In South Korea, especially among Gen Z, the MBTI personality test isn’t just a tool for self-discovery—it’s a full-blown social phenomenon. From casual conversations to dating preferences, these four-letter codes are everywhere, and if you’re not familiar with the latest craze, you might feel a bit left out.
My name is Aeron. Originally from South Korea, I currently work as a research assistant at the Stress, Psychiatry, and Immunology (SPI) Lab at King’s College London. Having lived between the UK and South Korea, I’m intrigued by how personality tests like MBTI offer insights into the Korean psyche and social dynamics, and how it can spark engaging conversations with people from different cultural backgrounds, like in the UK, where MBTI may not be all the rage.
So, what exactly is MBTI, and why are Koreans so obsessed with it?
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) categorises people into 16 personality types based on simple self-report surveys, each represented by a four-letter code. It offers a general framework for exploring personality preferences, and many find it relatable—and easy to share!
The 8 core personality traits you can see below are paired in binary opposites, combining in different ways to form a 4-letter code, resulting in 16 distinct profiles. For example, one is either Extroverted (E) or Introverted (I), and Sensing (S) or Intuitive (N), and so on.
Origins of the MBTI test
The MBTI was devised in 1943 by the American mother and daughter duo – Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs-Myers, drawing inspiration from Carl Jung’s analytic psychology. While their initial goal was to simplify the complexities of the human psyche, the binary nature of the test has faced criticism for its questionable scientific basis.
Despite these flaws, it proved useful during World War II for matching people to jobs and gained widespread acceptance in the early 2000s, becoming a popular tool for career counselling in schools and workplaces. Since then, it has drifted in and out of fashion in other countries, primarily due to ongoing debates over its scientific credibility. In Korea, however, it has taken off and become a unique socio-cultural phenomenon over the past decade.
Prevalence in Korean culture
MBTI has integrated into everyday life in Korea. People frequently ask for your MBTI type in casual conversations, celebrities discuss it on TV, and politicians use it to shape their public image (e.g., ENFJ - Compassionate Facilitator). From commercial ads on the bustling streets of the capital, Seoul, to MBTI-themed products like letter-shaped bread, the trend is everywhere.
A recent controversy revealed that some companies post job descriptions specifically seeking applicants with certain MBTI types, characterised as being outgoing, socially active, and open-minded. In the world of dating, Korean dating apps and match making services offer MBTI-based compatibility matching, and some might even reconsider a date if your MBTI falls outside their compatible zone. This trend also extends to the K-Pop scene, where a popular K-Pop boy group that made it to the Billboard charts released a new single <ISTJ>, filled with love songs for star-crossed lovers whose MBTI types did not match.
So, why do so many Koreans embrace this pseudo-scientific personality test when most people outside Korea either haven’t heard of it or have already debunked it? There are several plausible reasons when viewed through the lens of Korean culture and history.
Korea’s collectivist social structure: ‘We’ over ‘I’
In the Korean language, the term ‘we’ carries a different weight compared to many other languages. For instance, while English speakers might refer to their familial or social relationships using terms like ‘my mom,’ ‘my school,’ or ‘my company’, Koreans often use phrases such as ‘our mom,’ ‘our school,’ and ‘our company.’ The cultural significance of the term ‘danil-minjok,’ which translates to ‘single ethnic group,’ reflects a deeply rooted emphasis on collective identity within Korean society.
This collectivist mindset has persisted through socioeconomic, historical, and political upheavals, shaping modern Korean society. The need for unity during times of hardship has been crucial for survival but has also reinforced cultural norms that emphasise social conformity and, at times, exclude those perceived as different.
In Korea's relationship-oriented and collectivist culture, which has been described as a society that can reach harmony when "all members fulfill certain obligations", categorising individuals by social groups such as age or background is a common and socially accepted practice. In this cultural light, MBTI perhaps serves as an effective tool for simplifying the categorisation of individuals into distinct personality groups, helping define individuals' roles and create a sense of predictability or harmony within the social structure.
Lonely youth: desire for connection in the age of social media
The growing trend of sharing MBTI types among young Koreans reflects a deep-seated desire for connection and self-discovery. As the pandemic isolated many, this need only intensified, leading young people to seek quick, identifiable ways to define themselves. Social media has further fuelled this trend, catalysing widespread discussions and making identity-sharing more accessible than ever.
Sharing a four-letter code often feels far simpler than grappling with the complex and fluid nature of one's personality, offering predefined traits that seem more stable and easily understood. Through this exchange, young Koreans create connections, a sense of belonging, and engage in self-discovery. However, the focus often stays on positive traits, glossing over more complex or less flattering aspects of human nature. This selective emphasis also makes MBTI feel more accessible and openly shareable, allowing people to reveal aspects of their identity without fear of judgment or exposing their "bad sides” to the wider public.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Side of MBTI
In a fast-paced, competitive society like Korea’s, MBTI offers a convenient way to explore identity and build connections. However, the efficiency that makes MBTI attractive can also result in shallow evaluations, reducing complex individuals to simple labels. Beyond its potential for superficial assessments, MBTI can also create divisions—not just across the 16 personality types, but between those who embrace it and those who do not, promoting an ‘us versus them’ mentality.
While MBTI offers a sense of structure in a complex world, relying too heavily on this rigid and binary framework can stifle genuine self-exploration, as an individual’s character cannot be neatly defined and fully captured by a four-letter code. Building relationships or making decisions based on personality types can constrain personal development, encouraging predefined judgments over open-minded growth. Its misuse—such as in hiring practices or dating preferences—can also contribute to social discrimination and exclusion.
The trend has also sparked a wave of commercialisation, with businesses capitalising on MBTI’s popularity through themed products, advertisements and events. This blend of collectivist culture, the desire for connection, social media influence, and commercial interests, has turned MBTI into an obsession for many young Koreans, for better or worse.
That said, I believe that most Koreans, including myself, view MBTI as a fun, light-hearted, and game-like way of discovering ourselves and others in an era full of uncertainty. So why not approach it with a healthy dose of scepticism?
By the way, in case you’re wondering, I am an INFP - Thoughtful Idealist.