소확행

Soh-hwak-haeng

"Sohwakhaeng" originated from a 1986 essay by Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, but it gained significant popularity in Korea around 2018. It was ranked as the top buzzword of 2018 in a survey by job portal Incruit and was also selected as a 2018 consumption trend for South Korea by Seoul National University's Consumer Trend Analysis Center, indicating its widespread adoption across society.

"Sohwakhaeng" is an abbreviation of "Soso-hajiman Hwakshilhan Haengbok," which translates to "small but certain happiness." It refers to a life attitude that seeks small but certain joys and satisfactions that can be easily found and realized in daily life, rather than grand or uncertain future happiness. For example, tearing apart freshly baked bread with your hands or enjoying a cup of your favorite coffee are considered "Sohwakhaeng" moments.

This meme has also been parodied in various ways. There's "Sohwakhoeng," meaning "small but certain embezzlement," referring to handling personal matters at work. Among EXO fans, "Suwakhaeng" is used to mean "certain happiness given by Suho." Humorous parodies like "Soviet Union's expansionist actions" or "more certain administrative power than the Soviets" have also emerged. In the game "Blue Archive," it was parodied as a religious group of robot homeless people called "a group that finds certain happiness without possessing anything."

It primarily spread among the younger generation (teens to twenties, Gen MZ) who are exhausted by future uncertainties and fierce competition. They tend to prioritize present satisfaction and small achievements over grand, ambitious goals. However, the attitude of pursuing small happiness in daily life is not limited to a specific age or gender; it has gained widespread empathy across all generations and is broadly used.

• "Soaking in warm water and listening to my favorite music after work is my Sohwakhaeng."
• "Reading a book with a cup of my favorite coffee on a weekend morning is the best Sohwakhaeng."
• "Printing personal documents on the company printer or drinking coffee from the pantry is Sohwakhoeng, but it's a small pleasure."
• "Eating a delicious dessert for lunch today is my Sohwakhaeng."