Korean Celebrities Who Influence Culture

Our obsession with celebrity culture seems to know no bounds as we indulge in the lives of the famous and crave every detail about them. How old they are, who they are dating, where they go on holiday ...

Despite the credibility of the information being another matter, we have an entire industry catering to our desire for the inside scoop. However, whether our idols approve of the intense scrutiny over every aspect of their lives is still a debatable topic. If you are learning Korean, you may just be fascinated with South Korean celebrity culture. In fact, simply watching the plethora of Korean movies on Netflix could help you!

With Hallyu, the Korean term for South Korean celebrities, we have a whole universe of K-Pop bands and Korean actors to gush over. These as well as the many Korean movies on Netflix give as a good opportunity to broaden our horizons especially if we are learning Korean.

The South Korean celebrities worth knowing about include athletes such as football players, swimmers, and archers, broadcasters, presenters, comedians, musicians, songwriters and actors from both the stage and Korean movies on Netflix.

Do you recognise the faces from some South Korean K Pop bands but not their names? Keep reading to find out more

Forbes Power Celebrities

Forbes, the American business magazine, is well-known for tracking and reporting on wealthy individuals from around the globe. In 2009, they introduced a 'powerful people' list, which includes heads of state and religious figures such as the Pope and former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Despite stepping down in 2016 after nine years of service, he remains active in politics and is well known for his progressive ideas.

Forbes also launched the Korea Power Celebrity 40 list in 2009. Notably, unlike Forbes' ranking of American celebrities based solely on their wealth, Korean celebrities are evaluated based on their professional accomplishments, social media presence, and media exposure. This includes appearances in Korean movies on Netflix.

The list features popular actors and K Pop bands with active social media followings who are known for their charity work and positive impact on South Korea's reputation. Notably, the highest-paid Korean actors or singers may not always make the Forbes list.

For instance, BTS and Blackpink consistently top the Forbes Korea list along with the Bulletproof Boy Scouts (BTS) who has frequently occupied the number one spot since 2017. Blackpink is K-pop's premier girl group while other notable singers on the Forbes' 2022 list include Jang Min-ho, Lee Chan-won, and Lee Seung-gi. In South Korea, it is not uncommon for Korean actors and K Pop bands to take part in singing, dancing, dancing, modelling and TV careers. Good examples of performers like this are Lee Seung-gi and Kim Tae-hyung (V from BTS) while veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung, who spans a career spanning five decades, has received numerous accolades. Alongside Simone Biles, she was also named one of  Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2021 alongside Simone Biles.

If you love sport and are learning Korean, you may also be inspired by baseball player Ryu Hyun-jin, who plays for the Toronto Blue Jays and footballer Son Heung-min, who captains South Korea's national team and plays forward for Tottenham who are also on the illustrious Forbes list.

Top Male Korean Actors

South Korea's entertainment business is way too big to include everyone on a Top 40 list and there are still so many oppas to get to know!

In looking at who Forbes could not include, let’s start with the popular entertainers of Hwarang. This popular TV series is set in the Three Kingdoms period. Kim Tae-hyung, Park Seo-joon, Park Hyung-sik lead an all-star cast. As already mentioned above, Kim Tae-hyung is also from one of the most popular K-Pop bands, BTS.

It’s worth noting that Park Hyung-sik boasts dozens of years in the entertainment industry. He dabbles in just about everything in musical theatre and production. He began his boy band career as a member of ZE:A but soon moved into acting. Today, he also has many Korean movies on Netflix to his credit and made the Forbes Power Celebrity list in 2015.

Park Seo-joon also has an impressive string of television and film hits under his belt. At one time, he was known as the king of romantic comedy but recently lost that title to his contemporary, Choi Woo-shik. You probably know Woo-shik from the Korean films Parasite and Train to Busan. These Korean celebrities, along with the rapper Peakboy (Kwon Sung-hwan) make up the famous Wooga Squad.

