List of Koreans

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.

Artists and Performers

  • Paik Nam-june (백남준)
  • Chung Kyung-wha (정경화), violinist
  • Chung Myung-whun (정명훈), pianist and principal conductor of the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France; brother to Chung Kyung-wha and Chung Myung-wha
  • Chung Myung-wha (정명화), cellist
  • Jo Su-mi (조수미), classical soprano
  • Yun I-sang (윤이상), classical composer
  • Sarah Chang, classical violinist

Contemporary Visual Artists

  • Choi Jung-hwa (최정화),visual artist

Business People

  • Chung Ju-yung (정주영)
  • Chung Mong-hun (정몽헌)
  • Kim Woo-jung (김우중)
  • Kim Yong-san (김용산)
  • Lee Byung-chul (이병철)

Celebrities

  • Ahn Jae-wook (안재욱)
  • Ahn Jae-mo (안재모)
  • Bae Doo-na (배두나)
  • Bae Yong-jun (배용준)
  • Chae Jung-an (채정안)
  • Choi Ji-woo (최지우)
  • Choi Min-sik (최민식)
  • Chu Sang-mi (추상미)
  • Ha Ji-won (하지원)
  • Ha Ri-su (하리수)
  • Han Chae-young (한채영)
  • Han Ji-hye (한지혜)
  • Han Suk-kyu (한석규)
  • Jang Dong-gun (장동건)
  • Jang Hyuk (장혁)
  • Jang Na-ra (장나라)
  • Jeong Hyun-cheol (정현철) A.K.A. Seo Tai-ji, (서태지)
  • Jo In-song (조인성)
  • Jo Shin-ae (조신애)
  • Jun Ji-hyun (전지현)
  • Kim Hee-sun (김희선)
  • Kim Hye-su (김혜수)
  • Kim Hyo-jin (김효진)
  • Kim Hyun-ju (김현주)
  • Kim Jae-won (김재원)
  • Kim Nam-joo (김남주)
  • Kim Sa-rang (김사랑)
  • Kim Yoo-jin (김윤진)
  • Koh So-young (고소영)
  • Kwon Boa (권보아)
  • Lee Byung-hun (이병헌)
  • Lee Eun-ju (이은주)
  • Lee Hyo-ri (이효리)
  • Lee Jung-hyun (이정현)
  • Lee Na-young (이나영)
  • Lee Sa-bi (이사비)
  • Lee Yoo-jin (이유진)
  • Lee Young-ae (이영애)
  • Pak Chae-rim (박채림)
  • Park Ji-yoon (박지윤)
  • Park Sang-min (박상민)
  • Park Sol-mi (박솔미)
  • Park Yong-ha (박용하)
  • Ryu Shi-won (류시원)
  • Sin Min-ah (신민아)
  • Son Ye-jin (손예진)
  • Song Gang-ho (송강호)
  • Song Hye-kyo (송혜교)
  • Song Seung-hun (송승헌)
  • Song Yun-ah (송윤아)
  • Won Bin (원빈)
  • Yoon Son-ha (윤손하)

Film-makers

  • Im Kwon-taek (임권택)
  • Lee Chang-dong (이창동)
  • Park Chan-wook (박찬욱)
  • Hong Sang-su (홍상수)
  • Kim Ki-duk (김기덕)
  • Park Kwang-su (박광수)

Historical Figures

  • Gang Hong-rip (강홍립), commander-in-chief
  • Gwanghaegun (광해군), the 15th king of the Joseon Dynasty
  • Hong Bok-won (홍복원), officer of the Mongol Empire
  • King Sejong the Great (세종대왕), inventor of Hangul
  • Öljei Khutugh Khatun (기황후), one of empresses of Toghun Temür and mother of Biligtü Khan
  • Eulji Mundeok 6th century general who repelled a vast Chinese infantry invasion
  • Wang Go (왕고) (Öljeitü), King of Shen
  • Toghtua Bukha, King of Shen
  • Yi Ja-chun (이자춘), father of King Taejo (이성계).
  • Yi Sun-sin (이순신), admiral
  • Dosan Ahn Chang-ho (도산 안창호), patriot

Poets

  • Jeong Cheol(or Chong Ch'ol) (정철)

Politicians

  • Chang Myon (장면) (Prime Minister, 1960-1961)
  • Choi Kyu-ha (최규하) (President, 1979-1980)
  • Chun Doo-hwan (전두환) (President, 1980-1988)
  • Chung Mong-jun (정몽준)
  • Kim Dae-jung (김대중) (President, 1998-2003)
  • Kim Il-sung (김일성) (North Korean Communist dictator, 1948-1993)
  • Kim Jong-il (김정일) (North Korean Communist dictator, 1993-present)
  • Kim Jong-pil (김종필)
  • Kim Koo(김구)(1876-1949)
  • Kim Young-sam (김영삼) (President, 1993-1998)
  • Lee Bum Suk
  • Lee Hoi-chang (이회창)
  • Lee Hun Jai
  • Lee Hy Chan
  • Lee Jong-wook (이종욱), Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Park Chung-hee (박정희) (Military ruler, 1961-1963; President, 1963-1979)
  • Rhee Syng-man (이승만) (President, 1948-1960)
  • Roh Moo-hyun (노무현) (President, 2003-present)
  • Roh Tae-woo (노태우) (President, 1988-1993)
  • Yun Bo-seon (윤보선) (President, 1960-1962)
See also: Presidents of South Korea

Religious Leaders

  • Moon Sun-myung (문선명) - Founder of the Unification Church
  • David Yong-gi Cho (조용기) - Founder/Pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, the world's largest church.
  • Ham Seok-heon (함석헌) - Quaker leader and human rights activist.
  • Chung Hyun-kyung - Feminist theologian and peace activist.

Scholars

  • Ju Si-gyeong (주시경), linguist
  • Yi I (이이), philosopher
  • Yi Hwang (이황) Confucian philosopher

Scientists and engineers

  • Lee Hui-so (이휘소) aka Benjamin Lee
  • Hwang Woo-suk (황우석)

Athletes

  • Ahn Jung-hwan (안정환, 安贞焕) (Football player)
  • Cha Bum-keun (차범근) (Bundesliga Football Player)
  • Choi Hee-seop (최희섭) (MLB Player)
  • Hong Myung-bo (홍명보) (Football Player)
  • Kim Byung-hyun (김병현) (MLB Player)
  • Kim Mi-hyun (김미현) (LPGA Player)
  • Lee Cheon-su (이천수) (Football Player in Spanish league)
  • Nam Sung-yong (남승룡) (Marathon runner)
  • Park Chan-ho (박찬호) (MLB Player)
  • Park Ji-seong (박지성) (Football Player in Netherlands league)
  • Pak Se-ri (박세리) (LPGA Player)
  • Seol Ki-hyun (설기현) (Football Player in English league)
  • Sohn Kee-chung (손기정) (Olympic Marathon gold medallist)

See also

  • List of Korea-related topics
  • Korean-American
  • List of people by nationality
  • Contemporary culture of South Korea

zh:朝鲜人列表