The Myers-Briggs personality test is no laughing matter in South Korea.
Though generally regarded as "pseudoscientific," the self-reported Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test is immensely popular in Korea, particularly among younger people, as a tool to help them understand both themselves and others.
Categorizing everyone into 16 different personality types, the MBTI essentially comes down to a four-letter code, such as ISTP or ENFJ, with each letter suggesting a certain personality trait. But it is the third letter -- T for "thinking" or F for "feeling" -- that has taken center stage these days in Korea as a measure of what is believed to be one’s emotional capacity.
“Are you a T?” some may ask, which seldom comes across as a compliment.
T: a new put-down
By definition, people who test as T -- "thinking" -- tend to be more objective and logical, while those who test as F -- "feeling" -- tend to be more sensitive and emotionally expressive, according to NERIS Analytics, the firm behind the popular online personality test. Yet, to be precise, their free online test technically differs from the original MBTI.
More often than not, the distinction between T's and F's carries a heavier weight in Korean society, where knowledge-based, more logically inclined "thinkers" are perceived as lacking empathy or emotional depth.
The line “are you a T?” was popularized by YouTube comedy channel Mimgorithm last year. People found it humorous when a female comedian, dripping with sarcasm, threw the question at others whose too-honest, matter-of-fact comments spoiled the mood.
Beneath the playful jab lies a sense of annoyance from the speaker, frustrated by her friend's inability to respond in the way she had hoped.
The phrase has resonated with Koreans since, spawning a wave of derivative memes online, including a cursed variation, along with various offline products. Last month, Baskin Robbins Korea launched an Earl Grey ice cream flavor cheekily named “Are You Tea?”
Nowadays, the question is often seen used as a passive-aggressive dig at anyone who seems unable to empathize with others.
According to a woman surnamed Song -- a university student in her 20s who self-reports as an INFP personality type -- while this type of categorization is common across various social circles, it can become especially pronounced in romantic relationships, as in Korea lovers are expected to be on the same emotional frequency and highly attuned to each others' emotional patterns and needs.
“People with a logical mindset are all about finding solutions, whereas the other side just wants emotional support," said Song. When friends talk about issues with their dates or other friends, it often boils down to the question, “Is your boyfriend or girlfriend a T?'"
Statistically, personality types with T characteristics are a minority, though a sizable one.
According to 2021 data from NERIS Analytics Limited, based on a sample of 70,266 Korean respondents, the ratio of thinking to feeling traits is 3.3 to 6.7. In the United States, an analysis of a much bigger data set collected from 1972 through 2002 shows a less pronounced ratio of 4 to 6.
Kim Bum-jun, a 26-year-old Seoul resident who self-reports as ISTP, is no stranger to the accusation.
“Many have asked me that question in a half-joking manner whenever I make remarks that come off as cold and factual,” Kim said. "Even when I put in effort to give thoughtful and caring responses, people would still label me 'soulless.'"
He admitted that he tends to approach issues from a realistic perspective based on reasoning and facts, rather than in an emotionally responsive, empathetic manner that many of his friends seem to expect.
“I do have emotions,” he said, adding that expressing them verbally is not exactly a breeze.
Some go as far as to say that whether one is a thinker or feeler is beside the point. "Its implication is akin to asking, 'Can't you read the room?'" said 30-something Oh, who works in Seoul.
Oversimplification
On the contrary, for some, the dichotomy of the four-letter codes is just too simplistic.
Kim Hyun-sung, in his 30s, is a skeptic of MBTI. He contends that human beings are too complex to be neatly categorized into just 16 personality types. Even among individuals with the same personality type, there can be significant variations, he believes.
Other overextended binaries include the first letter -- "introverted" or "extroverted" -- as indicative of one's sociability and shyness, and the fourth letter -- "judging" or "prospecting" -- associated with a person's level of flexibility in planning.
Some worry that people might use their T personality type as justification for their actions.
A user on Blind, an anonymous online platform for verified employees, stated that being logical is not synonymous with being less empathetic. "If they claim there's nothing they can do because they're T's, it’s more of an excuse for their lack of understanding and consideration."
Experts also point out that personalities are not set in stone.
Psychology professor Kim Kyung-il at Ajou University questioned the validity of specific personality type labels during a radio broadcast that was aired by state broadcaster KBS last year.
Kim stated that MBTI test results mirror how individuals perceive themselves in certain social situations. Rather than calling it one's "personality type," he said he preferred to describe it as an indicator of one's “social mask” or “social role.”
In a similar vein, Han Min, a cultural psychologist and author of multiple psychology books, shared with The Korea Herald that the test is less about defining personality and more about understanding one's "disposition."
As for why someone's T trait is highlighted in this recently popular put-down, Han says people seek validation for their emotions. “The fact that the question is directed at peers reveals longing for empathy and understanding from those who can relate to their experiences."
In fact, it is not the first time such a label has been pinned on a certain group of people, according to Han. Before the MBTI craze, astrology and blood type personality theories were a popular means of determining a person's character.
In the lingo of blood type personality theory -- which Korean media started to report on in the early 2000s -- people with a T personality type have, in a sense, inherited stereotypes tied to those with blood type B: too straightforward, overly blunt and even cold-hearted.
Yet, despite its limitations as the sole benchmark for assessing personality, Han recognized merits of the test.
"It is a more scientific and accurate alternative to other pseudoscientific beliefs," Han explained. "It could act as a bridge to foster understanding among individuals."
University student Song affirmed this, saying the personality test has provided her a window into a better understanding of those on the opposite end of the spectrum.
“'I’ve come to terms with thinkers," she noted. "Now I know that that they aren’t cold, but just operate in a different way."
