[Jihye Choi's Trend] The Rise of "Ready-core": When Preparation Becomes a Way of Life

A Surge in Options and Scarcity of Time
From Spontaneity to Planning: Survival Strategies for a New Era
Planning Becomes Universal Across Fitness, Marriage, and Retirement
A Trend Transforming Not Only Individual Lives, but the Market as Well

These days, even “P” types are planning ahead. This means that even those with the Perceiving (P) trait in the MBTI personality types-who would typically go with the flow-now have no choice but to make plans. To visit a popular restaurant, you need to make a reservation a week or even a month in advance, and for festivals or concerts, you must secure tickets through fierce competition well ahead of time. This “reservation economy,” where bookings are required everywhere, has become the norm in daily life.

Not only career preparation but also major life events like marriage and parenting now require rehearsal. The desire to avoid wasting time, emotions, and money has become a survival instinct for everyone. As a result, “Ready-core”-a trend of planning and practicing for life before it happens-is on the rise. Being “ready” has become the “core” of life and its most important value. Let’s take a closer look at the specific aspects of Ready-core.

Today, the screens of university students’ laptops reveal something remarkable. From today’s lectures to weekly, monthly, and yearly plans, everything is meticulously organized, and even daily data like reading lists and workout logs are collected in one place. This is the world of productivity apps. While decorating diaries was once popular just a few years ago, now apps like Notion, Todoist, and Craft are actively used. These apps, originally designed for work efficiency, have expanded to become tools for planning one’s entire life. Data supports this shift. According to Notion Korea, South Korea has become a key market with the second largest user base after the United States, and six Korean universities are among the top 20 globally for Notion usage. As a result, well-designed planners are traded as digital products, often called “life cheat sheets” or “life manuals.”

Planning ahead is no longer limited to studying or work. Its importance is growing in fitness as well. In the past, it was enough to meet daily goals like “walking 10,000 steps” or “running 30 minutes every day.” Now, people set clear objectives first, such as “completing a 10km marathon in three months.” They calculate the time remaining until the goal date and create step-by-step training schedules, such as running 3km in the first week and 5km in the second week. Exercise has shifted from a spontaneous activity to part of a long-term project.

The Ready-core trend is also evident in “asset building.” This generation doesn’t just save money; they systematically learn how to accumulate assets. Real estate study groups, popular among people in their 20s and 30s, are a prime example. These groups offer practical curriculums, ranging from theory-based introductory lectures to “real estate field trips” where participants visit licensed agents. They are more like educational programs run by professional platforms than small informal gatherings.

Preparation for retirement funds is also starting much earlier. As soon as they enter society, young people invest in long-term financial products like pension savings and Individual Retirement Pension (IRP) accounts, planning for life after retirement. The reason younger generations, who once prioritized short-term returns, are flocking to long-term products is to maximize the benefits of compound interest. The perception that “the earlier you prepare for retirement, the better” has become widespread, making “early preparation” a cultural norm. In fact, according to Mirae Asset Securities, the increase rate of IRP subscribers compared to 2022 was highest among people in their 20s at 201%, followed by teenagers at 140%, and those in their 30s at 76%.

People are also preparing and planning for major life moments in advance. Before facing important events like employment, marriage, parenting, or retirement, they try to experience them in realistic ways ahead of time. For example, in the job market, “mock interviews” have become a new preparation method. Unlike the past, when job seekers would exchange questions and answers in study caf?s, now they practice with AI interviewers in realistic simulations. In a recent survey, seven out of ten job seekers in their 20s said they actively use AI in their job search process. For instance, they upload their cover letters to ChatGPT and prompt it with, “Now, you are a tough interviewer. Read my cover letter and ask me five sharp questions,” assigning the AI the role of the interviewer.

Recently, a new concept called “wedding consulting” has emerged on social media, where people try out services before booking studio, dress, and makeup (known as “Sdeume”). Experts recommend dress necklines, colors, and materials that suit the bride-to-be’s face shape and body type, and the bride can try them on in advance to narrow down her choices. This service is gaining popularity among women in their 20s and 30s, as it allows them to prepare for complex decisions and reduce trial and error. It demonstrates a true rehearsal for marriage, as even wedding preparations themselves are being prepared for.

The spread of Ready-core is not just a trend shift, but a structural response to an era where uncertainty is part of everyday life. In an environment where options are exploding and time is scarce, people are learning that only those who prepare in advance can secure good experiences and opportunities, rather than making mistakes. In other words, planning is no longer a habit of a select few, but a survival strategy shared by society as a whole.

This trend will lead to an increasingly sophisticated culture of preparation across consumption, education, finance, careers, and life events. In the future, the competitiveness of a market will depend on how well it supports and assists users in the process of planning and executing. In this era, preparation is capability, and predictability is reassurance. Ready-core will bring significant changes not only to individual lives but also to the consumer market.

Choi Ji-hye, Research Fellow at Seoul National University Consumer Trend Analysis Center