서예요. — My hobby is reading.
책 읽는 걸 좋아해요. — I like reading.
주말에 보통 뭐 해요? — What do you usually do at weekends?
1. How to Ask About Hobbies in Korean
The Korean word for hobby is 취미 (chwimi).
취미가 뭐예요?
Chwimiga mwoyeyo?
What's your hobby?
This is a natural way to ask about someone's hobby. However, you can also ask what someone usually does in their free time.
취미가 뭐예요?
English: What's your hobby?
주말에 보통 뭐 해요?
English: What do you usually do at weekends?
쉬는 날에는 뭐 해요?
English: What do you do on your days off?
뭐 하는 걸 좋아해요?
English: What do you like doing?
요즘 뭐에 관심 있어요?
English: What are you interested in these days?
Practical Korean tip: 취미가 뭐예요? asks directly about a hobby, while 주말에 보통 뭐 해요? is broader. The second question can lead to answers about relaxing, meeting friends, studying, or other everyday activities.
2. Essential Korean Hobby Vocabulary
Start with hobbies you actually enjoy. You don't need to memorise every word before speaking.
Reading
Korean: 독서 / 책 읽기
Listening to music
Korean: 음악 듣기
Watching films
Korean: 영화 보기
Watching Korean dramas
Korean: 한국 드라마 보기
Travelling
Korean: 여행 / 여행하기
Cooking
Korean: 요리 / 요리하기
Exercising
Korean: 운동 / 운동하기
Hiking
Korean: 등산 / 등산하기
Swimming
Korean: 수영 / 수영하기
Playing football
Korean: 축구하기
Playing badminton
Korean: 배드민턴 치기
Gaming
Korean: 게임하기
Drawing
Korean: 그림 그리기
Taking photos
Korean: 사진 찍기
Playing the piano
Korean: 피아노 치기
Learning Korean
Korean: 한국어 공부하기
Language note: Some hobbies have established nouns, such as 독서, 운동, and 여행. Others can be expressed as verb phrases ending in 기, such as 책 읽기 and 사진 찍기.
3. How to Say "My Hobby Is..." in Korean
Use this simple pattern:
Use 이에요 after a noun ending in a consonant and 예요 after a noun ending in a vowel.
제 취미는 독서예요.
My hobby is reading.
제 취미는 요리예요.
My hobby is cooking.
제 취미는 사진 찍기예요.
My hobby is taking photos.
You can also give a short answer when the question already establishes the topic.
A: 취미가 뭐예요?
What's your hobby?
B: 독서요.
Reading.
In a more conversational answer, you might say:
저는 책 읽는 걸 좋아해요.
I like reading.
4. 좋아해요 vs 좋아요: What's the Difference?
Both sentences below are correct:
저는 음악을 좋아해요.
I like music.
저는 음악이 좋아요.
I like music.
However, they use different grammar and can have different nuances depending on context.
좋아해요
Pattern: Noun + 을/를 좋아해요
좋아요
Pattern: Noun + 이/가 좋아요
좋아하다 is a verb meaning "to like." The thing you like is commonly marked with 을/를.
좋다 is a descriptive verb meaning "to be good" or "to be pleasing." Depending on context, it can also express a preference.
커피를 좋아해요.
I like coffee.
커피가 좋아요.
I like coffee / Coffee appeals to me.
Important: Don't say 음악을 좋아요. Say 음악이 좋아요 or 음악을 좋아해요.
5. How to Say "I Like Doing Something"
To describe an activity you enjoy, use:
I like doing something.
걸 is the conversational contraction of 것을. The ~는 것 structure turns an action into an activity that can be discussed as a noun-like expression.
읽다 — read
Natural expression: 책 읽는 걸 좋아해요.
듣다 — listen
Natural expression: 음악 듣는 걸 좋아해요.
보다 — watch
Natural expression: 영화 보는 걸 좋아해요.
하다 — do
Natural expression: 운동하는 걸 좋아해요.
