Stuck in a Slump? Let’s Talk ‘God-saeng’!

Hello! This is Maeil Hangul (매일한글), here to upgrade your Korean skills!

Have you ever felt like you’ve hit a wall with your Korean studies? You study and study, but it feels like you’re not making any progress. We call this a “slump,” and trust me, every learner goes through it! Today, we’re going to learn some essential Korean expressions to talk about this feeling and, more importantly, how to overcome it.

This is super useful for when you’re talking with your language exchange partner or Korean friends about your learning journey. Plus, we’ll connect it to a super popular trend in Korea right now: “갓생 (God-saeng)”! Lately in Korea, young people are all about living a “God-saeng,” which means a productive, diligent, and exemplary life. It’s the perfect mindset to help you get motivated and beat that slump!

Let’s get started!

Core Expressions to Beat the Slump

Here are some key phrases to help you talk about your study struggles and your comeback plan!

• 한국어 표현: 슬럼프에 빠지다
• 발음 [로마자]: seul-leom-peu-e ppa-ji-da
• 영어 뜻: To fall into a slump.
• 상세 설명: This is a fantastic example of Konglish (Korean-style English)! “슬럼프” (seul-leom-peu) comes from the English word “slump,” and “빠지다” (ppa-ji-da) means “to fall into.” You can use this expression when your performance or motivation drops in any area, like studying, work, or even a hobby. It’s a common and natural way to express this feeling.

• 한국어 표현: 극복하다

• 발음 [로마자]: geuk-bok-ha-da
• 영어 뜻: To overcome; to get over.

• 상세 설명: This is the perfect verb to use when you’re talking about conquering a challenge. It has a strong, positive nuance. You can combine it with our first expression to say “슬럼프를 극복하다” (seul-leom-peu-reul geuk-bok-ha-da), which means “to overcome a slump.” It shows your determination!

• 한국어 표현: 마음을 다잡다

• 발음 [로마자]: ma-eum-eul da-jap-da
• 영어 뜻: To pull oneself together; to steady one’s mind.

• 상세 설명: This is a beautiful, native-sounding expression. “마음” (ma-eum) means “mind” or “heart,” and “다잡다” (da-jap-da) means to grab or hold something firmly again. So, you’re literally “re-gripping your mind.” Use this when you decide to stop feeling down and refocus on your goals.

• 한국어 표현: 꾸준히 하다

• 발음 [로마자]: kku-jun-hi ha-da
• 영어 뜻: To do something steadily/consistently.
• 상세 설명: This is the secret ingredient to living a “God-saeng” life and mastering Korean! “꾸준히” (kku-jun-hi) is an adverb that means “consistently” or “steadily.” The key to language learning isn’t a huge effort once a month, but small efforts every single day. 꾸준히 공부해요! (Study consistently!)

Example Conversation

Let’s see how these expressions work in a real conversation between a learner (Alex) and a Korean friend (Sujin).

Alex: 수진아, 나 요즘 너무 힘들어. 한국어 공부가 잘 안돼. 슬럼프에 빠진 것 같아.

[Sujin-ah, na yo-jeum neo-mu him-deur-eo. Han-gug-eo gong-bu-ga jal an-dwae. Seul-leom-peu-e ppa-jin geot gat-a.]
(Sujin, I’m having a tough time lately. My Korean studies aren’t going well. I think I’m in a slump.)

Sujin: 아, 정말? 누구나 그럴 때가 있어. 너무 걱정 마.

[A, jeong-mal? Nu-gu-na geu-reol ttae-ga iss-eo. Neo-mu geok-jeong ma.]
(Oh, really? Everyone goes through that. Don’t worry too much.)

Alex: 어떻게 하면 이 슬럼프를 극복할 수 있을까?

[Eo-tteo-ke ha-myeon i seul-leom-peu-reul geuk-bok-hal su iss-eul-kka?]
(How can I overcome this slump?)

Sujin: 음… 우선 마음을 다잡고 작은 목표부터 세워봐. 요즘 한국에서 유행하는 ‘갓생’ 알지? 매일 K-pop 가사를 한 곡씩 꾸준히 해석해 보는 건 어때?

[Eum… u-seon ma-eum-eul da-jap-go jag-eun mok-pyo-bu-teo se-wo-bwa. Yo-jeum han-gug-e-seo yu-haeng-ha-neun ‘God-saeng’ al-ji? Mae-il K-pop ga-sa-reul han gok-ssik kku-jun-hi hae-seok-hae bo-neun geon eo-ttae?]
(Hmm… First, pull yourself together and set a small goal. You know the ‘God-saeng’ trend in Korea, right? How about consistently translating the lyrics of one K-pop song each day?)

Alex: 와, 그거 좋은 생각이다! 고마워, 수진아!

[Wa, geu-geo jo-eun saeng-gag-i-da! Go-ma-wo, Sujin-ah!]
(Wow, that’s a great idea! Thanks, Sujin!)

Culture Tip: Live Your Best #갓생 Life!

So, what exactly is this 갓생 (God-saeng) trend?

It’s a combination of the English word ‘God’ and the Korean word ‘인생 (insaeng)’, which means ‘life’. It doesn’t mean you have to be a divine being! It refers to a lifestyle that is productive, admirable, and focused on self-improvement.

On social media like Instagram and TikTok, Korean Gen Z and Millennials use the hashtag #갓생 to share their small daily achievements. This could be anything from waking up early (a “miracle morning”), exercising, reading a few pages of a book, or, of course, studying a language!

The point of ‘God-saeng’ isn’t about being perfect. It’s about celebrating small, consistent efforts. So, when you’re feeling unmotivated, try setting a tiny, achievable ‘God-saeng’ goal for your Korean studies. For example:
* Learn one new vocabulary word.
* Write one sentence in your diary in Korean.
* Watch a 5-minute clip of a Korean drama without subtitles.

Achieving these small goals will boost your confidence and help you 극복하다 your slump!

Let’s Practice!

Time to review what we’ve learned. You can do it!

1. Fill in the blanks using the words we learned today:
   슬럼프에 빠지다, 마음을 다잡다, 꾸준히, 극복하다

   요즘 공부가 힘들어서 ( A. )고 생각했지만, 다시 ( B. )고 ( C. ) 공부해서 꼭 ( D. ) 거예요!
   (Lately, studying has been hard so I thought I was in a slump, but I will pull myself together, study consistently, and I will definitely overcome it!)

   (Scroll down for the answer!)

2. Your Turn! What is your “God-saeng” plan to improve your Korean? Using the expressions we learned, write a short sentence in the comments below!

That’s all for today! Remember that falling into a slump is a natural part of the learning process. The most important thing is to acknowledge it, pull yourself together, and keep moving forward, one small step at a time.

Leave a comment with your answers and your own ‘God-saeng’ tips! Fighting! (파이팅!)

Answer for Practice #1: A. 슬럼프에 빠졌다, B. 마음을 다잡, C. 꾸준히, D. 극복할