List of people of Korean descent

This is a list of notable Koreans or notable people of Korean descent.

In Korean names, the family name is placed first (for example, the family name of "Park Ji-Sung" is "Park"), unless the person has decided to Westernize their name.

Artists

Visual artists

Media artists

Paik Nam-June

Dancers

Young Soon Moon, prima ballerina
Sujin Kang
Hong 10, professional break dancer
Halla Pai Huhm
Hee Seo

Filmmakers

Poets and authors

Baek Minseok
Baek Seok
Bang Hyun-seok
Chae Ho-ki
Chan Jeong
Cheong Chi-yong, poet
Choi Seung-ho, poet
Cho Sung-ki, novelist
Choi Il-nam, novelist
Choi Soo-cheol
Chun Woon-young
Do Jong-hwan, poet
Gu Hyo-seo
Ha Geun-chan, author
Ha Seong-nan, author
Hailji, author
Han Bi-ya, travel writer
Han Chang-hun, author
Han Kang
Han Mahlsook, novelist
Heo Su-gyeong, poet
Hong Sung-won, author
Hwang In-suk, poet
Hwang Ji-u, poet
Hyun Kil-un
Jang Eun-jin
Jang Jeong-il
Jang Seok-nam, poet
Jeon Gyeong-rin
Jeon Sang-guk
Jeong Do-sang
Jung Hansuk
Jung Ihyun
Jung Mi-kyung
Kang Chol-hwan, author of The Aquariums of Pyongyang
Kang Sok-kyong
Kang Young-sook
Ko Un
Kim Byeol-ah
Kim Eon

Fashion designers

Andre Kim
Richard Chai
Cho Young Wan
Laura Kim (Oscar De La Renta) (Monse)^{[citation needed]}

Businesspeople

Entertainers

Actors

Comedians

Models

Singers

Classical musicians

Historical Leaders

Lawyers

Song Sang-Hyun, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC)

Politicians

Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations
Park Jung-Hee, President, 1963–1979
Chun Doo-hwan, President, 1980–1988
Roh Tae-woo, President, 1988–1993
Kim Young-sam, President, 1993–1998
Kim Dae-jung, President, 1998–2003
Roh Moo-hyun, President, 2003–2008
Lee Myung-bak, President, 2008–2012
Park Geun Hye, President, 2013–2017
Moon Jae-in, President, 2017–2022
kim Boo-kyum
Cho Tae-yong, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations.^[1]
Lee Hoi-chang
Lee Hun Jai
Lee Hae-chan
Hwang Kyo-ahn
Kim Moo-sung
Kim Il-Sung, Leader of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 1948–1994
Kim Jong-Il, Supreme Leader of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 1994–2011
Kim Jong-Un, Supreme Leader of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 2011–present

Religious leaders

Angela Warnick Buchdahl (born 1972), American rabbi
Andrew Kim Taegon (1821–1846), first Korean-born Catholic priest, canonized in 1984
David Yonggi Cho, founder/pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church
Hae Jong Kim, Bishop of the United Methodist Church
Nicolas Cheong Jin-Suk, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Seoul (1998–present)
Paul Kim (Anglican bishop), Anglican Primate of Korea and Archbishop of Seoul (2009–present)
Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church
Dora Kim Moon, community organizer in Hawaii

Scholars, Philosopher and Social Activists

Kim Yong-ok, philosopher
Ham Seok-heon
Ko Un
Lee Yuksa
Moon Ik-hwan
Hwang Sok-yong
Jang Jun-ha
Kwon Young-ghil
Roh Hoe-chan
Jeon Tae-il
Ha Soo Whang, Korean social worker in Hawaii
Maria Whang, educator and community organizer in Hawaii

Scientists and Engineers

Lee Sang-mook, geologist and oceanographer
Kim Soon-kwon, corn biologist
Hwang Jun-muk, mathematician of algebraic geometry and differential geometry
Kim Jeong-han, mathematician
Benjamin W. Lee, theoretical physicist
Woo Jang-choon, agricultural scientist and botanist
Philip Kim, physicist
Kim Bit-nae-ri, biologist
Hongkun Park, chemist
Donhee Ham, electrical engineer
Joon Yun, radiologist
Stanley Sukjin Kim,^{[citation needed]} world-renowned ophthalmologist
Incheol Shin, cancer researcher
Unha Ban,^{[citation needed]} mathematician
Chan-Jin Chung, Computer Scientist

