List of Korean Americans
The following is a list of notable Korean Americans, including original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Korean American or must have references showing they are Korean American and are notable.
Art and design
- Dana Tai Soon Burgess, choreographer, cultural figure
- Richard Chai, fashion designer
- Frank Cho, comic book artist, writer, and creator
- David Choe, abstract artist
- Doo-Ri Chung, fashion designer
- Peter Chung, animator, creator of cult animated TV series Æon Flux
- CYJO, photographer, "KYOPO project"
- Dennis Hwang, artist, Google doodler, game designer and artist of Pokémon Go
- Derek Kirk Kim, cartoonist and author of critically acclaimed graphic novel Same Difference and Other Stories
- Nic Cha Kim, founder of Gallery Row in Downtown Los Angeles
- Scott Kim, puzzlemaster, artist, computer game designer
- Yu Yeon Kim, curator of art
- Grace La, designer, principal of ; professor of architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
- Il Lee, artist
- Jae Lee, comic book artist
- Jim Lee, best-selling comic book artist and co-creator ; co-founder of Image Comics
- Lela Lee, actress and cartoonist, creator of the comic strip and animated cartoons Kim, the Angry Little Asian Girl and Angry Little Girls
- Jiha Moon, artist
- Nam June Paik, Korean-born artist; father of video art
- Greg Pak, writer, director, actor
- Andy Park, comic book artist
- Peter Shin, a director of Family Guy
- Peter Sohn, animator at Pixar Animation Studios
- Amy Sol, contemporary artist based in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Tommy Yune, comic book writer and artist and animation director
Business
- Nelson Chai, investment banker and former CFO of the New York Stock Exchange
- Do Won Chang, founder of Forever 21, billionaire
- Timothy Hwang, founder and CEO of FiscalNote and president of the National Youth Association
- Sabrina Kay, founder and chancellor of Fremont College
- David Kim, former CEO of Baja Fresh
- Daniel J. Kim, founder of Red Mango
- Charley Shin, founder of Charleys Philly Steaks
- James Kim, founder of Amkor, billionaire
- Jim Kim, founder of venture capital firm Formation 8
- Peter Kim, founder of Hudson Jeans
- Moon Kook-jin, founder of Kahr Arms, manufacturer of the Desert Eagle
- David Lee, former senior vice president of finance at Best Buy, former CFO of Zynga; COO and CFO of Impossible Foods
- Brian Lee, co-founder of Legalzoom.com, ShoeDazzle.com, and The Honest Company
- Chong Moon Lee, founder of Diamond Multimedia
- Curtis Lee, founder and CEO of Luxe
- David Lee, real estate developer
- Young Lee, co-founder of Pinkberry
- Thai Lee, CEO and president of SHI International, billionaire
- Ilhan New, founder of La Choy
- Jane Park, founder of Julep, cosmetics company
- James Park, founder and CEO of Fitbit
- Lucas Roh, founder of Hostway
- Sung Won Sohn, professor of economics at California State University, former president of LA Hanmi Bank
- Daewon Song, co-founder of Almost Skateboards
- James Sun, CEO and founder of GeoPage.com; The Apprentice finalist
- Michael Yang, founder and CEO of mySimon, founder & CEO of Become.com and Michael Yang Capital Partners I LP
- Gideon Yu, co-owner of the San Francisco 49ers and Executive Chairman and CEO of Bowers & Wilkins
- Richard Yoo, founder and former CEO of Rackspace
Criminals and murderers
- Seung-Hui Cho, he murdered 32 people in Virginia Tech before committing suicide with a gunshot.
- Fullerton Boys, Korean gangsters.
