List of Korean Americans
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The following is a list of Korean Americans who are famous, have made significant contributions to the American culture or society politically, artistically or scientifically, or have appeared in the news numerous times.
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Contents |
[edit] List
[edit] Art and design
- David Choe, an abstract artist
- Frank Cho, comic book artist (Spider-Man, The New Avengers), writer, and co-creator (Liberty Meadows)
- Doo-Ri Chung, fashion designer
- Peter Chung, animator, creator of cult animated TV series Æon Flux
- Doug Juhn, art director, visual effects concept art, montage design (Elektra, Daredevil, Superman Returns, Friday Night Lights)
- Peter Shin, a director of Family guy
- Derek Kirk Kim, cartoonist and author of critically acclaimed graphic novel "Same Difference and Other Stories"
- Jin Kim, senior creative designer at Toyota's CALTY design studio in California; lead designer of the Toyota FJ Cruiser
- Scott Kim, puzzlemaster, artist, computer game designer
- Nic Cha Kim, creator of Gallery Row in Downtown Los Angeles
- Jae Lee, comic book artist (Namor the Sub-Mariner, Inhumans)
- Jim Lee, best-selling comic book artist (X-Men, Batman, Superman) and co-creator (Gen¹³, WildC.A.T.s); co-founder of Image Comics
- Lela Lee (1974 - ) actress and cartoonist, creator of the comic strip and animated cartoons Kim, the Angry Little Asian Girl and Angry Little Girls[1]
- Nam June Paik, Korean-born artist; father of Video Art
- Andy Park, comic book artist (Tomb Raider, X-Men)
- Tommy Yune, comic book writer/artist (Speed Racer, Robotech) and animation director (Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles)
- Amy Sol, an artist based out of Las Vegas, Nevade whose paintings of dreamlike worlds are influenced by manga, folk-art, vintage illustration and modern design [2]
[edit] Business & Economics
- Jason Chon, CEO of Locus Telecommunications, Leader of the Board, former International Sales Manager for Samsung Electronics.
- Wendy Lee Gramm, economics professor, former chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and wife of former Senator Phil Gramm
- David J. Kim, CEO and founder of C2 Educational Center, and son of martial arts grandmaster and star of the cult classic movie "Master Kid" Bobby J. Kim.
- Dow Kim, Executive Vice President and President of Investment Banking and Global Markets (Merrill Lynch)
- Lucas Roh, CEO and Founder of Hostway Corporation
- Chong-Moon Lee, Chairman of AmBex Venture Group, Chairman of Board for Nara Bancorp, Inc., and Founder of Diamond Multimedia
- Sung Won Sohn, CEO and President of Hanmi Financial Corporation, former Chief Economist of Wells Fargo & Co.
- Brian Chung, CEO and President of Frontier Logistics Services
- Jemo Kang, Founder and President of Princeton BioMeditech Corporation
- Shari Song']
- Jason Kim, co-founder of Turnstyle Productions and lineage that goes back to King Sejong.
, Founder of KAPS - Korean American Professionals Society
[edit] Entertainment
- Philip Ahn, actor
- Brooke Ashley, adult film actress
- Nicole Bilderback, actress
- Johnny Yong Bosch, actor best known as Adam Park in Power Rangers.
- Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, author, video/filmmaker
- Steve Byrne, comedian, actor
- Erwin Cho, The Amazing Race 10 contestant
- Godwin Cho, The Amazing Race 10 contestant
- Henry Cho, comedian-actor
- John Cho, actor who appeared in the American Pie franchise and as star of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. He is also a singer for the group called Left of zed
- Margaret Cho, comedian and former star of the television sitcom All-American Girl
- Janet Choi, cast member of MTV's the Real World, Seattle season.
