Good for her! Lost star, Kim Yunjin (34) will not be changing her name for an easier American one, like “Maria” anytime soon. The Korean actress provided 2 reasons why she will keep her Korean name at an interview on the SBS show, “Live Broadcast TV.” First, she wants to be recognized for her acting ability and has faith that people will learn to pronounce her name correctly. Other stars with hard-to- pronounce names include Oprah Winfrey and Arnold Schwarenegger. And second and more importantly, she doesn’t want to forget her Korean roots. I agree. There is no need to make it “easier” for non-Korean speakers with an Americanized version of your name. If they can’t pronounce, then that’s just too bad for them.
Yunjin lookin smokin hot in February 2007 issue of Stuff Magazine
Yunjin as a guest on the daytime program, “The View” where they discuss the name issue.
WOW! She looks great in the pictures! I agree she shouldn’t change her name, she’s Korean. People should learn how to pronounce it
How is Oprah a hard to pronounce name??
How hard is it to pronounce “Kim Yunjin”? I’m not Korean [or Asian for that matter], and I can pronounce it just fine. o.o;; People are just lazy and never want to learn the accurate ways to say things. But good for her for not wanting to conform!
her name is fine just the way it is. Whats she going to change it to -”britney Johnson”? Thats absurd……..btw, I’m glad “lost” picked a Korean/Asian to play her husband, if it was a white guy – then I’d be pissed and I would personally boycott that show. sori just being honest….
Elizabeth got her name wrong going to commercial.
Yeah .. a friend of mine went from her Korean name, to a Christian name and then back to her Korean name. Good for her for sticking to her guns … can you imagine having to search the internet for 2 names for the same person? Ridic!
Right on Yunjin!! My family(I’m African American) had such a hard time saying my friend’s name,Jieun, and I was so upset with them. Especially my mom since she watched “Full House” and Song Hye Kyo’s character has exact same name. I just think Americans get lazy when it comes to Asian names.
Good for her to keep her name. But unfortunately people wont remember her for her acting. Even though she’s a great actress, she will be remembered for those tasteless photos in stuff.
oh boy..she’s hot! As for her name, i’ve known more complicated ones
I like her reasons!! She’s sticking to her roots, I salute you!! Well I guess GIANA JUNG doesn’t know about this
Nothing like an ugly Asian girl with fake tits that still remain tiny
I just don’t like how many women come over here and then start to get naked like its not cool. I don’t like those bikini pics. Its like you look more like a whore doing all that stuff.
I don’t see what’s wrong with the photos, I mean, her mother liked them! I guess she just wants to show a sexier side and with her body… why not?!! A lot of celebs strip off once in while and no one says anything when its men showing off their abs but when it’s women in bikinis, all of a sudden they’re whores.
I dont agree with anyone taking off their clothes, men or women. Especially if they say they want to be remembered for their acting.
I can’t believe she posed for Stuff magazine…
If she posed for GQ or Vogue I wouldn’t mind, but not low class stuff like Stuff or Maxim.
Arnold Schwarznegger was billed as Arnold Strong in his first movie (Hercules in New York) because producers were worried that no one could remember his name.
As for how difficult the name “Yunjin” is to pronounce, there is no sound or combination of sounds in that name that do not exist in English. Her name is easy to pronounce, just hard to remember.
I’m glad she didn’t change her name.I hate reading the credits and finding that an Asian celebrity changed his/her name to Bobby, Susie or something retarded. It doesn’t suit them. If you’re not born with an english name, don’t freaking change it. Pretty much changing your name is equivalent to selling out.
good for hernot changing her name ^^
AM not korean but I cringe when I hear how korean names are mispronounced…
so hats off to ms. yunjin ^^
I don’t blame her. I’ve a Chinese name and people often mispronounce it owing to the difference in how Chinese and English pronounce the same name.
Christianpete, I’m glad they picked a korean/asian husband too. I’m so tired of white guys stealing our women. Don’t they know that Korean girls are for Korean guys? Dae han minguk!
interesting- the irony of that statement steve, is that asian guys are happy when they see other asian guys with white women…. why is that?