Culinary arts
- Danny Bowien, chef and owner of Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco and New York
- David Chang, chef, owner of Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ko and Momofuku Ssäm Bar in New York City
- Roy Choi, co-founder and head chef of Kogi Korean BBQ food trucks and restaurants in Los Angeles
- Judy Joo, chef, owner of Jinjuu Restaurant Iron Chef on Iron Chef UK; judge on Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef; host of Korean Food Made Simple Cooking Channel; judge on Kitchen Inferno
- Ann Kim, chef and co-owner of Young Joni and popular pizzerias in Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Beverly Kim, finalist on Top Chef ; first winner of Top Chef Last Chance Kitchen; chef-owner of Parachute, Chicago, Illinois
- Kristen Kish, winner of Top Chef ; chef at Stir, Boston, Massachusetts
- Edward Lee, contestant on Top Chef ; host of television show Culinary Genius
- Corey Lee, chef-owner of Michelin-starred Benu in San Francisco; former head chef at The French Laundry
Entertainment
- Philip Ahn, actor
- Ailee, singer, dancer, musician, and actress
- Amy Anderson, stand up comedian and actress
- Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, actress
- Fred Armisen, actor, comedian
- Awkwafina, actress, rap musician
- Nicole Bilderback, actress
- Moon Bloodgood, actress
- Johnny Yong Bosch, actor, best known as Adam Park in Power Rangers
- Steve Byrne, comedian, actor
- Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, author, video and filmmaker
- Katie Chang, actress
- Timothy Chang, comedian and actor
- Arden Cho, actress, Teen Wolf
- Henry Cho, comedian and actor
- John Cho, actor who appeared in the American Pie franchise and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle as well as the Star Trek reboot series as Hikaru Sulu; singer for the group Left of zed
- Margaret Cho, comedian, former star of the television sitcom All American Girl
- Smith Cho, actress
- Kelly Choi, model, television presenter
- Kenneth Choi, actor
- Justin Chon, actor
- Alexandra Bokyun Chun, actress, filmmaker
- Daniel Chun, writer, co-producer
- Charlet Chung, actress and voice actress
- Jamie Chung, actress
- Philip W. Chung, playwright, founder and Artistic Director of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble
- Morena Corwin, model and Playboy playmate
- Piper Curda, actress and singer
- Joy Dietrich, film director
- Michaela Dietz, voice actress
- Jon Gosselin, father of sextuplets; a subject of the reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8
- Joe Hahn, DJ and sampler from Linkin Park
- Mark Fischbach, YouTuber and actor
- Bong Soo Han, "father of American Hapkido"; choreographed and performed in the fight scenes of Billy Jack
- Heejun Han, singer and American Idol finalist
- Daniel Henney, model, actor in South Korea
- Gene Hong, producer, writer, and actor on Wild 'N Out
- Chanel Iman, model
- Ken Jeong, comedian, actor
- Nicole Jung, singer, dancer, rapper and former member of South Korean girl group KARA
- Matthew Kim, singer, dancer, rapper; member of South Korean Co-Ed Group K.A.R.D
- Joseph Kahn, music video and movie director
- Michael Kang, writer/director
- Sung Kang, actor
- Tim Kang, actor
- Daniel Dae Kim, actor
- Evan C. Kim, actor, best known for his role in the 1977 John Landis comedy The Kentucky Fried Movie
- Grace Kim, Playboy playmate
- Irene Kim, model and fashion designer
- Jacqueline Kim, actress
- Randall Duk Kim, actor
- Rebecca Kim, rapper, ex-member of band After School
- Stephanie Kim, singer, dancer and member of South Korean girl group The Grace
- Yunjin Kim, actress
- Esther Ku, comedian
- Yul Kwon, contestant on
- Denyce Lawton, actress, model
- Alexander Sebastien Lee, actor, filmmaker
- Andy Lee, singer, actor, and member of South Korean boy band Shinhwa
- Becky Lee, contestant on Survivor: Cook Islands
- Bobby Lee, comedy actor for MADtv
- C.S. Lee, actor
- Chris Chan Lee, filmmaker
- Ki Hong Lee, actor
