Kim Young-beom
Overview
Kim Young-beom (김영범) is a common Korean name in South Korea. Formed by combining the surname 'Kim (金)' with the given name 'Young-beom (永範·榮範·英範·映範, etc.)', it frequently appears among men born mainly between the 1950s and 1980s. Because individuals sharing this name exist across many fields, this document also functions as an entry that classifies and describes representative people with the same name alongside the etymology of the personal name.
Main Content
Composition and Etymology of the Name
'Kim (金)' is the largest Korean surname, originating from the Silla and Gaya lineages, and is known to be used by approximately 20% of the total population. Its bon-gwan (clan seat) is divided into hundreds of branches, including Gimhae, Gyeongju, and Andong, and even people with the same surname 'Kim' have different roots depending on their lineage. The given name 'Young-beom' is composed according to the traditional naming method in which each of the two characters is written in Hanja.
- Yeong (永): Means 'long, eternal,' and is used as a character wishing for longevity and prosperity.
- Yeong (榮): Means 'glorious, flourishing,' and carries the meaning of hoping for the family's prosperity.
- Yeong (英): Means 'flower bud, outstanding,' and symbolizes talent and honor.
- Beom (範): Means 'law, model, example,' carrying the meaning of becoming a righteous person.
Accordingly, the name 'Young-beom' can be interpreted as embodying the values of 'a person who remains an example for a long time' and 'a prosperous and exemplary figure.' In the 1960s and 1970s, the practice of creating three-character names together with generation-name characters was common, and among people born in this period, the proportion of the name 'Young-beom' is relatively high.
People with the Same Name by Field
Because there are so many people with the same name, the practice of distinguishing each person by occupation or affiliation has taken root in Korea.
1. Entertainment and Broadcasting: There is a Kim Young-beom who worked as an actor and voice actor, mainly appearing in supporting and minor roles in television dramas and films in the 1980s and 1990s. Among aspiring voice actors and theater actors as well, many share the same name.
2. Politics and Administration: Kim Young-beom, who has worked as a local council member, city/county council member, or public official, is confirmed in various regions. In local election candidate lists, people with the same name are sometimes registered at the same time, and election management authorities distinguish them by ballot number or date of birth.
3. Academia and Research: There are several people named Kim Young-beom who have served as university professors and researchers, with majors ranging across engineering, natural sciences, and the humanities and social sciences.
4. Sports and Industry: There are cases of people who have worked as athletes on corporate teams, businesspeople, and skilled technicians.
Because so many people share the same Hangul name in this way, public institutions and companies do not identify individuals by name alone but use auxiliary information such as resident registration number, employee number, or affiliation. This is also an example showing a typical characteristic of the structure of Korean personal names.
Social and Cultural Significance
Kim Young-beom is counted among Korea's typical 'common names.' As combinations of the same surname and given name repeat, addressing someone as 'Mr. Kim Young-beom' or adding a title or affiliation to distinguish them has become generalized in daily life. In addition, with the development of the internet and administrative computer networks, the importance of searching for people with the same name and of identity verification procedures has grown, and identity authentication and electronic signature systems spread against this background.
Latest Trends
As of 2024–2025, institutional supplementation to reduce confusion caused by people with the same name continues in Korean society. In the financial, telecommunications, and medical fields, identity verification methods have been diversified, and in local elections and various examinations, procedures for checking names together with dates of birth have become established. At the same time, among people born after the 1990s, as name diversity has increased and pure Korean names that do not use Hanja have increased, the share of traditional two-character names such as 'Young-beom' among newborns is gradually decreasing. On the other hand, as name statistics by generation and personal name databases have been made public, research and content analyzing the temporal distribution of particular names are increasing.
Related Topics
- [[Korean names]]
- [[People with the same name]]
- [[Kim (surname)]]
- [[Identity verification]]
- [[Demographics of South Korea]]