Former Apple employee named Sam Sung reflects on viral fame

Now known as Sam Struan, the 36-year-old consultant and résumé writer recalled that in 2012, a photo of his Apple business card showing the name "Sam Sung" went viral after someone posted it online, according to Business Insider.

The post drew widespread amusement for the irony of an Apple employee sharing a name with its biggest rival brand.

The sudden fame, however, was less fun for Struan. "A reporter even came in to talk to me," he said, adding that Apple later pulled him off the shop floor for a time and revoked his business cards. Staff were reportedly told not to identify him when curious customers came asking. "I was so scared, and I just wanted to keep my head down and stay employed," he recalled.

Sam Struan, a former Apple employee, was born with the name Sam Sung. Photo from Facebook

Struan left Apple in 2013 to pursue other opportunities in retail. A year later, he auctioned off his old Apple uniform and business card, raising over $2,500 for the Children’s Wish Foundation, something he described as "the best part of the experience."

Though he initially kept his name, the viral episode eventually convinced him to change it. "I didn’t want to be remembered as an internet joke," he explained, noting that "Sam Sung" made it hard to build his professional brand online.

"After some consideration, I chose to adopt the last name Struan because it's the name of one of my favorite places in Scotland - a village on the Isle of Skye."

More than a decade later, some still call him Sam Sung. When the story resurfaces, people often ask, "Oh my god, are you that guy?" However, Struan does not regret his decision to change his name. In hindsight, he admitted that he wished he had been less stressed about the situation.

"I wish I'd just chilled out a bit about it and been less worried about job security and potential work opportunities, and enjoyed it for what it was."