- James Kyson Lee, actor
- Lee Ji-ah, actress
- Justin Lee, actor
- Lela Lee, actress and cartoonist
- Liz Lee, actress, My Life as Liz
- Megan Lee, singer, actress
- Patricia Ja Lee, actress, best known as Cassie Chan in Power Rangers
- Rex Lee, actor
- Sung-Hi Lee, model who appears mostly in soft-core nude photoshoots
- Will Yun Lee, actor
- Ma Dong-seok, actor
- Charles Melton, actor
- Mike Moh, actor, martial artist, stuntman
- Eric Nam, singer
- Leonardo Nam, actor
- Ricky Lee Neely, actor
- Soon Hee Newbold, filmmaker, actress, martial artist
- Dennis Oh, actor
- Sandra Oh, actress
- Soon-Tek Oh, actor
- Dennis Joseph O'Neil, model and actor
- Joy Osmanski, actress
- Hettienne Park, actress
- Ho Sung Pak, actor, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Liu Kang and Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat
- Grace Park, actress, Battlestar Galactica
- Bobby Kim, SMTM Season 3 winner, rapper, singer, composer with IKON, MOBB
- John Park, singer and first runner up of Superstar K2, Korean version of American Idol, semi-finalist on American Idol.
- Joon Park, actor
- Linda Park, Korean-born actress
- Randall Park, actor
- Soo Joo Park, model
- Steve Park, actor
- Sydney Park, actress
- Soon-Yi Previn, actress; wife of Woody Allen; adoptive daughter of Mia Farrow
- Lindsay Price, television actress
- Phillip Rhee, actor, Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido master
- Eddie Shin, actor
- Peniel Shin, rapper, and member of South Korean boy group BTOB
- Keong Sim, actor
- Sonja Sohn, actress
- Stephen Sohn, model
- James Sun, first runner-up, The Apprentice 6
- Brian Tee, actor
- Cher Tenbush, model, actress, Beauty and the Geek
- Nosaj Thing, electronic musician
- Jenna Ushkowitz, actress and singer
- Vernon, singer; member of South Korean group Seventeen
- Suzanne Whang, host of HGTV's House Hunters, Polly on NBC's Las Vegas, award-winning stand-up comedian
- Kevin Woo, singer, dancer and member of South Korean Boy Band U-KISS
- Eugene Lee Yang, filmmaker, actor, and co-creator of the online comedy series The Try Guys
- Han Ye-seul, actress
- Steven Yeun, actor
- Aaron Yoo, actor
- Christine Yoo, scriptwriter and director of Wedding Palace
- Johnny Yune, comedian and actor
- Karl Yune, model and actor
- Rick Yune, model and actor
Journalism
- Virginia Cha, CNN News anchor
- Juju Chang, ABC News anchor and reporter
- Alina Cho, CNN News correspondent
- Liz Cho, ABC News anchor and reporter
- Sophia Choi, former CNN Headline News anchor, now at KVBC-DT
- Arnold Kim, founder of MacRumors
- James Kim, former senior editor at CNET
- Lee Ann Kim, anchor and reporter for KGTV; executive director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival
- Lisa Kim, NBC News news anchor for NBC11
- Michael Kim, ESPN anchor
- Corina Knoll, Los Angeles Times reporter
- Suchin Pak, MTV News anchor and reporter
- Eun Yang, NBC4/WRC-TV News anchor and reporter, Washington, DC
- Phil Yu, founder and owner of the Angry Asian Man blog
- Young Jean Lee, New York Times writer
Law and government
- Judge Herbert Choy, appointed to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; first Asian American appointed to the federal bench
- Judge Michael H. Park, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- Judge Kenneth K. Lee, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Wendy Lee Gramm, former head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs ; wife of former United States Senator Phil Gramm
- Yumi Hogan, First Lady of the State of Maryland; first Korean American first lady of a U.S. state and the first Asian American first lady in the history of Maryland
- BJ Kang, FBI agent, lead investigator of insider trading case against Raj Rajaratnam
- Emil J. Kang, non-profit arts administrator, curator, professor. Youngest president and first Asian-American to head a major symphony orchestra. First Korean-American to be nominated by the president of the United States for membership in the National Council on the Arts National Endowment for the Arts
