If you’ve ever tried to read or write Korean words in English letters, you’ve probably noticed something strange: sometimes “김치” is written as kimchi, sometimes as gimchi. The city “부산” appears as Busan on a map, but older sources spell it Pusan. Even “한글” can show up as Hangul, Hangeul, or even Han-geul.
So what’s going on? Why does Korean Romanization—writing Korean words with the Latin alphabet—seem so inconsistent?
In this post, we’ll explore why Korean Romanization is confusing, the different systems that exist, and how you should use it when learning or teaching Korean.
1. What Is Romanization, Anyway?
Romanization means representing a non-Latin script (like Korean, Arabic, or Japanese) using the Latin alphabet.
It’s not translation — it’s transcription. You’re not changing the meaning of the word, only how it’s written.
For example:
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한국 → Hanguk
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사랑 → sarang
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감사합니다 → gamsahamnida
Romanization helps beginners pronounce Korean words before they learn Hangul. But since Korean sounds don’t always have exact English equivalents, no single spelling can represent them perfectly.
2. The Main Problem: Too Many Systems
There isn’t just one Korean Romanization system — there are several, each created for different purposes.
Here are the three most common ones you’ll encounter:
| System | Year | Example (“김치”) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Romanization (RR) | 2000 (current official) | gimchi | Used in South Korea today |
| McCune–Reischauer (MR) | 1937 | kimch’i | Used before 2000; still seen in older texts |
| Yale Romanization | 1940s | kimchi | Used by linguists, not for the general public |
As you can see, the same word can appear three different ways depending on which system you follow!
3. The History Behind the Confusion
Before 2000, South Korea officially used the McCune–Reischauer system, which was created by two American scholars. It was widely used in academic works and older maps (like Pusan and Taegu).
However, it had two major issues:
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It used apostrophes and diacritics (like ŏ or ŭ), which are hard to type and confusing for non-linguists.
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It didn’t always match how Koreans actually pronounce words.
So in 2000, the South Korean government replaced it with the Revised Romanization system (국어의 로마자 표기법), which aimed to be:
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Simpler to type (no special symbols)
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Closer to Korean pronunciation
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Easier for foreigners to read
That’s why modern signs and textbooks now say Busan (not Pusan) and Gimchi (not Kimchi).
But since many people, companies, and even Koreans were used to the old spelling, both versions continue to appear online and in print — and that’s what causes the confusion.
4. Why “K” vs “G”? And Other Common Confusions
Let’s look at some examples where learners get mixed up.
| Hangul | Revised Romanization | Common Older Form | English Approximation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 김 (family name) | Gim | Kim | Sounds between g and k |
| 부산 | Busan | Pusan | Soft b/p sound |
| 서울 | Seoul | (same) | Not Soul! |
| 한글 | Hangeul | Hangul | Both acceptable |
| 박 | Bak | Park | Pronounced closer to Bahk |
🧠 Why This Happens:
Korean consonants like ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ don’t perfectly match English g/d/b or k/t/p.
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At the start of a word, they sound more like k/t/p.
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Between vowels, they sound more like g/d/b.
So the same letter may be romanized as g or k depending on the system — both are technically correct.
5. Why Romanization Can’t Capture Korean Sounds Perfectly
The biggest limitation is that English letters can’t express all Korean sounds precisely. For example:
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The Korean ㄹ sound is halfway between an r and an l.
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The vowel ㅡ (eu) doesn’t exist in English.
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The distinction between aspirated (ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ) and unaspirated (ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ) consonants is subtle.
Romanization can only approximate pronunciation — it can’t fully represent it.
That’s why Korean teachers emphasize learning Hangul as soon as possible. Hangul is phonetic and logical, while Romanization is only a temporary guide.
6. But Then Why Do Companies Still Use Old Spellings?
Brand names often keep older or custom spellings for marketing reasons.
For example:
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Samsung (삼성) → should technically be Samseong, but “Samsung” sounds better internationally.
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Hyundai (현대) → “Hyeondae” would be accurate, but “Hyundai” became the global standard.
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Kimchi → officially gimchi, but the older spelling is far more recognized.
These inconsistencies persist because branding and familiarity outweigh linguistic accuracy.
7. What You Should Use as a Learner
For learning Korean, always stick with the Revised Romanization system — it’s what South Korea officially uses in:
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Textbooks
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Road signs
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Government documents
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Passports and names
If you follow this rule, your spelling will always be “officially correct.”
But remember:
Romanization is a tool, not the goal.
Once you can read Hangul, stop relying on English letters entirely.
8. Quick Reference Table (Common Sound Confusions)
| Hangul | Revised Romanization | Common Learner Mistake | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | g/k | k | 가 → ga (not ka) |
| ㄷ | d/t | t | 다 → da (not ta) |
| ㅂ | b/p | p | 바 → ba (not pa) |
| ㅈ | j/ch | ch | 자 → ja (not cha) |
| ㄹ | r/l | always r | 라면 → ramyeon, not lamyeon |
| ㅡ | eu | “u” or “oo” | 큰 → keun, not koon |
9. Final Thoughts
Korean Romanization seems confusing because it’s a compromise — a bridge between two very different writing systems. Over the years, multiple Romanization methods have existed, and even today, people mix them freely for convenience or branding.
If you’re serious about learning Korean, the best approach is:
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Learn the Revised Romanization system for reference.
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But move on to reading Hangul as soon as possible — it’s faster, easier, and 100% consistent.
Romanization may get you started, but Hangul will set you free.