Athletes

Ahn Jung-Hwan, footballer
Hwang Jun-ho, ice skiing
Birdie Kim (born Kim Ju-yun), LPGA player and 2005 Women's Open champion
Im Dong-hyun, archery
Byung-hyun Kim, former MLB player
Chan Sung Jung, mixed martial arts
Cha Bum-Kun, footballer in Bundesliga
Chan-ho Park, MLB player
Choo Shin-Soo, MLB player, plays for the Texas Rangers
Dong Keun Park, legendary Taekwondo Champion of the 1960s^[2]
Ha Seung-Jin, professional basketball player currently playing in the Korean Basketball League
Hee Seop Choi, former MLB player, currently plays in South Korea's Professional Baseball League
Hines Ward, American football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Hong Myung-Bo, footballer
Hong-Man Choi, K-1 professional kick boxer
In Jin Chi, professional boxer, former WBC world champion
Jay Dee "B.J." Penn, professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner; first American gold medalist of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship and former UFC Lightweight and Welterweight Champion
Jim Paek, pro ice hockey player
Jong Song-Ok, North Korean; championship of Marathon in 1999
Joo Se Hyuk, Table tennis, defensive chopper
Jung Kil Kim, taekwondo champion
Ki Soo Kim, professional boxer, first Korean world champion (WBA, WBC)
Kim Yuna, figure skater; 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist
Lee Chun-Soo, footballer
Lee Hyung-Taik, tennis player
Lee Sung-hyun, kickboxer
Lee Seung-Yeop, NPB baseball player
Lee Yong-Kyu, baseball player
Lydia Ko, LPGA player
Michelle Wie, Korean-American LPGA player
Mi Hyun Kim, LPGA player
Moon Dae-Sung, 2004 Olympic Taekwon-Do Gold medalist
Myung Jae Nam, Hapkido master, founder of Hankido (1938–1999)
Nam Sung-yong, marathon Runner; 1936 Olympic Bronze Medalist
Park Ji-Sung, footballer, first ever Korean to win the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United.
Park Sung-hyun, Olympic medal winner Archery
Park Tae-hwan, swimmer
Ryu Hyun-Jin, professional baseball player, currently playing in Toronto Bluejays, MLB
Se Ri Pak, LPGA player
Seol Ki-hyeon, footballer
Sohn Kee-Chung, marathon Runner; 1936 Olympic gold medalist
Son Heung-min, footballer at Tottenham Hotspur, captain and gold medalist at the 2018 Asian Games.
Sun-Woo Kim, baseball player
Lee Sang-hyeok, (Faker) professional e-sports player; mid laner on SKT T1
Yoo Hyeong-jong, footballer

Korean people from other countries

References

^ "New Permanent Representative of Republic of Korea Presents Credentials | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
^ "PARK Dong Keun - Grand Master Dong Keun Park KOREAN NATIONAL CHAMPION - Champion of Champions - Best of Korea - Pioneer of Taekwondo In Thailand - U.S.A. National Team Coach in 1979, 1992, 1993 and 1994 - TAEKWONDO HALL OF FAME - TAEKWONDOHALLOFFAME.COM". www.lacancha.com. Retrieved 2019-10-18.

[1] "New Permanent Representative of Republic of Korea Presents Credentials | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2019-10-18.

[2] "PARK Dong Keun - Grand Master Dong Keun Park KOREAN NATIONAL CHAMPION - Champion of Champions - Best of Korea - Pioneer of Taekwondo In Thailand - U.S.A. National Team Coach in 1979, 1992, 1993 and 1994 - TAEKWONDO HALL OF FAME - TAEKWONDOHALLOFFAME.COM". www.lacancha.com. Retrieved 2019-10-18.

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