- Justin Chon, actor
- Alexandra Bokyun Chun, actress, filmmaker
- Daniel Chun, writer, co-producer (The Simpsons)
- Philip W. Chung, playwright, founder and Artistic Director of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble
- Daniel Henney - model, actor in South Korea
- Gene Hong, producer, writer, and actor on Wild 'N Out
- Joseph Kahn, music video and movie director
- Michael Kang, writer/director (The Motel (film), West 32nd)
- Sung Kang, actor (The Motel (film), Better Luck Tomorrow, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift)
- Daniel Dae Kim, actor
- Jacqueline Kim, actress
- Johnny Kim, a film actor, producer and director
- Michael Kim, sportscaster on ESPN television
- Paul Kim, Top 24 contestant, American Idol (Season 6)
- Yunjin Kim, actress
- Stacy Kimball, Survivor: Fiji contestant
- Yul Kwon, contestant on Survivor: Cook Islands
- Becky Lee, contestant on Survivor: Cook Islands
- Bobby Lee, comedy actor for MADtv[3]
- Hyun (Mookie) Lee, Survivor: Fiji contestant
- James Kyson Lee, actor
- Lela Lee, actress and cartoonist[1]
- Lucy Lee, adult film actress
- Sung-Hi Lee, model who appears mostly in soft-core nude photoshoots[4]*
- Patricia Ja Lee, actress, best known as Cassie Chan in Power Rangers.
- Meg Frampton, musician, older sister of Dia Frampton
- Dia Frampton, musician, younger sister of Meg Frampton
- Will Yun Lee, actor (Die Another Day)
- Masuimi Max, fetish model, contestant on Fear Factor
- Leonardo Nam, actor (The Perfect Score, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift)
- Dennis Joseph O'neil, model and actor
- Nina Noh, singer/dancer (Superstar USA)
- Nicole Oring, adult model and actress
- Ho Sung Pak, actor, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Linda Park, Korean-born actor (Enterprise)
- Steve Park, actor (In Living Color)
- Soon-Yi Previn, actress; wife of Woody Allen; adoptive daughter of Mia Farrow
- Lindsay Price, television actress
- Phillip Rhee, actor (Best of the Best movies), Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido master
- Eddie Shin, actor
- Mia Park, adult film actress
- Mia Smiles, adult film actress
- Minka, adult film actress
- James Sun, first runner-up, The Apprentice 6
- Brian Tee, actor (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift)
- Cher Tenbush, model, actress Beauty and the Geek
- Samuel Yang, model, actor, comedian, musician, songwriter, dancer, cartoonist
- Natasha Yi, model
- Aaron Yoo, actor (Disturbia)
- Jordan Young, adult film actor
- Johnny Yune, comedian/actor (They Call Me Bruce?)
- Karl Yune, model and actor (Memoirs of a Geisha, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, brother of Rick Yune)
- Rick Yune, model and actor (Die Another Day, The Fast and the Furious)
- Sandra Oh, film and television Actress
- Jae Han, "MrKoreanguy"
- Grace Park, Actress Battlestar Galactica
[edit] Journalism
- Juju Chang, ABC News anchor and reporter
- Liz Cho, ABC News anchor and reporter
- Sophia Choi, CNN Headline News, KVBC anchor
- James Kim, Former senior editor at CNET.
- Lee Ann Kim, anchor and reporter for KGTV and executive director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival
- Michael Kim, ESPN anchor
- Corina Knoll, Senior Editor of KoreAm Journal
- K.W. Lee, founding president of the Korean American Journalists Association
- Janice Min, Editor-in-chief of US Weekly magazine
- Alice Rhee, NBC News producer
- Suchin Pak, MTV News anchor and reporter
[edit] Literature
- Leonard Chang, American-born writer
- Heinz Insu Fenkl, author
- Nora Okja Keller, author
- Richard E. Kim, author
- Chang-Rae Lee, author
- Don Lee, author, editor of Ploughshares literary journal
- Linda Sue Park, American-born author; winner of the 2002 Newbery Medal for A Single Shard
- Therese Park, author
- Mia Yun, author
[edit] Medicine and Public Health
- Howard Choi, a spinal cord injury specialist
- Jim Yong Kim, Francois Xavier Bagnoud Professor Health and Human Rights at Harvard University and former Director of HIV/AIDS at the World Health Organization
- Howard Koh, Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health and Associate Dean for Public Health Practice at the Harvard School of Public Health and former Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Health.