찍다 — take photos
Natural expression: 사진 찍는 걸 좋아해요.
만들다 — make
Natural expression: 음식 만드는 걸 좋아해요.
For many action verbs, remove 다 and add 는:
읽다 → 읽는
보다 → 보는
하다 → 하는
Some verbs have additional conjugation rules. For example, 만들다 becomes 만드는 because the final ㄹ is dropped before 는.
저는 한국 드라마 보는 걸 좋아해요.
I like watching Korean dramas.
저는 주말에 등산하는 걸 좋아해요.
I like hiking at weekends.
6. How to Say "I Don't Like..."
안 좋아해요 means “I don’t like it.” 별로 안 좋아해요 means “I don’t particularly like it” and can sound less absolute. 싫어해요 expresses a stronger negative feeling, closer to “I dislike it.” The exact strength depends on tone and context.
저는 공포 영화를 별로 안 좋아해요. — I’m not really into horror films.
저는 거짓말을 싫어해요. — I dislike lying.
Two useful negative patterns are:
안 좋아해요 — don't like
좋아하지 않아요 — don't like
저는 공포 영화를 안 좋아해요.
I don't like horror films.
저는 축구를 좋아하지 않아요.
I don't like football.
Both use the polite 해요 style. 좋아하지 않아요 is a longer negative construction, not automatically a more polite one.
운동을 안 해요.
Meaning: I don't exercise.
운동을 못 해요.
Meaning: I can't exercise.
운동을 안 좋아해요.
Meaning: I don't like exercise.
못 해요 may describe a lack of ability or an inability caused by circumstances. It does not necessarily mean dislike.
7. How Often Do You Do Your Hobby?
To say “never”: 전혀 often appears with a negative verb: 저는 게임을 전혀 하지 않아요. — “I never play games.” Unlike 자주 or 가끔, 전혀 normally needs a negative predicate in this meaning.
Adding frequency expressions makes your answers more informative.
매일
English: Every day
자주
English: Often
가끔
English: Sometimes
보통
English: Usually
주말마다
English: Every weekend
일주일에 한 번
English: Once a week
일주일에 두 번
English: Twice a week
한 달에 두세 번
English: Two or three times a month
저는 매일 책을 읽어요.
I read every day.
일주일에 두 번 수영해요.
I swim twice a week.
주말마다 친구들이랑 축구해요.
I play football with friends every weekend.
8. How Koreans Talk About Hobbies in Everyday Life
Another natural opener: 시간 있을 때 뭐 해요? — “What do you do when you have free time?” This is more open-ended than asking directly about someone's hobby.
Conversation habit: Ask → Answer → Add one detail → Ask back. For example: “주말에 뭐 해요?” → “책을 읽어요.” → “추리 소설을 좋아해요.” → “어떤 책 좋아하세요?”
Not every conversation begins with 취미가 뭐예요? You can also talk about how you spend your weekends or days off.
Situation A: Talking about your weekend
A: 주말에 보통 뭐 해요?
What do you usually do at weekends?
B: 보통 친구들이랑 등산해요.
I usually go hiking with friends.
A: 자주 가요?
Do you go often?
B: 네, 한 달에 두세 번 가요.
Yes, two or three times a month.
Situation B: You don't have a particular hobby
A: 취미가 뭐예요?
What's your hobby?
B: 딱히 취미는 없어요. 그냥 집에서 쉬는 걸 좋아해요.
I don't really have a particular hobby. I just like relaxing at home.
A: 저도요!
Me too!
Natural expression: 딱히 취미는 없어요 means you don't have any particular hobby. It's useful when you don't have one specific activity to mention.
9. Useful Reactions and Follow-Up Questions
Keep the conversation going with these natural expressions.
저도요!
English: Me too!
진짜요?
English: Really?
재밌겠네요!
English: That sounds fun!
자주 해요?
English: Do you do it often?
언제부터 했어요?
English: When did you start?
어디에서 해요?
English: Where do you do it?
같이 해 볼래요?
