Though affected by other Asian cultures, its roots lie deep within the creative Korean psyche, and it has tended to spread rather than be encroached upon. Japan especially has adopted many Korean ideas and customs. The delicate styling and fine craftsmanship of celadon pottery well illustrates the refinement of the culture, even from as far back as the Three Kingdoms Period. The reasons behind Korea's rapid economic development can be found in this innate creativity. Korean names Koreans place the family name first, and the given personal name second.
Family names are traditional clan names and each has a village from which it comes.
Thus, there is a difference between Kim who comes from Kyong-ju and Kim who from Kimhae. Because of the inconsistencies of translating names from Hangul to Roman characters, spellings of these names vary. For instance, Yi is also spelled in English as Lee and Rhee. If at all possible, Koreans avoid calling a person directly by his name. For more information on these sites, please contact the appropriate agency.