It's never too late to start: A working mom's new journey at 40

Breaking the prejudice that youth and leisure are prerequisites for a new beginning, the daily life of a working mom pursuing new challenges in her 40s has been shared.

Mastering breaststroke and butterfly in 5 months: A dawn swimming routine

In the video, the participant practices a 'Miracle Morning' routine, waking up around 5:40 a.m. every day to head to the pool. To align with the pool opening at 6:00 a.m., she heads to the facility near her home. She shared that while she sometimes hesitates when she first wakes up, she feels incredibly rewarded and refreshed after her swim. Her disciplined routine is so efficient that it is only 7:15 a.m. by the time she finishes showering.

Although she learned to swim during elementary school, she returned to the water to master the breaststroke and butterfly—strokes she couldn't perform back then. Wanting to keep up with her children at the pool, she successfully mastered both strokes in just five months. "The level of fun at the pool changes depending on whether the mother knows how to swim," she noted, adding that a parent's ability to swim is key to enjoying time with their children. She also actively encouraged her peers at the pool to take up the challenge.

Returning to Chinese after 7 years: "I hope to enter the Chinese market"

Commute time has become a period for self-development. Having studied Chinese as a hobby in her younger years, she resumed her studies after a seven-year hiatus caused by childcare. She continues her learning by attending academies or listening to Chinese conversation content during her travels. Notably, during the long commute from Mok-dong to Bundang for meetings at Naver headquarters, she utilizes the time by listening to YouTube lectures, movie reviews, or studying Chinese.

She identified two primary reasons for relearning the language: to find 'moments of immersion' to relieve stress, and to eventually enter the Chinese market. "I don't mean entering the market like a celebrity; I am learning with the thought that I might be able to market myself as a 'product' in China as well," she explained.

"Forty is an age where you can start anything lightly"

The participant shared the personal growth she has experienced by tackling swimming, Chinese, and even home shopping in her 40s. She emphasized that while she once believed youth and abundant time were essential to start something new, she has realized that isn't necessarily true. "Now that I am forty, there are many benefits, such as knowing more clearly what I truly like and what I don't need to do," she said.

Through swimming, she is completing what she couldn't finish in her teens, and through Chinese, she is confirming she still has the energy to pursue new markets. She is also building a solid career pillar through home shopping. "I quite like myself for trying to grow without giving up," she said, offering a message of encouragement to viewers: "If there is something you have put off for a long time, don't overthink it—just start lightly.""