Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cthulhu]

How did you handle the name issue? I'm heading back soon with my wife and her first names are very tricky for foreigners to pronounce (second one is "Ae" as in what the Fonz says or what a Canadian adds to every word) so she's thinking about adopting a Westernized first name (her idea not mine but I can see how it makes sense). Of course there's the matter of the last name as well. If she takes mine her name won't be Korean at all.

Did anyone have similar concerns or did they just keep it as it was? Did any of your wives hyphenate the family name with theirs or just adopt yours? Did it matter to you at all?

Just one of these cross-cultural concerns I guess...

[Bulsajo]

My wife uses an English nickname around non-Korean friends and co-workers. Her Korean name is difficult to pronounce correctly and almost impossible to get right by reading a romanized version of it, so she has decided to avoid the hassle. I have always called her by her English nickname except when we're with Korean friends and family.

She uses her Korean family name as all documentation is in her proper Korean name (plus it's Korean tradition and I don't care if she doesn't use my last name which is a bit of a silly one anyway).

It can sometimes be confusing- my sister airline booked tickets for us on-line last year (we were all taking a vacation together)- she booked my wife's under her nickname and my family name, not realizing her ID didn't refer to this name at all. It was quite a hassle as the name on the ticket didn't match the name on any of my wife's ID.

[Zyzyfer]

If I were to get hitched and go running back home(what is that?) with her, the Chica would keep her exact name. It's pretty easy to say, even though my grandmother had massive problems with a nonexistent "k" that she wanted to add to the Chica's name. Otherwise, it romanizes beautifully.

[Cthulhu]

Yes Bulsajo, that was my biggest concern. Do we make the nickname legal or just go by the nickname unofficially? I'm still not sure. I'm happy if she keeps her regular name but there's always the worry about how much hassle it creates from the various people who can't spell or pronounce it right, e.g., banks, airports etc.

You're lucky Zyzyfer--Chica having a name that romanizes easily. But how about making Chica permanent? Nice (nick)name...

[helly]

When my wife got her immigration visa (US), she was officially changed over to my last name. Apparently, they can't process without this step. Kind of a surprise and we were generally planning (though didn't really plan) that she would keep her name.

Her given name is definitely not easy in English and she definitely will NOT change it. Her opinion is, "its my name, let everyone else figure it out"

Love that girl

[Ody]

not trolling, just thought i'd mention that this is an equal issue for men. any reason why you wouldn't want advise from women living with their korean husbands abroad?

edit: come to think of it, in the 10 (plus) years we lived stateside, my husband and i hosted numerous parties peopled by our korean friends, mostly students living abroad, the majority of them girls. too bad i'm not married to one of them.

[Cthulhu]

[jaebea]

My full Korean name conveniently shortens itself to Jae. Lucky for me, "Jae" and the better known "Jay" means that it was an easy transition, and easy to explain on the playground.

I had considered getting an all out English name, but I just sorta stayed with this.

Easy to write. :)

jae.

[Ody]

[Cthulhu]

Good suggestion on the romanization--thanks.

[shawner88]

[Drakoi]

A lot of koreans I knew back in the states would have a legal korean name (that their mail was addressed to, etc.) but had a nickname they went by that aproximated their korean name. Personally I think it's kind of stupid and you should just make people learn her name properly. You'd expect the same when you're in Korea. Or can we call you ducksuk from now on?