How to Pronounce Common Korean Names

Korean names can look intimidating in English spelling, but they follow steady, learnable rules. Once a few vowels click into place, most names suddenly make sense. Here is a friendly starter guide.

The vowels that trip people up

A handful of Revised Romanization spellings cause almost all the confusion:

• eo (어) is "uh," like the vowel in "cup." So Seoyeon is "Suh-yun," not "see-oh."
• eu (으) is a flat, relaxed sound — say "oo" but with your lips unrounded, close to the "e" in "taken."
• u (우) is a clean "oo," like "moon."
• ae and e (애 / 에) are both "eh," like the vowel in "bed."

A few names, broken down

• Minjun → "Min-joon" (the 준 ending rhymes with "June")
• Seoyeon → "Suh-yun"
• Jiwoo → "Jee-oo"
• Jia → "Jee-ah"
• Hajun → "Ha-joon"
• Jeong → "Juhng" — not "Jong." That "eo" is an "uh" sound.

Keep the syllables even

English likes to stomp hard on one syllable. Korean gives each one roughly equal weight, said flat and gentle. Resist the urge to stress the first syllable; let them flow evenly instead.

Soft "j" and light endings

The letter written "j" (ㅈ) is a soft "j," as in "jam." Final consonants are light, almost clipped — you barely release them. When in doubt, go softer and shorter rather than harder and longer.

The kind thing about Korean names is that they reward a gentle voice — say them softly and you are usually close.

Want to see your own Korean name, spelled out with a pronunciation tip? The quiz takes about a minute.