In the last few weeks, I posted a video about problematic Korean surnames, and in the process, I learned more about a subject I thought I already knew well.

The video was one I had intended to post for some time. It was about the so-called "seven low-class surnames." I have intended to post a video about that because the concept is false and yet it labels people with those surnames as former butchers and slaves and not a part of the elite "yangban" structure of Korea. I have known for a long time that the characterization is not only false but harmful to people with those surnames.

And indeed, in the comments to my video several people commented that they bore one of the problematic names and were ridiculed throughout their lives because of it. One person even wrote that his teacher in grade school teased him because of his name. He said it was humiliating for him as a child. Another writer wrote me a long email explaining how noble and prestigious his family name is — reiterating the very point I was making in the video.

The seven names appear to be problematic in that their meaning is somewhat mundane or common — although one can argue the Lee (pear blossom) and Park (gourd) are not that noble sounding, really. Kim is "gold" —........

© The Korea Times