← Interviews
Miso
XFORMA
Between
Scenes
미소 · MISO
People · Interview

Five years later,
back on the stage

미소Miso

Busan-based natural Wellness athlete and coach Miso returned to the stage after five years away. She talks about why she came back, what competing natural means to her, the wellness life she found in Bali, and the night run on Shanghai’s Bund she’s already planning.

Role
Wellness athlete · Coach
Based in
Busan, Korea
Favorite Chinese food
Lamb skewers
In one word
Consistency
BetweenScenes
Consistency is a promise to yourself

Injuries, a packed schedule and a sudden loss kept Miso off the competition stage for five years. In 2026, the natural Wellness athlete from Busan decided to stop putting off what she truly loves.

She came back with one word in mind, consistency. She has since competed abroad, found her idea of wellness in Bali, and has her eye on a night run along Shanghai’s Bund next.

01

Back After Five Years

The Return

What were you doing during those five years, and when did you decide to come back?

Part of it was rehab for back and ankle injuries, but mostly my priorities had changed. I was coaching while juggling three other jobs and studying for a perfumer’s certificate. About two years in, someone close to me passed away suddenly, far too young. That’s when I realized I had let go of everything I truly loved. I told myself: don’t put it off any longer. Start again while there’s still time.

As a coach, how has competing changed the way you teach?

Coaching isn’t just teaching movements. It’s helping people find their own reason to move. I hit my limits too, and sometimes the results don’t match the effort. So I have to take on the challenge first. Only when I show it through action do my words to members carry real weight.

You competed at home and abroad this year. What was the biggest lesson?

Competing abroad showed me what real sportsmanship is. The athletes on that stage are rivals, but also people working toward the same goal, and they genuinely cheer each other on. I learned that the attitude you bring to the stage matters as much as the result.

“Don’t put off what you love any longer. Start again while there’s still time.”
02

The Natural Path

Natural Wellness

How is Wellness different from Bikini and Figure?

Wellness rewards strong, well-developed legs and glutes relative to the upper body, plus an X-shaped silhouette. Bikini focuses on overall balance and natural feminine lines, while Figure looks for even muscle development and the shape of the shoulders and back. Wellness arrived later in Korea, but more athletes are taking it on, and I think it has huge potential.

Why do you choose to compete natural?

I want to keep my natural femininity and healthy beauty for the long run. A woman’s condition shifts with her cycle and hormones, so I treat that as a natural process and keep my routine going. What I’m proudest of is showing, through my own body, that time and steady effort are enough to build a strong, beautiful physique.

One habit anyone can borrow from you?

Take recovery as seriously as training. At the end of each day I use a heat pad to release the tension around my lower back and hips. Just skip heat if an injured area is swollen or warm.

03

Finding Wellness in Bali

Bali

You called Bali a mecca for wellness. Why?

Weight training, HYROX, yoga, Pilates, running, swimming, saunas and healthy food all fit naturally into everyday life there. Exercise isn’t just a way to manage your body. It’s a way of enjoying life. That’s what wellness means to me: a way of living where body and mind are both healthy.

How do you stay on track while traveling?

I start the morning with light fasted cardio, then fit in training around the schedule. I keep my usual eating pattern and still enjoy the local food. My rule: keep the good habits, and fully enjoy what only travel can give you. And when I pick a running route in a new city, I look for one thing: the view.

04

Home Ground Busan

Busan

How does running help your weight training?

Since I started running regularly, I recover my breath faster between sets, and both my performance and focus have improved. For me, running isn’t just cardio to burn calories. It’s training that raises the quality of my lifting.

Your route for active travelers in Busan?

Start at the red lighthouse near Samik Beach Apartments in Namcheon-dong and run along Gwangalli Beach with the Gwangan Bridge in view. The run itself feels like a trip. Afterwards, hit a sauna and refuel with something that gives you both protein and carbs, or follow the trend and grab a pizza.

“Consistency isn’t willpower. It’s keeping the daily life you’ve built for yourself.”
05

Next Stop: Shanghai

How would you spend a day in Shanghai?

I’d love to do a night run along the Huangpu River on the Bund and see Shanghai’s skyline lit up. I’d also visit a local gym. Fitness is my job, so I’m curious how the equipment and training culture differ from Korea. Train at a local gym by day, run past the Bund lights at night: that’s my perfect Shanghai day.

Your favorite Chinese food, and how do you fit it into your diet?

I love lamb skewers! Lamb is rich in protein, with iron and vitamin B12 too. I go for leaner cuts and add vegetables to keep the meal balanced. Managing your body isn’t about endless restraint. It’s about building eating habits you can keep.

Would you like to build a career abroad as a Korean natural athlete?

Of course! I want to show more than results: healthy beauty, long-term self-care and a life that enjoys movement. If someone looks at me and thinks, “I want to age as healthily and beautifully as she does,” that would make me very proud.

One thing to do in your first month of training?

Let exercise settle naturally into your daily life. Even two or three times a week, keep it like a promise to yourself. It’s fine if you see no change in the first month. The day you find yourself heading to a workout without thinking, that’s already a big change.

  • Running or weightsWeights!
  • Dry or wet saunaDry!
  • First thing after a competitionIced americano
  • Sea or mountainsThe sea
  • Suitcase essentialMaxcut
  • In one wordConsistency
Shanghai
Shanghai
25