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)

External Links

• List of Actors and Actresses of Korea

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)
• Jeannie Kim , a.k.a. "Lotus" WOW wrestler
• Peter Bell (Australian football Player)

See also

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