[edit] Music
- Ahn Trio, Juilliard-educated classical music trio, featured in print and television ads for Gap[5]
- Danny Ahn of g.o.d, rapper based in South Korea
- Priscilla Ahn, alternative/folk singer
- Amerie, R&B singer-songwriter, actress[6]
- Sarah Chang, violinist[7]
- Joe Hahn, founding member of alternative rock band Linkin Park, multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winner[8]
- Hei-Kyung Hong, soprano with The Metropolitan Opera Company
- Stephanie Hwang of Girls' Generation, singer based in South Korea
- Danny Im of 1TYM, R&B singer based in South Korea.
- Sumi Jo, Coloratura Soprano
- Brian Joo of Fly to the Sky, R&B singer based in South Korea.
- Jessica Jung of Girls' Generation, singer based in South Korea
- Crystal Kay, J-pop (Zainichi Korean) singer[9]
- Soovin Kim, violinist from New York City.
- John Myung, bass guitar player of progressive metal band Dream Theater[10]
- Karen O, lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Ken Oak, vocalist of Ken Oak Band
- Hyun-Woo Lee, R&B singer based in South Korea
- Joon-Hyung Park of g.o.d, rapper based in South Korea
- Lena Park, R&B singer[11]
- Mike Park, ska and punk musician, founder of Asian Man Records[12]
- Teddy Park of 1TYM, singer based in South Korea.
- Todd Park Mohr, lead vocals/guitars/keyboards/saxophone of Big Head Todd and the Monsters
- Craig Pfunder, lead vocalist and guitarist of VHS or Beta
- Susie Suh, singer-songwriter, signed with Epic Records[13]
- T, R&B singer based in South Korea
- Tim, R&B singer based in South Korea.
- Steve Seung-Jun Yoo, singer kicked out of South Korea
- Malea McGuinness, adult contemporary singer
[edit] Politics and government
- Joseph Cho, City Councilmember of Cerritos, California
- Michelle Park Steel, California State Board of Equalization, elected to represent 8.5 million California taxpayers.
- John J. Choi, Saint Paul City Attorney, appointed by Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman (D) in January 2006.
- Jun Choi, Mayor of Edison, New Jersey
- Dr. Steven Choi, Irvine, California City Councilmember and candidate for California State Assembly
- Judge Herbert Choy, appointed to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and first Asian American appointed to the federal bench.
- Shinae Chun, Director of the Women’s Bureau, Department of Labor (George W. Bush administration)
- Hoon-Yung Hopgood, member of Michigan State House of Representatives, first Korean-American elected to public office in Michigan
- Sukhee Kang, City Councilman of Irvine, California
- Harry Kim, Mayor of Hawaii County
- Jason Kim, Councilman (D) of Palisades Park, New Jersey, the first Korean-American elected on the East Coast of the United States (2004).
- Jay Kim, former Republican Congressman from California
- Harold Hongju Koh, Dean of Yale Law School and former Assistant Secretary of State during the Clinton administration (See below.)
- Jerry Kong, Trustee on the Buena Park School District Board of Education in Buena Park, California
- Sunny K. Park, Georgia, Secretary & Treasure; Georgia Ports Authority, former member of The White House Commission on Asian Americans. SunnyPark.com
- Paull Shin, Washington state senator; Korean adoptee
- John Yoo, conservative Berkeley law professor and former Deputy Attorney General in the United States Department of Justice
- Sam Yoon, Boston City Council member (2005-present), first Asian American to be elected to the position
- Art Yoon, Mayor of Hermosa Beach, California, April 13, 2004 - January 25, 2005
- Wendy Van Horne, 2006 Green-Rainbow Party candidate for Massachusetts Lt. Governor.
- Jennifer Kim, Austin city council member (2005-present)
[edit] Religion
[edit] Science and technology
- Jung-Hoon Chun, MIT Professor of Mechanical Engineering
- Suk Ju Hong, chemical engineer, BS, MS & Ph.D from Seoul National University, retired from Kodak, who invented and pioneered laser digital printing plate process. He is the grandson of Hong Jin.
