How Korean names work
Family name first, a two-syllable given name you use whole, and a handful of family names shared by half the country.
The order: family, then given
A Korean name is usually three syllables: a one-syllable family name followed by a two-syllable given name. Kim Min-jun is Mr. Kim, given name Min-jun. A few family names have two syllables (Namgung, Seonu), and some given names have one or three.
In English the given name is written three ways: Min-jun, Minjun or Min Jun. They are all one given name. The last form is the trap: in Kim Min Jun, Min is not a first name and Jun is not a last name.
Koreans who work internationally often flip the order: Min-jun Kim or Minjun Kim.
Use the given name whole
If you are on first-name terms, write Hi Min-jun, never Hi Min. Splitting the two syllables is a common mistake that reads oddly to Koreans.
How to address someone
At Korean workplaces people are addressed by their job title or by full name with an honorific, rarely by given name alone. In English email, Dear Mr. Kim or Dear Ms. Lee is correct. Because so many people share these names, the full name is often clearer and always polite: Dear Kim Min-jun.
Kim, Lee and Park
The three most common family names, Kim, Lee and Park, are carried by close to half of South Koreans. Among Koreans in Wikidata:
| Family name | People in Wikidata | Share of the top 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Kim | 6,757 | 27.2% |
| Lee | 5,050 | 20.4% |
| Park | 2,602 | 10.5% |
| Jung | 1,577 | 6.4% |
| Choi | 1,520 | 6.1% |
| Cho | 1,058 | 4.3% |
| Kang | 874 | 3.5% |
| Yoon | 847 | 3.4% |
| Jang | 739 | 3.0% |
| Shin | 722 | 2.9% |
| Han | 683 | 2.8% |
| Yoo | 638 | 2.6% |
| Im | 622 | 2.5% |
| Seo | 575 | 2.3% |
| Oh | 540 | 2.2% |
Wikidata covers notable people (athletes, politicians, scientists, artists), so these counts show the ranking, not exact population shares.
One name, many spellings
Romanization is not standardized for family names. The same name appears as:
| Korean | Common spellings |
|---|---|
| 이 | Lee, Yi, Rhee, Ri |
| 박 | Park, Pak, Bak |
| 정 | Jung, Jeong, Chung |
| 최 | Choi, Choe |
| 조 | Cho, Jo |
| 윤 | Yoon, Yun |
Use the spelling the person uses.
Married names
Korean women keep their own family name after marriage, so a married couple usually have different family names. Do not assume Mrs. plus the husband's name.
Quick answers
Is Lee a first name or a last name?
For Koreans, Lee is a family name and the second most common. In English-speaking countries Lee is also a given name, so the country matters.
Kim Min Jun: which part do I use?
Kim is the family name and Min Jun is one given name. Dear Mr. Kim, or Hi Min-jun.