MBTI Craze in Korea
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MBTI Craze in Korea
If you’ve found yourself hanging out with Korean friends recently, there is one question that’s bound to make its way into the
conversation. What is your MBTI? The psychological assessment designed by Meyers Briggs has become THE single most talked
about thing in Korea. The MBTI is now at the core of everyday social life in South Korea.
Korea is a country that is all about saving time. And so, the MBTI has become the most efficient way to get to know someone.
The MBTI is simple. After taking an online assessment, people are classified into one of 16 personality types.
There are 4 basic aspects of personality that are assessed. Each with two options. The first personality aspect that is measured is
‘Favorite World’. You can either test as dominantly introverted (I) or Extroverted (E). The second category is ‘information. You can
test as Sensing (S) or Intuitive (I). Then, there is how you make decisions, which can be classified as Thinking (T) or Feeling (F).
Finally, ‘Structure’ results are classified as Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).
Personality Types in Korea
This is not the first personality type trend to hit Korea. For many years, since Japanese colonialism, blood type was huge in Korea.
Before the MBTI, it was common for people to openly talk about blood type in relation to personality.
Just like the MBTI, each blood type was associated with personality traits. These traits affected your relationships and workplace habits. However, unlike MBTI, blood type is was genetic and far more pre-determined.
For the most part, MBTI is replacing Korea’s fascination with blood types.
Korean MBTI in Social Life
MBTI is now the first thing you learn about someone along with their name. It is not uncommon to see Koreans have their MBTIs
included in their Instagram profiles. This goes for everyone – from influencers to your classmates.
From a foreigner’s point of view, having your MBTI so closely tied to identity seemed a little strange at first. However, when I
considered my own country’s fascination with zodiac signs, it seemed less alien. Whether its blood type, zodiac signs, or, MBTI – most
cultures have some equivalent. It’s an easy way to break some ice and begin feeling comfortable around strangers.
Conclusion
In my option, while personality types are fun, they may be taken too far in Korea. When you are asked about your personality in
interviews and on job applications it can turn into a form of discrimination. While you can use the MBTI to get to know someone,
you are also judging that person with a small amount of information that may not be very accurate.
The Meyer’s Briggs test was created as a psychological assessment tool. Even Katherine Briggs and Isabel Meyers, the inventors of the test, did not believe it was totally accurate. Plus, the MBTI is not administered by a psychologist. We just take the test online.
Remember that people are complex. It's important to judge people as a whole and not just by a few letters.
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