This is a list of famous Koreans or famous people of Korean descent. For easy reference, the hangul spelling of each person's name is provided alongside his or her romanized name.
Note: In Korean names, the family name is placed first (for example, the family name of "Kim Dae-jung" is "Kim"), unless the person has decided to Westernize his or her name.
Contents |
Artists
Models
Visual artists
See also: List of Korean painters
- Nam June Paik, visual artist
- Jang Seung-eop, Joseon Dynasty painter
- Lee Dong Youb, contemporary art painter
Actors, actresses and entertainers
See also: List of South Korean actors
- Ahn Jae-wook
- Bae Doona
- Bae Yong Joon
- Cha Seung-won
- Cha Tae-hyun
- Chae Jung-an
- Choi Soo Jong
- Choi Jeong-yoon
- Choi Ji-woo
- Choi Jin-sil
- Choi Kang-hee
- Choi Min-sik
- Choi Seung Hyun
- Choi Yeo Jin
- Chu Sang-mi
- Eugene
- Gam Wu-seong
- Gong Yoo
- Ha Ji-won
- Han Chae Young
- Han Ga In
- Han Hyo Joo
- Han Ji-hye
- Han Ji-min
- Han Ye Seul
- Han Suk-kyu
- Han Hye-jin
- Daniel Henney
- Hyun Bin
- Im Su-jeong
- Jang Dong-gun
- Jang Hyuk
- Jang Jin-young
- Jang Nara
- Jeon Doh-Youn
- Jeong Jun-ha
- Jeong Hyeong-don
- Jung Tae Woo
- Ji Sung
- Cho Hyeon Jae
- Jo Seung-woo
- Jo Insung
- Jo Yoon-hee
- Jun Ji-hyun
- Kang Dong-won
- Kang Ho Dong
- Daniel Dae Kim
- Sandra Oh
- Yunjin Kim
- Kim Ah-jung
- Kim Dong Wan
- Kim Hee-sun
- Kim Hye-su
- Kim Hyo-jin
- Kim Hyun-ju
- Kim Jae-won
- Kim Ji-soo
- Kim Mu-saeng
- Kim Ok-bin
- Kim Sa-rang
- Kim Sun Ah
- Kim Tae Hee
- Go Ara
- Ko Ah-seong
- Ko So-young
- Koo Hye Sun
- Kyeon Mi-ri
- Kwon Sang-woo
- Bobby Lee
- Lee Byung-hun
- Lee Beom-soo
- Lee Su Geun
- Lee Sun Gyun
- Lee Deok-hwa
- Lee Da Hae
- Lee Dong Wook
- Lee Eun-ju
- Lee Hana
- Lee Hyo-ri
- Lee Jonathan
- Lee Ji-hoon
- Lee Jun Ki
- Lee Jung-hyun
- Lucy Lee
- Lee Na-young
- Lee Sa-bi
- Lee Si-yeon
- Lee Yeon-hee
- Lee Ji-ah
- Lee Young Ah
- Lee Yoo-jin
- Lee Young-ae
- Moon So-ri
- Moon Geun Young
- Minka
- Nam Gyu-ri
- Nam Sang Mi
- Noh Hong-cheol
- Dennis Joseph O'Neil
- Pak Chae-rim
- Park Han-byul
- Park Ji-yoon
- Park Myeong-su
- Park Min Young
- Park Ye-jin
- Park Sang-min
- Park Sol-mi
- Park Hae-il
- Park Si-yeon
- Soo Ae
- Park Yong-ha
- Park Kyung-lim
- Ryu Shi-won
- Sin Min-ah
- Son Ye-jin
- Song Il Gook
- Song Gang-ho
- Song Hye-kyo
- Song Seung-hun
- Song Yun-ah
- Uhm Ji-won
- Won Bin
- Yu Jae-seok
- Yoo Chae-yeong
- Yoon Eun Hye
- Yoon Chan
- Yoon Son-ha
- Jeong Ji-hun
- Ryu Seung-beom
Filmmakers
- Ahn Byeong-ki
- Bong Joon-ho
- Hong Sang-su
- Im Kwon-taek
- Jang Jun-hwan
- Kim Ji-woon
- Kim Ki-duk
- Lee Chang-dong
- Michael Kang
- Park Chan-wook
- Park Kwang-Su
- Nelson Shin
- Shin Sang-ok
- Song Hae-seong
- Yoon Je-kyoon
Poets and authors
See also: List of Korean language poets
- Jeong Cheol
- Kang Chol-hwan, author of The Aquariums of Pyongyang
- Ko Un, poet
- Joo Duk-In, Renown Korean poet based in Australia, author of the meaning of meanings novel published by Bloomsbury.