- Jeong H. Kim, President of Bell Labs
- Benjamin Lee, theoretical physicist
- Hae-Seung (Harry) Lee, MIT Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Mark L. Polansky, NASA astronaut.
[edit] Sports
- Cha Seung Baek, MLB player
- Toby Dawson, Olympic skier. He won the bronze medal in men's freestyle skiing at the 2006 Torino Games.
- Marcus Demps, American football player
- Will Demps, American football player
- Anthony Kim, professional golfer
- Christina Kim, professional golfer
- Kevin Kim, tennis player
- Jeanette Lee pool player, nicknamed "The Black Widow" for her tendency to wear black[14]
- John Lee, football player
- Sammy Lee, swimmer, first American-born Asian Olympic gold medalist
- Naomi Nari Nam, figure skater
- Richard Park, a Korean-American NHL player
- BJ Penn, a mix martial artist
- Jhoon Rhee, Tae Kwon Do master and entrepreneur
- Dawn Riehl, Bodybuilder and powerlifter.
- Terrmel Sledge, MLB player
- Hines Ward, football player, MVP of Super Bowl XL
- Michelle Wie, professional golfer
- Alex Yi, soccer player
- John Yim, Professional Drifter, Formula D series
- James Yun, Professional wrestler
[edit] Other
- Gregory Lee, the first Korean American Firefighter/Paramedic in the United States. Lee, retired in 2002 from the Los Angeles County Fire Department after 30 years. Born in Hawaii in 1946, he lives in Southern California with his wife.
- Jaegwon Kim, William Herbert Perry Faunce Professor of Philosophy at Brown University
- Philip Jaisohn, first Korean to become an American citizen; first Korean American to receive an American medical degree
- Alice Kim, wife of American actor Nicolas Cage
- Young-Oak Kim, first Asian American colonel to command a U.S. battalion
- Sonya Thomas, top-ranked competitive eater
- Sho Yano, child prodigy
- Kimora Lee Simmons CEO of Baby Phat, Occasional actress, and a fashion designer.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Lela Lee - [1] "I am Korean American. My parents immigrated and I was born here. I was actually the only daughter to be born in the U.S. I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles, an hour east of Los Angeles. When I grew up, there were probably two other Asian families and we were made fun of. They would say, "Oh are you Chinese?" And I would say, "No." And they would say, "Are you Japanese?" And I would say, "No." And they would say, "Well, what are you then?" I would say, "I'm Korean" and they would say, "Where is that?" My parents were probably part of the first influx of Koreans to come to the U.S. at that time in the early 70s."
- ^ [2] "Art Space Talk: Amy Sol"
- ^ Bobby Lee - [3] "Korean King of Comedy: Bobby Lee"
- ^ Sung-Hi Lee - [4] "Korean hottie Sung Hi Lee"
- ^ [5] "The Korean classical piano trio “Ahn Trio,”"
- ^ [6] "Half Korean, half African-American, Amerie has lived all over the world..."
- ^ [7] "Meanwhile, under the subtitle “Becoming a World-Famous Violinist,” the unit also pays tribute to Korean-American violinist Sarah Chang..."
- ^ [8] "Hahn, a Korean American..."
- ^ [9] "Korean-American sensation Crystal Kay, are among Japan's best and most established..."
- ^ [10]
- ^ [11] "Yet with Lena Park, and a selected number of Korean artists..."
- ^ [12]
- ^ [13] "For Emerging Korean-American Singer Susie Suh, Songs are Like Tattoos"
- ^ Jeanette Lee - [14] "As a first generation Korean American, Jeanette was raised in a bilingual household which stressed both Korean traditional values and the American ideal of opportunity."
[edit] External links
- KAPS - Korean American Professionals Society.
- Arirang - Interactive history of Korean Americans.
- KoreAm Journal - News, stories, and issues of Korean Americans nationwide.fr:Liste des coréen-américains
