Seong-jin

Seong-jin is a Korean male given name, also spelled Sung-jin or Song-jin. It is composed of two syllables: seong, which can mean "completed, finished, succeeded" (from the hanja 成) or "star, planet" (星), and jin, which can mean "town, marketplace" (鎭) or "shake, tremor, excite" (震). Many other hanja combinations are possible, reflecting the typical flexibility of Korean given names.

Notable Bearers

Notable individuals named Seong-jin span various fields. Sung-jin (a variant spelling) includes:

• Gong Sung-jin (born 1953), South Korean politician
• Kang Sung-jin (born 1971), South Korean actor
• Skull (born Park Sung-jin, 1979), South Korean reggae singer
• Lee Sung-jin (born 1985), South Korean archer and Olympic champion
• Park Sung-jin (born 1985), South Korean football player
• Won Seong-jin (born 1985), South Korean Go player
• Jo Sung-jin (born 1990), South Korean football player
• Seong-Jin Cho (born 1994), world-renowned classical pianist
• Lim Sung-jin (born 1999), South Korean volleyball player

Additionally, two historical figures include Pai Sung-jin (fl. 1940s), inventor of the chisanbop finger-counting method, and Yu Song-jin (born 1964), an engineer who was detained by North Korea in 2009.

Cultural Significance

Like many Korean given names, Seong-jin uses hanja (Sino-Korean characters) to convey aspirational meanings. The element 成 (seong) evokes success and achievement, while 鎭 (jin) suggests stability or community. The pairing reflects common parental hopes for a successful and grounded life. The star character 星 also appears, linking the name to celestial brightness.

Sung/Seong-jin is one of several name formulas that repeat pattern elements: 成 + 鎭 is a traditional combination still in use today, though not among the most common. It remains a recognizable name for both its unique imagery and association with talented individuals—most famously the pianist Seong-Jin Cho, who won the International Chopin Piano Competition in 2015.

• Meaning: “Successful town,” “star tremor,” or varied depending on hanja
• Origin: Korean (Sino-Korean roots)
• Type: Given name (male)
• Regions used: South Korea
• Variant spellings: Sung-jin, Song-jin