"I Live with Fierce Determination"... 2030 Generation Embraces 'Godsaeng' and 'Miracle Morning' Trends

2030s Embrace "Fierce Determination" After the Godsaeng Trend
Relentless Effort for Success and Self-Realization
Motivated by Celebrity Role Models
"Backlash Against Get-Rich-Quick Mentality...
A Desire to Live Fiercely for Success and Self-Realization"

Recently, among the MZ generation, the concise expression "Dokgi," meaning "to live with fierce determination," has become popular. It serves as a kind of motivation to emulate successful celebrities as role models.

[Asia Economy Park Hyunju] #. Job seeker A (in their 20s) is documenting their job preparation process on a private blog. Their diary, set to private so that others cannot view it, is filled with evidence of hard work, such as study group meetings and reviews of written tests and interviews at various companies. Alongside motivational quotes from famous people, A left a resolution on the blog: "From now on, let's live a 'Godsaeng' (God+saeng, meaning a planned and exemplary life) full of fierce determination."

Recently, words like "Let's live fiercely" and "Compilation videos of idols full of fierce determination" have become common on social networking services (SNS), with the term "Dokgi" (fierce determination) frequently appearing. It means to reject laziness and live with intensity for self-realization and success, and this trend closely aligns with the "Godsaeng" lifestyle that has gained popularity among people in their 20s and 30s.

Originally, "Dokgi" referred to a fierce or harsh aura and had a largely negative connotation. However, young people in their 20s and 30s have recently started to use "Dokgi" to describe their relentless pursuit of success and goals, giving it a positive meaning. While in the past, expressions like "Study with fierce determination" or "You must become ruthless to succeed" used the word in a similar sense, it had not become a buzzword as it has now.

Examining how people in their 20s and 30s use "Dokgi," it is mainly associated with a positive view of those who are strict with themselves or work fiercely toward their goals. It is also used as motivation when aspiring to resemble successful celebrities as role models.

For example, under videos of an idol group famous for their perfectly synchronized choreography, comments such as "Their fierce determination is insane," "I need to learn from this. Charging up my fierce determination," and "You can see in their eyes that they are determined to make it in the music industry" are posted. Similarly, when sharing motivational videos featuring Son Woong-jung, director of Son Football Academy and father of soccer player Son Heung-min, people leave comments like "It resonates so deeply it makes my heart race," "I feel like I'm suffocating from the fierce determination," and "He is a man of passion." Son Heung-min has repeatedly stated that his father's strict discipline was the foundation of his success.

People also describe themselves as "Sandokgi" (a play on words combining "rabbit" and "Dokgi" due to similar pronunciation), "a daily life full of fierce determination," or "living a Godsaeng life overflowing with fierce determination" when they strictly adhere to their plans. However, the term is sometimes used sarcastically to refer to or mock those who are excessively focused on unnecessary things such as personal grooming or networking.

This phenomenon is similar to the recent "Godsaeng trend." It involves rejecting laziness, setting goals for self-realization, and achieving a sense of accomplishment by putting these goals into practice. Among people in their 20s and 30s, the "Miracle Morning" trend-waking up early and making productive use of time through exercise, reading, meditation, and more-has also become popular. "Miracle Morning" refers to waking up at 4 or 5 a.m. and using the early hours for self-development without any interruptions.

Apps that help users build regular habits are also gaining popularity amid this trend. These include mission reminder apps, timer apps for tracking study hours, diet apps for weight management, and jogging apps. Many people share their "Miracle Morning" routines on SNS. As of 1 p.m. on May 4, there were about 977,000 posts with the hashtag "#MiracleMorning" and about 94,000 posts with "#MiracleMorningChallenge" on Instagram.

Experts have diagnosed this phenomenon as a backlash against get-rich-quick mentalities. Kwak Geumjoo, professor of psychology at Seoul National University, explained, "In the past, 'YOLO (You Only Live Once),' which emphasized living for the present and enjoying the moment rather than working hard for the future, was popular. That concept is changing now, with younger generations adopting the belief that they should save, be frugal, and work hard for future success." Professor Kwak continued, "In our country, speculation in real estate, stocks, and cryptocurrencies is a serious issue. Unlike such get-rich-quick mentalities, people are becoming more interested in diligently accumulating small gains. However, because simply living diligently and sincerely is no longer enough, terms like 'fierce determination' have emerged, reflecting the desire to live even more intensely."