It’s common knowledge that Rap Monster and Jimin are As, Xiumin is a B, and Lisa from Blackpink is an O. But why is it that Koreans want to know the blood types of their favourite celebs?
In the UK, it may seem creepy to talk about blood unless you’re in a medical situation, but in Korea and other Asian countries, blood types are a common topic among new friends. Your blood type is thought to predict your personality traits, good relationship matches, and typical medical problems. So matching your blood type to your bias’ blood type is akin to matching horoscopes in Korea.
The grouping of four main blood types (A, B, AB and O) only dates back to 1901, when an Austrian man, Karl Landsteiner, won a Nobel prize for his work in identifying pathogens in blood. From there, creepy research was conducted in the 1910s and 1920s when Nazi Germany sought to prove the country’s racial superiority by examining blood type distribution. But the idea of blood type linking to personality really began in 1930, when Japanese academic Takeji Furukawa published a paper on the topic, also in a bid to explain perceived racial traits. Though it’s not been proven scientifically, the idea caught on.
According to a 2017 Gallup poll, around 34 percent of the Korean population are Type A, 28 percent are Type O, 27 percent are Type B and 11 percent are Type AB. In the same poll, six out of ten adults said they believed in the idea that your blood type links to your personality. Realistically there’s no best or worst blood type to be, as each has its own upsides and downsides, but Koreans tend to favour Type O people, and Type B men have something of a bad rep.
If you have Type B blood, like Xiumin, you are smart, attractive, creative, passionate, and honest. But you are also selfish, vain, quick to anger, and fickle. Type B men are thought to be playboys, to the extent that a popular movie was made on the subject, My Boyfriend is Type B.
If you have Type A blood, like Jimin, you are earnest, creative, sensible, reserved, patient, responsible, kind, compassionate, an excellent listener, and cautious. But you’re also fastidious, over-earnest, stubborn, tense, obsessive, and pessimistic. Best romantic matches are A or AB Types.
If you have Type AB blood like BoA, you are cool, rational, controlled, adaptable, sociable, intelligent, and romantic. But you’re also critical, indecisive, unforgiving, two-faced, and aloof. Best romantic matches are all the other blood types.
If you have Type O blood, like Lisa, you are confident, self-determined, strong-willed, intuitive, responsible, practical, rule-conscious, and organised. You’re also self-centred, cold, aggressive, arrogant, unpredictable, envious, and ruthless. Best romantic matches are O or AB Types. Note that you’re also favoured by mosquitos over other blood types. Run!
Blood typing often pops up in dramas, variety shows, and has inspired several K-Pop tunes too, including f(x)’s ABO and PSY’s Life Theatre-Type A.
Read more about the Gallup poll here.
