Crush Your Goals with ‘갓생’: Plan Your Week in Korean!

Hello! Welcome to Maeil Hangeul, here to upgrade your Korean skills!

Have you ever felt like a week just slipped by? You had big goals, but somehow, Friday arrived and your to-do list was untouched. We’ve all been there! Today, we’re going to tackle that problem by learning how to create a weekly plan, or 주간 계획표 (jugan gyehoekpyo), in Korean.

This is an incredibly useful skill, whether you’re organizing your study schedule, planning work projects, or even mapping out which K-dramas to binge-watch! Plus, you’ll get to learn about a super popular trend in Korea right now. Lately in Korea, everyone, especially the younger generation, is talking about ‘갓생’ (God-saeng). It means living a “God-tier life”—not by being perfect, but by being productive, organized, and achieving small, meaningful goals every day. And what’s the first step to living a ‘갓생’ life? You guessed it: making a plan!

Let’s get started and plan our way to success!

Core Expressions for Your ‘갓생’ Journey

Here are the essential phrases you need to start planning your week like a pro in Korea.

1. 계획을 세우다 (gyehweg-eul se-u-da)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: gye-hwek-eul se-u-da
• English Meaning: To make a plan / To set up a plan
• Detailed Explanation: This is the most fundamental phrase! 계획 (gyehwek) means “plan,” and 세우다 (se-u-da) literally means “to make something stand up.” So, you are “setting up” your plan. It’s a standard phrase you can use in both casual and formal situations.
  • Example: 이번 주 계획을 세울 거예요. (I’m going to make a plan for this week.)

2. -기로 하다 (-gi-ro ha-da)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: -gi-ro ha-da
• English Meaning: To decide to do (something)
• Detailed Explanation: This grammar pattern is your best friend when talking about plans and resolutions. You attach it to a verb stem to show that you’ve made a decision or a resolution. It’s the perfect way to state the action items on your new weekly plan!
  • How to use: Take a verb stem (e.g., from 공부하다 [to study], take 공부하-) and add -기로 하다.
  • Example: 매일 아침 7시에 일어나기로 했어요. (I decided to wake up at 7 AM every morning.)

3. 이번 주 목표 (ibeon ju mokpyo)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: i-beon ju mok-pyo
• English Meaning: This week’s goal
• Detailed Explanation: Let’s break it down: 이번 주 (ibeon ju) means “this week,” and 목표 (mokpyo) means “goal” or “target.” When you set your plan, you need a clear goal. This phrase helps you state it clearly and confidently.
  • Example: 이번 주 목표는 한국어 단어 50개 외우기예요. (This week’s goal is to memorize 50 Korean words.)

4. 실천하다 (silcheonhada)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: sil-cheon-ha-da
• English Meaning: To put into practice / To execute
• Detailed Explanation: Making a plan is great, but taking action is what ‘갓생’ is all about! 실천하다 (silcheonhada) means to put your plans into action. It emphasizes not just thinking about doing something, but actually doing it.
  • Example: 계획을 세우는 것보다 실천하는 것이 더 중요해요. (Putting the plan into practice is more important than making it.)

Example Dialogue: Planning for ‘갓생’

Let’s see how these expressions work in a real conversation between two friends, Mina and Jinsu.

A (Mina): 진수야, 뭐 해? 노트북으로 열심히 뭘 보는 것 같네.
(Jinsu, what are you doing? You look really focused on your laptop.)

B (Jinsu): 아, 나 이번 주 계획을 세우고 있어. 이번 주 목표는 ‘갓생’ 살기거든!
(Oh, I’m making my plan for this week. This week’s goal is to live a ‘God-saeng’ life!)

A (Mina): 와, ‘갓생’? 멋지다! 그래서 뭘 하기로 했어?
(Wow, ‘God-saeng’? That’s cool! So what did you decide to do?)

B (Jinsu): 음, 매일 운동하고, 하루에 30분씩 책을 읽기로 했어. 이번에는 꼭 실천할 거야!
(Hmm, I decided to exercise every day and read a book for 30 minutes a day. I’m definitely going to put it into practice this time!)

Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive: The ‘갓생’ Lifestyle

“What exactly is ‘갓생’ (God-saeng)?”

As we mentioned, it’s a combination of the English word “God” and the Korean word 인생 (insaeng), meaning “life.” It became a huge trend among Korean Millennials and Gen Z as a way to find meaning and control in their busy lives.

It’s not about huge, life-altering achievements. Instead, ‘갓생’ focuses on building small, positive habits. Think of it as “atomic habits” with a cool Korean name!

• On social media, you’ll see thousands of posts with hashtags like #갓생 or #갓생챌린지 (#GodSaengChallenge). People share pictures of their planners, their early morning alarms (a “miracle morning”), their healthy meals, or their study notes.
• The popular “Study With Me” vlogs on YouTube are a perfect example of the ‘갓생’ culture. People film themselves studying for hours, motivating others to do the same.
• So, how can you use this? When you tell your Korean friends you’re “계획을 세우고 있다” (making a plan) to learn Korean, you can add, “저도 ‘갓생’ 한번 살아보려고요!” (I’m trying to live a ‘God-saeng’ life, too!). They will be super impressed that you know this trend!

Let’s Wrap It Up & Practice!

Great job today! You’ve learned how to talk about making plans and setting goals in Korean. You now know how to 계획을 세우다 (make a plan), state what you’ve -기로 하다 (decided to do), set your 이번 주 목표 (this week’s goal), and most importantly, 실천하다 (put it into practice).

Now it’s your turn to start your ‘갓생’ journey!

Practice Question:
Fill in the blank to complete the sentence.

1. This week’s goal is to call my parents.
   이번 주 ______는 부모님께 전화하기예요.

(Scroll down for the answer!)

Ready to plan your week? What is one thing you’ve decided to do this week?
Leave a comment below with your plan using “-기로 했어요”! We’d love to cheer you on!

(Answer: 목표)