Hey there!

Today I’m going to tell you about one unexpected struggle that you may face living in Korea and what to do with it.

And that struggle is - having a long name. Yes, you’ve read it correctly - your name may cause you some troubles but don’t worry, they are not impossible to overcome.

To begin with, names in Korea (when written in Korean)  normally consist of three syllables where the first one is a surname and the other two are the name. For example, 김민수 (Kim Minsu). Some names consist of 2 to 4 syllables but they’re more of an exception here.  

So, when a foreigner with a name that is longer than that comes to Korea… They may struggle. For example, one of my friends was told that it would be impossible for her to shop online, so she should shop offline only, which was super inconvenient. Only because her name is “too long”.

So, what can one do if they have such a problem? First of all, be careful with shortened forms of your name since they may later cause you trouble. The name on your bank account and for your mobile operator should match the name on the ID card. Secondly, don’t be afraid to ask to talk to a more experienced employee - at the end of the day, it is an important issue that will make your life complicated if you don’t deal with it right away. Finally, remember that you are not alone in this problem, and most companies should have instructions on how to deal with it.