Musicians
See also: List of Korean pop artists
- As One
- Bae Seul Gi
- Baek Ji Young
- Battle
- Big Bang
- Big Mama
- BoA
- Brown Eyed Girls
- Brown Eyes
- Buzz
- Chae Yeon
- Cho Yong-pil
- Clazziquai
- Davichi
- DJ DOC
- Dong Bang Shin Ki
- Epik High
- Eun Ji Won
- Eru
- Fly To The Sky
- F.T. Island
- Karen O
- SS501
- Seotaiji
- Haha
- H.O.T
- Hong Kyung Min
- Lee Hyori
- Hyun Young
- Insooni
- Ivy
- KCM
- Kim Jong Kook
- Koyote
- Lee Jung
- Lee Jung Hyun
- Lee Seung Gi
- Lee Soo Young
- Lee Seung Cheol
- Lexy
- Lim Jeong Hee
- The Grace
- MC Mong
- MC The Max
- Julia Hwang
- Jun Jin
- Jewelry
- Park Jin Young
- Rain
- Richard Hyun-Ki Joo
- SeeYa
- Se7en (singer)
- SG Wannabe
- SHINee
- Shin Hae Chul
- Shinhwa
- Sung Si Kyung
- Super Junior
- Girls' Generation
- Tei
- Uhm Jung-hwa
- V.O.S.
- Wax
- Wheesung
- Wonder Girls
- Xing (band)
- Younha
- 2PM
Fashion Designers
Businesspeople
See also: :Category:South Korean businesspeople
Historical leaders
See also: List of Korean monarchs
- Dangun Wanggeom, Founder of first Korean kingdom Gojoseon.
- King Gwanggaeto the Great, 19th ruler of King of Goguryeo who brought the empire to its military height.
- Eulji Mundeok, 6th century Goguryeo general who repelled a vast Chinese infantry invasion.
- Yang Manchun, Goguryeo general who repelled a massive Tang army at the Siege of Ansi Fortress, leading to Tang Taizong's first defeat.
- Yeon Gaesomun, the first Dae Mangniji ("Great Prime Minister") of Goguryeo, and military dictator.
- King Munmu, 30th king of the Silla dynasty, unifier of the three Kingdoms.
- King Go, founder of Balhae, a state in ancient Manchuria and Northern Korean Peninsula.
- Emperor Taejo, founder of the Goryeo Dynasty.
- Gang Gam-chan, military commander during the early Goryeo Dynasty.
- King Gongmin, king of Goryeo Dynasty who expelled Mongolians from Korea.
- King Taejo, the founder and first king of the Joseon Dynasty.
- King Sejong the Great, invented the native Korean alphabet hangul.
- Yi Sun-sin, respected as one of the greatest admirals and military leaders in world history.
- King Jeongjo, 22nd king of the Joseon Dynasty, called the reformation ruler in Korea.
- Empress Myeongseong, one of the prominent queens of Korea, the first official wife of Emperor Gojong.
- An Jung-geun, Korean independence activist, and assassinated Japanese Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi.
- Ahn Chang-ho, Korean independence activist.
- Kim Gu, Korean independence activist and the sixth and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.
Politicians
See also: President of South Korea
- Ban Ki-moon 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations
- Chang Myon Prime Minister, 1960-1961
- Choi Kyu-ha President, 1979-1980
- Chun Doo-hwan President, 1980-1988
- Chung Mong-jun
- Kim Dae-jung President, 1998-2003
- Kim Il-sung North Korean Communist , 1948-1993
- Kim Jong-il North Korean Communist , 1993-present
- Kim Jong-pil
- Kim Gu (1876-1949), patriot and the sixth and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.
- Kim Young-sam President, 1993-1998
- Lee Myung-bak President, 2008-Present
- Lee Beom-seok
- Lee Hoi-chang
- Lee Hun Jai
- Lee Hae-chan
- Lyuh Woon-Hyung
- Park Chung-hee Military ruler, 1961-1963; President, 1963-1979
- Rhee Syng-man President, 1948-1960
- Roh Moo-hyun President, 2003-2008
- Roh Tae-woo President, 1988-1993
- Yun Bo-seon President, 1960-1962
Religious leaders
See also: List of Korean Buddhists
- Sun Myung Moon - Founder of the Unification Church.