English: Would you like to try it together?
같이 해 볼래요? is a friendly invitation in the polite 해요 style. A more deferential expression may be appropriate in formal situations.
10. Real Korean Conversation: Talking About Hobbies
Imagine meeting someone at a Korean language exchange.
민지: 쉬는 날에는 보통 뭐 해요?
What do you usually do on your days off?
알렉스: 저는 책 읽는 걸 좋아해요. 민지 씨는요?
I like reading. How about you, Minji?
민지: 저는 등산을 좋아해요.
I like hiking.
알렉스: 진짜요? 자주 가요?
Really? Do you go often?
민지: 네, 한 달에 두세 번 가요. 알렉스 씨는 운동 좋아해요?
Yes, two or three times a month. Do you like exercise, Alex?
알렉스: 네, 수영하는 걸 좋아해요.
Yes, I like swimming.
민지: 재밌겠네요! 언제부터 했어요?
That sounds fun! When did you start?
Conversation tip: Answer the question, add one detail, and ask a follow-up question. This creates a more natural exchange than giving a long memorised introduction.
11. Common Mistakes English Speakers Make
Mistake 1: Using the wrong particle
Incorrect: 음악을 좋아요.
Correct: 음악이 좋아요.
Also correct: 음악을 좋아해요.
Mistake 2: Using a dictionary-form verb directly
Incorrect: 저는 읽다 좋아해요.
Correct: 저는 책 읽는 걸 좋아해요.
Mistake 3: Confusing liking with finding something fun
축구를 좋아해요. — I like football.
축구가 재미있어요. — Football is fun.
Mistake 4: Repeating the subject unnecessarily
Repetitive: 저는 여행을 좋아해요. 저는 주말에 등산해요. 저는 음악도 좋아해요.
More natural: 저는 여행을 좋아해요. 주말에는 등산도 하고 음악도 들어요.
Korean often omits the subject when it is clear from context.
12. Practice: Talk About Your Hobbies
Try translating these five sentences into Korean.
- What's your hobby?
- I like listening to music.
- I don't like horror films.
- I swim twice a week.
- What do you usually do at weekends?
Show Sample Answers
- 취미가 뭐예요?
- 음악 듣는 걸 좋아해요.
- 공포 영화를 안 좋아해요.
- 일주일에 두 번 수영해요.
- 주말에 보통 뭐 해요?
Other natural translations may also be correct.
Your 30-Second Korean Introduction
안녕하세요. 저는 알렉스예요.
책 읽는 거랑 여행하는 걸 좋아해요.
주말에는 가끔 친구들이랑 등산해요.
한국 음악도 좋아해요.
Hello, I'm Alex. I like reading and travelling. Sometimes I go hiking with friends at weekends. I also like Korean music.
13. Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "hobby" in Korean?
The Korean word is 취미 (chwimi). Ask 취미가 뭐예요? to find out someone's hobby.
How do you say "I like K-pop" in Korean?
케이팝을 좋아해요. You can also say 케이팝이 좋아요 when expressing a preference.
What's the difference between 좋아요 and 좋아해요?
좋아요 comes from 좋다, while 좋아해요 comes from 좋아하다. Both can express liking, but they use different grammatical structures and may have different nuances depending on context.
How do you say "I like playing games"?
게임하는 걸 좋아해요. For computer games specifically, you can say 컴퓨터 게임하는 걸 좋아해요.
How do you say "I don't have a hobby"?
특별한 취미는 없어요 or 딱히 취미는 없어요. Both mean you don't have any particular hobby.
14. Related Korean Lessons
Continue practising everyday Korean with these lessons:
Final Takeaway
You don't need advanced Korean to talk about your hobbies. Start with 취미가 뭐예요?, describe what you enjoy using 제 취미는… or …하는 걸 좋아해요, and ask a simple follow-up question.
Try it today: Choose two hobbies, describe how often you do them, and practise asking someone about theirs. A few natural sentences can lead to a real conversation.