We were recently watching the K-Drama Resident Playbook, and there was this one line that gave us the idea for this post. One medical resident is a super calculated bookworm, and another resident said to her:
“Your MBTI doesn't have an F, does it?"
To which she responds:
"I got straight As.”
Koreans are obsessed with MBTI. It’s not uncommon going to a coffee shop and overhear at least one conversation about it. When you're getting to know a Korean person, it’s pretty common nowadays for them to ask:
MBTI가어떻게되세요?=What’s your MBTI?
If you don’t know much about it, the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) is a personality test that sorts you into one of 16 types based on four categories. It’s a bit of psuedo-psychology, but it’s fun to do anyways! So, before you make Korean friends, you should probably get yours checked! The most popular place to do it is here:
https://www.16personalities.com/
From blood types to MBTI
Now, you might be wondering why a personality test is such a big deal. Well, Koreans have always loved these kinds of personality theories!
Before MBTI took over, it was all about혈액형(blood type). And yes, with only four different blood types, the entire population was sorted into just four personalities. It was simple, fun, and a little bit ridiculous. The general stereotypes were:
- Type A (A형):소심한→ Timid, shy, and considerate. They're the thoughtful ones who worry a lot.
- Type B (B형):자기중심적인→ Independent and self-centered. Often seen as the passionate "bad boy" or "bad girl" type who doesn't care what others think.
- Type O (O형):성격좋은→ Easy-going, sociable, and natural leaders. They're the popular kids who get along with everyone.
- Type AB (AB형):천재아니면바보→ "Either a genius or an idiot." This means they're seen as eccentric, quirky, and totally unpredictable.
And even before blood types, there were Zodiac signs, just like in the West.
So, why is MBTI so popular?
This love for personality frameworks is tied to a broader cultural interest in운세, or fortune-telling. Koreans love trying to figure themselves out and get a little hint about the future. It's a way to find guidance and reassurance in a super fast-paced and competitive society. To this day, you'll still see a section in major newspapers for오늘의운세, or "Today’s Fortune,"which is typically based on your띠—one of the 12 zodiac animals depending on your birth year.
MBTI is like a modern, more detailed version of this. It’s the perfect icebreaker and a shortcut to getting to know someone and finding common ground (potentially).
It's also just a fun way to stereotype people (in a friendly way, of course!). You’ll find countless online posts and memes ranking the MBTI types on everything from "Most Likely to Cry During a Movie" to "Best Leaders." Let’s look at a few fun MBTI rankings:
The most common MBTI types in Korea, from most to least frequent
Which MBTI types make the most money? (Ranked from highest to lowest earners)
Who are the most romantic MBTIs?
The "Craziest" MBTI types (돌+I =돌아이=또라이(crazy/ eccentric))
On top of that, MBTI has become the go-to tool for predicting your궁합, or chemistry, with basically everyone in your life. It’s not just about you; it’s about how you connect with others. It's become a cultural shorthand for quickly sizing up how well you'll vibe with someone, whether it's a date, a new friend, or your boss.
Apparently the best MBTI chemistry pairs
Yes, that's right—a full 16x16 grid showing every possible match! The colors show their chemistry, ranging from the absolute worst in orange (궁합최악) all the way up to a match made in heaven in blue (천생연분).
How to talk about MBTI
The casual way to ask a friend is:
너MBTI가뭐야?=What’s your MBTI?
(Here, MBTI is pronounced by simply reading out the English letters:엠비티아이)
And you can answer simply like this:
나ENFP야.=I’m an ENFP.
(The same goes for the MBTI types! You just say each letter out loud. So, ENFP becomes이엔에프피)
Now, let's break down the letters you'll hear about most in daily chats.
The first letter is easy:
E (Extroverted) vs. I (Introverted). This is all about where you get your energy from—being around people or having some alone time. It’s pretty straightforward.
I’d say the next two pairs are the ones you’ll hear the most in day-to-day conversations.
F (Feeling) vs. T (Thinking)
These two are like water and oil—they say Fs and Ts will never truly understand each other. Fs prioritize empathy and feelings, while Ts prioritize logic and facts.
There are tons of memes and funny tests about this. For example:
A friend tells you, "I got into a small car accident on my way here, so I'm a bit late."
- The T response: "Is the car okay? Did you call the insurance company? Are you hurt?" (Focuses on solving the problem.)
- The F response: "Oh my god, are you okay? You must have been so shocked!" (Focuses on the person's feelings.)
If a friend is being brutally honest and logical when all you want is a little sympathy, you might jokingly say:
와,너완전T다!= Wow, you are absolutely a T!
A bit of slang
There’s also a slang around based on the Korean curse word “씨발” (it's close to "fuck" ⚠️ this is an EXTREMELY impolite word, so use it with caution) that has been adjusted for this exact situation where someone is being very thinking when you just need someone with an F.
너 씨발 T야? (Fuck, you’re a T?)
But then you swap씨and T to get:
너T발 씨야?
So, this is a way to expression frustration of your very thinking friend without resorting to using the extremely impolite word mentioned before. But online it's common for this to be transformed even further.
Because both 씨 and C sounds the same in Korean, you replace씨with C to get:
너 T발C야?
Finally, you drop the 너 and it gets compressed down to:
T발C (티발씨)
Neat, huh?
Want to learn more slang? Then do we have just the thing for you!
The Daily Tokki Korean Slang Pack!
Over the course of 10 days (2 weeks), you’ll receive in your inbox 5+ new slang and questions for you to test your use of them. You’ll get personalized feedback on every response and an Anki-compatible CSV at the end for you to continue practicing.
Expand your Korean and sound natural doing it!
(If you're not a fan, we have a 30-day money back guarantee! 🫶)
J (Judging) vs. P (Perceiving)
Next up is the battle of the planners vs. the spontaneous ones.
- J types are the planners. Their trips are scheduled down to the minute, their rooms are organized, and they love making to-do lists.
- P types are the improvisers. They prefer to go with the flow, keep their options open, and see where life takes them.
To a friend who has the entire vacation itinerary planned out in a detailed spreadsheet, you can say:
역시파워J!=As expected from a Power J!
Or, if someone asks you about your plans for the weekend and you, of course, have none, you can say:
나는완전P라서계획같은건잘안세워.=I’m a total P, so I don’t really make plans.
S (Sensing) vs. N (Intuition)
The last pair isn't used in day-to-day as much as F vs. T or J vs. P, but it's still good to know!
- S types are realistic and focus on the concrete details of the here and now.
- N types are imaginative and focus on possibilities, ideas, and the big picture.
Which of the 16 types are you? Let us know!