If you have ever visited Korea or stayed in Korea for quite some time, you have probably noticed that a lot of Korean people ask “what is your blood type?”. This question is one of the most common questions that Korean people ask, apart from “How old are you?”. In Korea, it is perfectly fine to ask about a person’s blood type, especially if you want to get to know someone very well instantly, in particular, on a blind date. The reason is that Korean people believe that each blood type has its own distinct personality and it is the quickest way to determine a person’s temperament and even compatibility with others. You may feel confused as to why people ask about blood types in Korea, but don’t worry. If you are asked this by a Korean, that means that the person wants to get to know you better.
So who developed this concept? The blood type personality theory was developed by a Japanese person named Masahiko Nomi who graduated from the University of Tokyo. He began his first career as a journalist and his first book “Understanding Affinity by Blood Type” became a bestseller in the 1970s. The idea then spread outward and it is popular in some Asian countries, such as South Korea and Taiwan. You are probably wondering, ‘so what’s this all about?’, so let’s have a look at the description of each blood type to see if it matches with your personality. Then let’s look at the compatibility of blood types, followed by the blood types of famous Korean celebrities.
1. Blood Type A
According to the Korean blood type personality chart, it is said that people with blood type A are known to be diplomatic and friendly, however due to their sensitive natures, they prefer staying alone to being in a group; therefore they may feel uncomfortable in crowded areas or parties. Also, they are fragile-hearted and easily get hurt, therefore it takes time for them to open up to people. Others may take this negatively and view them as snobs, since people with blood type A are good at hiding their feelings and do not express themselves a lot compared to other blood types such as blood type B or O. If you want to be friends with a person with Blood Type A, the best way is to be patient and get to know them slowly. Once you get to know them you will find that they are very friendly and down to earth! Also, they are punctual and always expect the best results in everything they do, therefore others seem them as perfectionists. When people describe blood type A, you will often hear:
A형은 성실하고 예민한 것 같아요.
e-i-hyeong-eun seong-sil-ha-go ye-min-han geot ga-ta-yo
“People with type A blood are earnest and sensitive.”
Blood Type A Personality in Korean
- 성실하다 (seong-sil-ha-da) = “to be earnest”
- 신중하다 (sin-jung-ha-da) = “to be cautious”
- 고집이 세다 (go-ji-bi se-da) = “to be stubborn”
- 예민하다 (ye-min-ha-da) = “to be sensitive”
Blood Type Compatibility for A
- The best blood type compatibility is O, followed by A.
- The worst blood type compatibility is B.
Famous Celebrities with Blood Type A
- 장나라 (Jang Na-ra)
- 이효리 (Lee Hyori)
- 최지우 (Choi Ji-woo)
- 닉쿤 (Nichkhun)
- 배용준 (Bae Yong-joon)
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2. Blood Type B
According to the Korean blood type personality chart, it is said that B types are the most outgoing compared to other blood types. Also they are independent and are passionate about the things that they are interested in. Type Bs always seek stimulation and they are not afraid of speaking their minds. Therefore, they can be seen as self-centered because they express their opinion, regardless of what the other person might feel.
In Korea, men with blood type B have a negative reputation for being playboys and for not suitable for a stable relationship. The interesting fact is that there was even a song called “Blood Type B Man” by Kim Hyun Jung, and this song became extremely popular when it was released.But don’t worry, although blood type B has a negative reputation for being the blood type of playboys, there are many positive traits too. They are curious, honest and enjoy attention, therefore people with blood type B can make friends easily, like a social butterfly! When people describe blood type B, you will often hear:
B형은 창의적이고 낙관적인 것 같아요.
B-hyeong-eun-chang-ui-jeo-gi-go-nak-gwan-jeo-in geot ga-ta-yo
“People with blood type B are creative and optimistic.”
Blood Type B Personality in Korean
- 창의적이다 (chang-ui-jeo-gi-da) = “to be creative”
- 낙관적이다 (nak-gwan-jeo-gi-da) = “to be optimistic”
- 이기적이다 (i-gi-jeo-gi-da) = “to be selfish”
- 무책임하다 (mu-chae-gim-ha-da) = “to be irresponsible”
Blood Type Compatibility for B
- The best blood type compatibility is AB, followed by O.
- The worst blood type compatibility is A.
Famous Celebrities with Blood Type B
- 이동욱 (Lee Dong Wook)
- 이승기 (Lee Seung Gi)
- 탑 (T.O.P)
- 제시카 (Jessica Jung)
3. Blood Type O
They are known to be energetic, practical and friendly. Also blood type O is labeled as a natural leader. They are experts at expressing their opinions in a constructive way, making sure that everyone listens to them, while still being friendly to everyone. They know how to control their emotions very well, giving others a great impression of being stable and under control. Research in Korea indicates that blood type O is the most prefered blood type by CEOs and coworkers because of the traits mentioned above. However, although they might have a reputation of being strong outside, they are very sensitive inside. People with blood type O have some difficulties expressing their feelings due to a fear of rejection and also they tend to burn themselves out trying to get things done perfectly. The best way to describe type Os in Korean is:
O형은 외향적이고 타고난 리더예요.