I didn’t realize there were people out there requesting her to change her name
Yeah thats funny isn’t it…actually my whole comment was written in sarcasm to point out how rediculous I thought christianpete’s comment was. I’m a white guy. I don’t care who dates or marries who. But I know other people do and it kinda peeves me a little. I’ve never had a problem with it personally…but I know plenty of people who have. Comments like christianpete’s just reminds me of all the people who get spat on because they are dating somebody who doesn’t look like them (male or female) and it really pisses me off. sori just being honest…:-D.
steve, don’t be so quick to dismiss my previous comments without understanding where I’m coming from…….Lets take a look at a few recent examples of asian women on American T.V. – the only asian to be on “desperate housewives” was basically a servant for a hispanic couple, Lucy Lue playing her typical sex-kitten role for a white guy, again (suprise). And Sandra Oh….lets not go there, LoL. The truth is, the white media feels comfortable portraying asian women in roles that cator to mostly white men (these actresses are usually paired with white men). Basically, they’re playing modern day gieshas. This is racist….. A more overt form of racism has been perpetrated on asian male actors. They are consistantly denied leading roles on TV. Casting directors will not even consider taking a chance on them, and trust me even very talented actors can only get bit parts. That is why Daniel Dae Kim is an exception, not only does he have a major role in a popular TV series, he also has an asian wife. An asian couple in a major role, as far as I know this is the first for anyone of a US broadcasting networks….steve, if you want to discuss the historical aspects (which are the underlying reason for this form of racism) then I’d be glad to talk about them.
I agree with Christianpete. The sociological data supporting that Asian-American women (esp. Korean-American women) discriminate against their male counterparts is voluminous. Those Asian-American women (or their white male abettors, for that matter) who insist that the disparity in the out-marriage between Asian-American women and their male counterparts is solely due to personal preference or “love” simply have not looked at the horrific data. But I won’t comment more on it for now, because 1) the issue does not personally concern me; 2) the issue is perhaps inapt for a Blog on Korean entertainment to delve…
i dont see what the big deal is, i once read somewhere, that 3 out of 4 asian american females in the u.s. will marry a white man instead of an asian, if thats who they choose to love, let them!
Well I can’t disagree with you about how asian women and men are portrayed in American media. I have to admit that I didn’t take your comment as a slight against the media’s portrayel of asian women/men but instead took it as a “people shouldn’t date outside their race” comment that I typically hear and read all of the time. It doesn’t really apply to me (I dated a filipino american girl once but thats it), but I have friends who are dating or have married someone outside their race and they constantly have to deal with BS from bigots. And that goes for white, black, asian, whatever. I wasn’t really talking specifically about white/asian interracial marriages but all interracial marriages.
Sorry I jumped the gun on ya.
if an asian guy’s dating a white woman, most asian guys are cool with it, while some white guys get pissed off.
If a white guy’s dating an asian woman, most white guys are cool with it, some asian guys get pissed off.
It’s a male ego thing.
Parkerlewis,
The problem is, statistically-speaking, your example “if an asian guy’s dating a white woman” does not happen too often. It certainly happens exponentially less than the reverse.
Really, people who would like to pontificate on this topic and fire rhetorical salvos at the suppose Asian male whining should really look at the stats.
unfortunately, we live in a white dominated society and until the population of asian americans grows in this country, the complaints are going to fall on deaf ears.
Change in media perception of Asian males will change but it’s going to take a while.
Good for Kim Yunjin. She needs to stick to her identity and project a strong Korean front for the U.S. masses. I’m also proud of her because I heard that she turned down “Memoirs of a Geisha” because they wanted her to be Japanese and wear a kimono. Good going.
@mindy: actually the statistic is probably more like 3 out of 10 Asian “American” women are married to white men, and most of them aren’t Asian “American” but native-Asians that are “imported” over via “mail order bride” type services.
So the reality is that most Asian American women are with Asian American men. And yet, on American TV and movies, it depicts a completely lopsided picture.
On TV I have seen MANY black men/black women couples. Along with Hispanic men/women couples. But with Asians, it seems like Lost is the ONLY show with an Asian man/Asian women couple.
Why is that? I guess that’s why I stick mainly to Asian movies and TV shows.
i am a korean female and do you know how HARD it is to find to nice korean guy? i actually live somewhere that has a hugh korean population but the korean males are non quality.
why is it an asian name
just say korean
us koreans are not known as koreans anymore
but rahter asians…dang
If Lost star Yunjin kim dates a white or korean guy,
for sure no one will piss off!!!!
Who cares any way her name is korean or not?
In korea,truly, Yunjin kim is not popular actress at all
All this Julia Rober Yunjin Kim story is nothing but
a false scam!!!
This whole white/asian (korean) debate is really annoying. I’m really glad she’s keeping her name though =]
She is rite.
She dosen’t need to change her name.
She is korean. She doen’t need to have American’s name or something.
She is she. not American.
I’m glad on that what she said.
We should always copy her.