As a family name, Ju may be written with either of two hanja, one meaning "red" (朱; 붉을 주), and the other meaning "around" (周; 두루 주). The former has one bon-gwan (Wu Yuan, China), while the latter has four (Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do; Chogye-myeon, Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do; Cheorwon-gun, Gangwonnam-do; and Anui-myeon, Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do).^[1] The 2000 South Korean census found 215,010 people with this family name.^[2]

In a study by the National Institute of the Korean Language based on 2007 application data for South Korean passports, it was found that 50.6% of people with this surname spelled it in Latin letters as Ju in their passports, and another 46.9% spelled it as Joo. Rarer alternative spellings (the remaining 2.4%) included Chu and Choo.^[3]

People with these family names include:

Chu

Chu Jong-chol, North Korean table tennis player
Chu Ki-chol (1897–1944), Korean Presbyterian minister
Chu Yo-han (1900–1976), South Korean poet
Chu Yong-ha (1908–?), North Korean politician and diplomat
Chu Yung-kwang (1920–1982), South Korean footballer

Joo

Brian Joo (born 1981), Korean American singer
Joo Da-young (born 1995), South Korean actress
Joo Dai-min (born 1988), South Korean professional footballer
Joo Don-sik (1937–2022), South Korean politician
Dong Moon Joo, Korean American businessman
Joo Hee-jung (born 1977), South Korean basketball player
Joo Hee-sun, South Korean music video director
Joo Ho-young (born 1960), South Korean judge and politician
Joo Hyeon-woo (born 1990), South Korean footballer
Joo Hyong-jun (born 1991), South Korean speed skater, Olympic silver medalist
Joo Hyun (born 1943), South Korean actor
Joo Hyun-hee (born 1982), South Korean badminton player
Joo Hyun-jae (born 1989), South Korean footballer
Joo Hyun-jung (born 1982), South Korean professional archer, Olympic gold medalist
Joo Hyun-mi (born 1961), South Korean trot singer
Joo Hyun-myeong (born 1997), South Korean racewalker
Hyung-ki Joo (born 1973), Korean-British pianist
Joo Ik-seong (born 1992), South Korean professional footballer
Joo In-young (born 1978), South Korean actress
Joo Jeong-hun (born 1994), South Korean para taekwondo practitioner, Paralympic bronze medalist
Joo Jin-mo (actor, born 1958), South Korean actor
Joo Jin-mo (actor, born 1974), South Korean actor
Joo Jiwan (born 1965), South Korean craft artist
Joo Jong-hyuk (actor, born 1983), South Korean actor and singer
Joo Jong-hyuk (actor, born 1991), South Korean actor
Judy Joo (born 1974), Korean-American celebrity chef
Joo Ki-hwan (born 1981), South Korean footballer
Joo Min-jin (born 1983), South Korean short track speed skater, Olympic gold medalist
Joo Min-kyu (born 1990), South Korean footballer
Joo Min-kyung (born 1989), South Korean actress
Haemin Sunim (born Ryan Bongseok Joo, 1973), Korean-American Buddhist monk and writer
Joo Sae-hyuk (born 1980), South Korean table tennis player, Olympic silver medalist
Joo Sang-wook (born 1978), South Korean actor
Joo Seong-ha (born 1975), North Korean journalist and defector
Joo Soon-ahn (born 1970), South Korean sailor
Joo Sung-hwan (born 1990), South Korean footballer
Joo Swn-lan (born 1974), South Korean volleyball player
Joo Won-gyu (born 1975), South Korean pastor, novelist, writer
Joo Woo-jae (born 1986), South Korean actor and model
Joo Yang-ja (1931–2025), South Korean politician and medical doctor
Joo Ye-rim (born 2011), South Korean child actress
Joo Yea-na (born 1990), South Korean professional volleyball player
Joo Young-dae (born 1973), South Korean para table tennis player, Paralympic gold medalist
Joo Young-dai (born 1966), South Korean biathlete
Joo Young-hoon (born 1969), South Korean singer-songwriter and television personality
Joo Young-sam (born 1966), South Korean gymnast

Ju

Ju Chol-gyu, North Korean politician
Ju Chun-sam (born 1950), North Korean archer
Ju Ho-jin (born 1981), South Korean footballer
Ju Hui (born 1989), South Korean handball player
Ju Hye-ri (born 1991), South Korean cross-country skier
Ju Hyeong-gyeol (born 1939), South Korean long-distance runner
Ju Hyeong-kwang (born 1976), South Korean baseball coach and former player
Ju Hyo-sim (born 1998), North Korean footballer
Ju Jeong-hyeon (born 1974), South Korean equestrian
Ju Jeung-ryu (1926–1980), South Korean actress
Ju Ji-hoon (born 1982), South Korean actor
Ju Kwang-min (born 1990), North Korean footballer
Ju Kwang-youn (born 1985), South Korean footballer
Ju Kwon (born 1995), Chinese-born South Korean baseball player
Ju Kyu-chang (born 1939), North Korean politician
Ju Sang-jeom (1926–1981), South Korean boxer
Ju Sang-song (born 1933), North Korean politician
Ju Se-jong (born 1990), South Korean footballer
Ju Seung-jin (born 1975), South Korean footballer
Ju Si-gyeong (1876–1914), Joseon Dynasty linguist

Overview

Chu

Joo

Ju

See also

References