Fencing & Kendo

Learning how to focus and stay composed did not come naturally to me. It was something I learned through practice.
Fencing and kendo became long-term training grounds where I learned discipline, patience, and how to respond thoughtfully under pressure.

Kendo: Learning to Wait and Focus (Age 6–Grade 6)

I began practicing kendo at the age of six. At the time, I was the youngest student in the dojang, surrounded by older students who treated me with patience and encouragement. Although I often wanted to move quickly or play, kendo taught me something different—how to wait, observe, and focus.

Through years of consistent training, I learned that progress comes from repetition and attention to detail. By Grade 6, I had continued kendo long enough to advance through promotion exams and earn my first-degree rank. More importantly, I learned how discipline and respect shape both skill and mindset.

Fencing: Focus in Motion (Since Grade 3)

I started fencing in Grade 3 after my mother happened to visit a fencing club and was struck by the athletes’ posture, intensity, and focus. When I joined, I immediately felt drawn to the sport. Like kendo, fencing demanded full concentration, but it also required quick decision-making and adaptability.

Watching the Olympic fencing matches—especially the Korean team—deepened my motivation. I trained with greater intention and participated in major competitions about once a year. Experiencing both individual and team events taught me different kinds of responsibility: trusting my own preparation while also contributing to a collective effort.

A Shared Mindset: Manners, Resilience, and Growth

To me, chess, fencing, and kendo are all manners sports. They require respect for opponents, control over emotions, and composure regardless of the outcome. Even when I lose in competitions, I tend not to dwell on frustration. Instead, I see tournaments as opportunities to reflect, reset, and challenge myself again.

These experiences helped me develop resilience. I learned how to recover quickly from setbacks and use them as checkpoints rather than stopping points. Whether competing individually or as part of a team, I value the process of preparing, testing myself, and continuing to grow.