- David Yonggi Cho - Founder/Pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, the world's largest church.
- Seok-heon Ham - Quaker leader and human rights activist.
- Chung Hyun-kyung - Feminist theologian and peace activist.
- Andrew Kim Taegon - First Korean Roman Catholic priest and martyr.
- Hae Jong Kim - Bishop of the United Methodist Church.
- Stephen Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan - Former Roman Catholic Archbishop of Seoul (1968-1998) .
- Nicolas Cheong Jin-Suk - Roman Catholic Archbishop of Seoul (1998-present).
- Young Shik Rhee - theologian, peace activist and educator; founder of Daegu University.
- Jung Myung Seok - Founder of Providence Church, currently wanted for rape and other crimes.
- Joon Gon Kim - Founder of Korea Campus Crusade for Christ.
Scholars
- Kim Yong-ok, philosopher
- Ju Si-gyeong, linguist
- Yi I, philosopher
- Yi Hwang Confucian philosopher
- Ichadon Buddhist monk Buddhist monk/advisor to Silla king
- Jeong Yak-yong
- Hong Emee Lee wandering medieval philosopher
Scientists and engineers
- Benjamin Lee, theoretical physicist (1935-1977)
- Jang Young Sil, engineer and scientist during the Choson Dynasty
- Kim Soon-kwon, corn biologist.
- Taekjip Ha, biophysicist.
- Seung K. Kim, biologist.
- Kim Jeong-ho, geographer and cartographer.
Athletes
See also: List of South Korean footballers and List of Korean boxers
- Dong Keun Park, Legendary Taekwondo Champion of the 1960s[1]
- Ahn Jung-Hwan, footballer in Bundesliga MSV Duisburg
- Cha Bum-Kun, footballer in Bundesliga
- Hong-Man Choi, K-1 Professional KickBoxer
- Hee Seop Choi, former MLB player, currently plays in South Korea's Professional Baseball League.
- Hong Myung-Bo, footballer
- Ha Seung-Jin, Professional basketball player currently playing in the development league.
- Byung-Hyun Kim, MLB player-plays for the Florida Marlins
- Mi Hyun Kim, LPGA Player
- Sun-Woo Kim, baseball player.
- Lee Chun-Soo, footballer
- Lee Seung-Yeop, NPB baseball player
- Lee Hyung-Taik, tennis player
- Moon Dae-Sung, 2004 Olympic Taekwon-Do Gold medalist
- Nam Sung-yong, marathoner
- Angela Park, Brazilian golfer on the LPGA tour
- Chan-ho Park, MLB player who pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Park Ji-Sung, footballer in English club Manchester United
- Se Ri Pak, LPGA Player
- Seol Ki-hyeon, footballer in English club Fulham F.C.
- Sohn Kee-chung, Olympic Marathon gold medallist
- Birdie Kim (born Kim Ju-yun), LPGA player and 2005 Women's Open champion
- Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver; Super Bowl XL MVP
- Jeannie Kim, aka "Lotus" WOW wrestler
- Steve Small, aka "Stevo" WOW wrestler
- Peter F. Bell, Australian rules football player
- Michelle Wie, LPGA player
- Jeanette Lee, WPBA professional pool player
- Joo Se Hyuk, Table tennis, defensive chopper
- Jim Paek, Pro ice hockey player
- Richard Park, Pro ice hockey player
- Myung Jae Nam Hapkido master, founder of Hankido (1938-1999)
- In Jin Chi Professional boxer, a former WBC world champion
- Ki Soo Kim Professional boxer, the first Korean world champion (WBA, WBC)
- Eugene Chung former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League
- John Lee All-American placekicker for the UCLA Bruins football team from 1982-1985. He was the 32nd pick selected in the 1986 NFL draft and later played 1 year for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was inducted to the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
- Denis Kang MMA middle-weight fighter
- Park Tae-hwan Swimmer
- Jong Song-Ok, North Korean; championship of Marathon in 1999
- Park Sung-Hyun Olympic medal winner Archery
- Eric Bigornia Karate master, Escrima black belt, mixed-martial artist
- Kim Yu-Na figure skater
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- Korean people
- List of Goguryeo people
- List of Baekje people
- List of Silla people
- List of Goryeo people
- List of Joseon Dynasty people
- List of Korean Americans
- List of people by nationality
References
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
