Woo is an uncommon Korean surname.

Clans

Woo may be written with either of two hanja ( and ). Each has one '' bon-gwan'': for the

former A former is an object, such as a template, gauge or cutting die, which is used to form something such as a boat's hull. Typically, a former gives shape to a structure that may have complex curvature. A former may become an integral part of the ...

, Danyang, North Chungcheong Province, and for the latter, Mokcheon-eup ( 목천읍), Dongnam-gu,

Cheonan Cheonan (; 천안시, ''Cheonan-si''), also spelled Ch'ŏnan, is a city in South Chungcheong, South Korea. Cheonan has a population of 666,417 (2018), making it the most-populous city or county in South Chungcheong, and the third most-populous ci ...

, South Chungcheong Province, both in what is today South Korea. The 2000 South Korean census found 180,141 people with these family names. In a study by the National Institute of the Korean Language based on 2007 application data for South Korean passports, it was found that 97.0% of people with this surname spelled it in Latin letters as Woo in their passports, while only 1.6% spelled it as Wu. Rarer alternative spellings (the remaining 1.4%) included U and Wo.

People with the surname

* U Tak (1262-1342), Korean Confucian scholar during the Goryeo dynasty *

Woo Jang-choon Woo Jang-choon (April 8, 1898 – August 10, 1959) was a Koreans in Japan, Korean-Japanese agricultural scientist and botanist, famous for his discoveries in the genetics and plant breeding, breeding of plants. Woo was born and raised in Japan, ...

(1898–1959), Korean-born Japanese botanist * Woo Sang-kwon (1926–1975), South Korean footballer and coach *

Woo Yong-gak Woo Yong-gak (29 November 1929 – 7 December 2012) was a North Korean commando who was released from incarceration in South Korea on 25 February 1999. He served 40 years, 7 months and 13 days in prison as one of South Korea's unconverted long- ...

(1929–2012), North Korean commando held in South Korea as one of the unconverted long-term prisoners *

Kyu Sung Woo Kyu Sung Woo (; born 1941) is a South Korean architect and principal of the architectural design firm, Kyu Sung Woo Architects, Inc. The firm's projects include many built and proposed works in the United States and South Korea. Biography K ...

(born 1941), South Korean architect * U Tong-chuk (born 1942), North Korean politician *

Woo In-hee Woo In-hee (; died 1981) was a North Korean actress and a mistress of Kim Jong Il. Having reached stardom in the 1960s and 1970, Woo, renowned for her beauty, acted in dozens of films. She married Yoo Hosun, a famed film director, but she was i ...

(died 1981), North Korean actress and mistress of

Kim Jong-il Kim Jong-il (; ; ; born Yuri Irsenovich Kim;, 16 February 1941 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second supreme leader of North Korea from 1994 to 2011. He led North Korea from the 1994 death of his father Kim ...

Woo Bum-kon Woo Bum-kon (or Wou Bom-kon, February 24, 1955 – April 27, 1982) was a South Korean policeman and spree killer who murdered between 56 and 62 people and wounded 33 others in several villages in Uiryeong County, South Gyeongsang Province, ...

(1955–1982), South Korean police officer and spree killer (responsible for the Uiryeong massacre) *

Meredith Jung-En Woo Meredith Jung-En Woo is an American academic and author. She is the 13th and current President of Sweet Briar College, and is the former director of the International Higher Education Support Program at the Open Society Foundation in London. She ...

(born 1958), South Korean-born American political scientist * Woo Sang-ho (born 1962), South Korean activist and politician *

Woo Hee-young Woo Hee-young (born November 13, 1963), also known as Mr. Woo, is a South Korean former footballer and freestyle footballer. Career Born in Seoul, South Korea, at a very early age, Woo realized he had football talent. Inspired by Diego Maradona ...

(born 1963), South Korean footballer * Woo Hyun (born 1964), South Korean actor * Sung J. Woo (born 1971), South Korean-born American writer *

Hyo-Won Woo Hyo-Won Woo (also Hyowon Woo, , born 1974) is a South Korean composer, especially of choral music. She uses elements from both Korean music and Western contemporary composition techniques. Career Woo was born in Seoul in 1974. Her father was an ...

(born 1974), South Korean composer *

Woo Mi-hwa Woo Mi-hwa (, February 2, 1974) is a South Korean actress. She began her career as actress in theater, then transitioned to supporting roles on television and film. She debuted as theater actress in 1998 with role Petra in Korean adaptation of p ...

(born 1974), South Korean actress * Woo Sung-yong (born 1974), South Korean footballer *

Woo Hyun-jung Woo Hyun-Jung (born 20 February 1977) is a South Korean former field hockey player who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referr ...

(born 1977), South Korean former field hockey player * Woo Chul (born 1978), South Korean swimmer *

Woo Sun-hee Woo Sun-Hee (hangul: 우선희, hanja: 禹仙姬; born 1 July 1978) is a former South Korean handball player. In 2003, Woo competed in the World Women's Handball Championship held in Croatia and led her team to the bronze medal. She was finall ...

(born 1978), South Korean handball player *

Masta Wu Woo Jin-won (, October 25, 1978), better known by his stage name Masta Wu(), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and producer. His previous stage name was Ginnwon. He was also a part of the hip hop project duo YMGA. Career After being an unde ...

(born Woo Jin-won, 1978), South Korean rapper * Woo Seung-je (born 1982), South Korean footballer *

Woo Seung-yeon Woo Seung-yeon (24 May 1983 – 27 April 2009) was a South Korean model and actress. Biography Career Woo began her career as a fashion model in magazine and television commercials, and had appeared in minor roles in the films ''Herb (film) ...

(1983–2009), South Korean actress * Woo Jin-yong (born 1986), CrossFit and snowboard athlete *

Woo Seung-jae Woo Seung-Jae (born 26 July 1986; 우승재) is a male wrestler from South Korea. External linksProfile 1986 births Living people South Korean male sport wrestlers World Wrestling Championships medalists 21st-century South Korean peo ...

(born 1986), South Korean wrestler *

Woo Hye-mi Woo Hye-mi ( ko, 우혜미; April 6, 1988 – September 21, 2019), also known by her stage name Miwoo ( ko, 미우), was a South Korean singer. She was known as one of the final four contestants on the 2012 talent show series ''The Voice of Kore ...

(stage name Miwoo, 1988–2019), South Korean singer * Kevin Woo (born 1991), South Korean-American singer, television host, former member of boy group U-KISS * Woo Do-hwan (born 1992), South Korean actor * Woo Hye-lim (born 1992), South Korean singer, former member of girl group Wonder Girls * Zico (born Woo Ji-ho, 1992), South Korean rapper, record producer, member of boy group

Block B Block B ( ko, 블락비) is a South Korean boy band managed by KQ Entertainment, and consists of seven members: Taeil, B-Bomb, Jaehyo, U-Kwon, Park Kyung, Zico, and P.O. Block B has received several accolades, including nominations for seven ...

* Woo Sang-ho (born 1992), South Korean footballer * Woo Joo-sung (born 1993), South Korean footballer * Woo Sang-hyeok (born 1996), South Korean high jump athlete * Woo Won-jae (born 1996), South Korean rapper * Woo Jin-young (born 1997), South Korean singer and rapper *

Woo Ha-ram Woo Ha-ram ( ko, 우하람, born 21 March 1998) is a South Korean diver. He competed in the men's 3 metre springboard and men's 10 metre platform at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where he finished 24th out of 29 competitors and 11th out of 28 com ...

(born 1998), South Korean diver

References

{{surname Korean-language surnames Woo clans

Clans

People with the surname

See also

References