Korean cover letter limits: with spaces or without?
If the posting says “1,000 characters including spaces”, count spaces and line breaks as one character each; if it says “excluding spaces”, leave them out. When no rule is given, fit the with-spaces count: it is always the larger number, so you stay under the limit either way.
With spaces, without spaces, bytes: what is counted?
| Rule | What counts | 1,000 Hangul characters |
|---|---|---|
| With spaces | Characters + spaces + line breaks | 1,000 |
| Without spaces | Characters only | fewer than 1,000 |
| Bytes (UTF-8) | Hangul 3 bytes; letters, digits, spaces 1 byte | 3,000 bytes |
| Bytes (Hangul = 2) | Hangul 2 bytes; letters, digits, spaces 1 byte | 2,000 bytes |
Paste your text into the character counter to see all four numbers at once.
What if the posting doesn't say?
- Type a space in the application form: if the counter goes up, spaces are included.
- If you can't check, fit the with-spaces count. It is the largest number, so you are safe under any rule.
- If the limit is in bytes, check whether the site counts Hangul as 2 or 3 bytes: the allowance differs by 1.5×.
Next steps
FAQ
Is a 1,000-character limit counted with spaces?
Follow the rule printed on the posting or next to the input box. If none is given, fitting the with-spaces count is the safe choice.
How many bytes is 1,000 Korean characters?
3,000 bytes in UTF-8 (3 bytes per Hangul character) and 2,000 bytes on older systems that count Hangul as 2 bytes. Letters, digits and spaces are 1 byte in both.
Do line breaks count?
Yes when counting with spaces (one character each); no when counting without spaces.