Impressive as they are, they are certainly not the only Korean actors to star in a drama series or take on comedy roles. Other noteworthy Korean oppas include Lee Jun-ho, Park Bo-gum, Kim Woo-bin Song Joong-ki, the star of Vincenzo who recently married his English rose, Lee Ki-woo.

The Top Female Korean Actors

South Korea's entertainment industry boasts a talented lineup of veteran actors, including impressive female performers. Among them is Youn Yuh-jung, who ranks among several other top-caliber actors. The Korean age system seems to have no effect on Kim Hye-ya, who began her acting career in 1963 and continues to shine with her phenomenal talent in the recent star-studded series Our Blues. To witness her incredible performance, don't miss The Light In Your Eyes.

Our Blues also presents Lee Jung-eun, the actress who played the desperate housekeeper in Parasite, in a whole new way. She acts alongside Han Ji-min, who portrayed Kim Hye-ya's younger self in Light. And while Hwang Jung-eum is equally talented, don't confuse her with Han Ji-min, who bears a striking resemblance to her.

Another actor who stands out is Park Bo-young, a powerful performer with an impressive list of film and television credits. Not only that, but she is also renowned for her charitable works. Similarly, the actress and singer IU (Lee Ji-eun) has donated over two million pounds to various causes during her career.

Other noteworthy mentions include Han So-hee, Jun Ji-hyun (one of the highest-paid actresses in South Korea), and Bae Suzy. Suzy, in particular, is highly sought after in the Korean entertainment industry. Lastly, there's Son Ye-jin, who recently tied the knot with the popular Korean actor Hyun Bin, after falling in love during the filming of the must-watch series Crash Landing on You.

It's worth noting that Korea's entertainment industry truly values the integrity of its celebrities throughout their careers.

If you are learning Korean, find out more about the strong entertainment industry which an important part of South Korean culture.

Famous Korean Celebrities and the Pressure to Stay Scandal-Free

Why is it that the public seem to revel in the bad behaviour of certain celebrities?

A misstep by Kanye or Ezra can dominate a news cycle for days, while online forums will endlessly dissect any controversial incident. For Korean celebrities, whether they are solo artists, actors or actresses, the pressure to maintain a spotless reputation is immense because even a hint of scandal has the ability to potentially derail a career.

Sadly, this was the case with actor Ji Soo, who was accused of bullying by a former classmate a few years ago. The allegations were enough to prompt his immediate removal from an ongoing project, and he has not acted since (though mandatory military service was also a factor). Actress Seo Ye-ji also faced social media backlash over her involvement in a controversy with fellow actor Kim Jung-hyun, which led to her withdrawal from a project. While her reputation has since been somewhat restored, others have not been so fortunate.

Even messy divorces can spell the end of a celebrity's career. Ahn Jae-hyun, who starred in "Boys Over Flowers," lost all of his endorsements after a high-profile split with actress Koo Hye-sun. Song Joong-ki also reportedly lost endorsement deals following his divorce from Song Hye-kyo. And it's not just actors and actresses who face scrutiny; even K Pop bands are expected to maintain a squeaky-clean image.

The Burning Sun scandal, which rocked the K-Pop world, is a prime example. Seungri, a former member of the group BIGBANG, announced his retirement from the industry after being implicated in a wide-ranging corruption scandal involving drugs and sex. Meanwhile, veteran idol Yunho faced consequences for a different kind of transgression; he was caught clubbing after hours during the pandemic lockdowns, at a bar known for providing escort services. Although he apologised swiftly and paid his fines, he still faced backlash, including being dropped from various food ads.

All of this underscores the pressure that Korean celebrities face to maintain their reputations. While it may seem stifling, it also reinforces the idea that success should come from talent and hard work, not scandal.

Are you learning Korean?

If so, why not make it more interesting by following the celebrities who make the culture so much more colourful than it already is? You should also consider trying some traditional Korean dishes and learning about their importance in Korean society.