O-hyeong-eun-chang-ui-jeo-gi-go-ta-go-nan ri-deo-ye-yo
“People with type O are outgoing and natural leaders.”
Blood Type O Personality in Korean
- 외향적이다 (chang-ui-jeo-gi-da) = “to be outgoing”
- 타고난 리더이다 (ta-go-nan ri-deo-i-da) = “to be a natural leader”
- 거만하다 (geo-man-ha-da) = “to be arrogant”
- 질투심이 많다 (jul-tu-si-mi man-ta) = “to be jealous”
Blood Type Compatibility for O
- The best blood type compatibility is A, followed by B.
- The worst blood type compatibility is AB.
Famous celebrities with Blood Type O
- 원빈 (Won Bin)
- 박효신 (Park Hyo Shin)
- 장동건 (Jang Dong-gun)
- 이민정 (Lee Min-jung)
- 김유정 (Kim Yoo-jung)
4. Blood Type AB
They are the most interesting type compared to the others because this blood type is labeled as either genius or psycho. They are unpredictable because they often jump around from one activity to the next and their temperament is mixture of blood type A and B, therefore their personalities change quickly depending on their mood and the situation, and sometimes they don’t have control over it. Also type ABs are rational thinkers, therefore they cannot stand it when they find some situations to be irrational. As a result, they may have some difficulties interacting with people, giving others the wrong impression of being moody or two-faced. One of the ways to describe blood type ABs is:
AB형은 합리적이고 재능이 있어요.
AB-hyeong-eun-ham-ni-jeo-gi-go jae-neung-i it-eo-yo
“People with type AB are rational and talented.”
Blood Type AB Personality in Korean
- 합리적이다 (ham-ni-jeo-gi-da) = “to be rational”
- 재능이 있다 (jae-neung-i i-tta) = “to be talented”
- 비판적이다 (bi-pan-jeo-gi-da) = “to be critical”
- 별나다 (byeol-na-da) = “to be eccentric”
Blood Type Compatibility for AB
- The best blood type compatibility is AB, followed by B.
- The worst blood type compatibility is O.
Famous Celebrities with Blood Type AB
- 박진영 (Park Jin-young)
- 한가인 (Han Ga-in)
- 택연 (Ok Taecyeon)
- 김수현 (Kim Soo-hyun)
- 박봄 (Park Bom)
Now, let’s have a look at few useful Korean sentences which you can use right away.
5. Talking about Your Blood Type in Korean
“What’s your blood type?”
- Informal: 혈액형이 뭐야? (hyeo-raek-hyeong-i mwo-ya?)
- Polite: 혈액형이 뭐예요? (hyeo-raek-hyeong-i mwo-ye-ya?)
- Formal: 혈액형이 어떻게 되세요? (hyeo-raek-hyeong-i eo-tteo-ke doe-se-yo?)
“My blood type is…”:
- ___형이야. (___hyeong-i-ya)
- ___형이에요. (___hyeong-i-e-yo)
- ___형입니다. (___hyeong-im-ni-da)
Example:
A: 방탄소년단 RM의 혈액형은 뭐예요?
Bang-tan-so-nyeon-dan RM-ui hyeo-raek-hyeong-i mwo-ye-yo?
A: “What’s the blood type of RM from BTS?”
B: RM의 혈액형은 O형이에요.
RM-ui hyeo-raek-hyeong-eun O-hyeong-i-e-yo
B: “RM’s blood type is O.”
6. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You Learn more Korean
You’ve learned some secret Korean blood type personalities with useful Korean phrases to describe your blood type personality.
To sum up, we had a look at each blood type and its personality and temperament, and blood type compatibility for each type. Do you think that they are true? Also, do you know how to describe your personality in Korean? KoreanClass101 has prepared a list of useful Korean adjectives to describe your personality for you to study. It is available online, so feel free to download it for free. Also, are you a big fan of Kpop and do you want to know what your favourite celebrities’ blood types are? Download your ultimate K-pop guide to learn Korean and get interesting facts about your favourite celebrities. It is absolutely free!
So next time you run into a Korean person and want to understand their personality quickly, why not ask a simple question, like:
혈액형이 뭐예요?
hyeo-raek-hyeong-i mwo-ye-yo?
“What is your blood type?”
KoreanClass101 has many vocabulary lists available on our website for you to download for free. Why don’t you prepare a self-introduction, including your blood type and your personality in Korean? Click “10 Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself” to learn practical phrases in Korean.
Thank you and we hope that you enjoy learning Korean!
