Stale routines, stress give rise to spread of 'toastout' concept

The MZ generation has coined a new term, "toastout," to describe pre-burnout symptoms of fatigue and emotional exhaustion.

In this X post by Nudeoke, the character on the left is depicted as suffering from extreme burnout, while the one on the right uses the metaphor of a moderately burned piece of toast to illustrate the concept of "toastout." [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Amid soaring summer temperatures, a new term is catching fire among younger Korean workers: "toastout," a state of emotional exhaustion that often precedes physical and mental burnout.

A growing number of workers are turning to social media to share their experiences with toastout, a newly coined term used to describe a state of fatigue, lethargy and emotional depletion.

While yet to be officially recognized as a medical condition, the term describes pre-burnout exhaustion, similar to the slightest burning of toast that can go unnoticed until a bite is taken. Burnout, officially recognized by the World Health Organization in 2019, has led to some European countries like Sweden to grant workers sick leave for the condition.

"I manage to cope with work stress, but I find myself taking it out on my family when I get home,” said a worker in her 30s. “These days, I’m so absentminded that I accidentally threw my phone in the trash while recycling.”

Despite being respected by her coworkers as a dedicated employee, she admitted to struggling with lethargy, migraines and difficulty completing routine tasks.

A popular trend among the MZ generation, referring to millennials and Generation Z, is sharing memes online about their mental exhaustion. This often involves posting a photo of slightly burned toast with a caption like, “I'm managing to function despite being toasted out. Can't wait for bulgeum," referring to a Korean portmanteau for “fire Friday" equivalent to the English phrase "Thank God it’s Friday." Other toast-related terms include “lettuce toast,” describing a state of feeling like a wilted piece of warm lettuce inside toast, and “butter toast,” referring to a feeling of melting into a puddle of sleepy bliss.

A young woman tries to keep herself awake to finish her work despite being exhausted. [GETTY IMAGE]

Contributing to this trend is the younger generation's increasing focus on self-care and personal well-being.

“This is a phenomenon where young people are more attentive to their personal lives and use more nuanced language to communicate their experiences,” said Park Hye-yeon, a cultural studies professor at Dongduk Women's University.

Experts also suggest that these younger demographics may have reached a point of exhaustion without realizing it due to the high standards they set for themselves.

“Toastout is simply another form of burnout. Young people are just shying away from using the term burnout to describe themselves,” Park added.

“Young people try to describe themselves as toasted out rather than saying that they are burned out because they fear being labeled as incompetent or lazy,” said Lim Myung-ho, psychology professor at Dankook University. “This could actually be more dangerous, as they might overlook minor symptoms, which could ultimately lead to more significant problems.”

A 2022 study by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs found that 33.9 percent of young respondents aged 19 to 34 reported experiencing burnout, primarily due to repetitive stress and boredom.

“Many studies indicate that such emotional exhaustion can lead to physical health problems,” Lim added.

Experts recommend getting sufficient rest and creating a relaxing environment when feeling lethargic or disengaged.

"Young people living in a meritocratic society are vulnerable to both toastout and burnout,” Park said. “Even when on the brink of these conditions, these individuals may still pursue more accomplishments and feel pressured to achieve them. This can lead to even greater stress if they fail to see improvement or success.”

BY KIM SEO-WON [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]