- Young Woo Kang, policy advisor of the National Council on Disability of the US White House in 2001
- Michael Kim, trial lawyer
- Harold Hongju Koh, dean of Yale Law School and former Assistant Secretary of State during the Clinton administration
- Lucy H. Koh, judge, US District Court for the Northern District of California, appointed 2010
- Ronald Moon, Chief Justice of the Hawai'i Supreme Court
- Angela E. Oh, attorney and social/political activist best known for her role as spokesperson for the Korean American community after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and her position on President Bill Clinton's One America Initiative
- Annabel Park, founder of Coffee Party USA
- Meroe Park, associate deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 2013 to 2017
- John Yoo, Berkeley law professor and former Deputy Attorney General in the United States Department of Justice
- Sung Kim, US Ambassador to the Philippines
Elected officials
- Martha Choe, city councilmember in Seattle
- John Choi, county attorney of Ramsey County, Minnesota and former Saint Paul City Attorney
- Jun Choi, former mayor of Edison, New Jersey
- Dr. Steven Choi Ph.D, California State Assemblyman, 68th District
- Christopher Chung, the first elected mayor of Palisades Park, New Jersey, where Koreans constitute the majority of the population
- Hoon-Yung Hopgood, member of Michigan State House of Representatives, first Korean American elected to public office in Michigan
- Sam Park, member of Georgia's State House of Representatives, first Korean American and the first openly gay person of color elected to Georgia's General Assembly, representing the 101st District.
- Sukhee Kang, former Mayor of Irvine, California
- Mark L. Keam, member of the Virginia House of Delegates
- Andy Kim, US Congressperson from New Jersey, former US diplomat and national security official
- Harry Kim, former Mayor of Hawaii County
- Jane Kim, Supervisor in San Francisco
- Jay Kim, former Republican Congressman from California
- Ron Kim, first Korean American elected in New York State
- Young O. Kim, former California State Assemblywoman, 65th District
- Cindy Ryu, Washington Washington House of Representatives, first female Korean-American Mayor in the U.S.A.
- David Ryu, first Korean-American elected to the Los Angeles City Council
- Paull Shin, Washington state senator; Korean adoptee
- Anna Song, trustee on the Santa Clara County Office of Education
- Michelle Park Steel, Vice Chair, Orange County Board of Supervisors, representing the Second District
- Sam Yoon, Boston City Councillor, first Asian American to be elected to the position in the city
Literature
- Matthew J. Baek, illustrator, children's book author, and graphic designer
- Leonard Chang, novelist, short story and TV writer
- Alexander Chee, fiction writer, poet, journalist, and reviewer
- Kah Kyung Cho, philosopher and writer
- Sook Nyul Choi, children's storybook writer
- Susan Choi, novelist
- Jenny Han, author of children's and young adult novels, including the 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before Series'
- Euny Hong, journalist and author of The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation is Conquering the World through Pop Culture
- Minsoo Kang, historian and writer
- Younghill Kang, early Asian American writer; has been called "the father of Korean American literature"
- Elaine H. Kim, writer, editor and professor in Asian American Studies
- Elizabeth Kim, journalist and novelist
- Eugenia Kim, author
- Mike Kim, author
- Myung Mi Kim, poet
- Nancy Kim, author, lawyer
- Richard E. Kim, author, professor of literature
- Suki Kim, author, investigative journalist, novelist
- Suji Kwock Kim, poet, playwright, author of Notes From The Divided Country
- Corina Knoll, editor, journalist
- Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee, writer and artist
- Don Lee, author, editor
- Ed Bok Lee, poet, writer
- Min Jin Lee, novelist
- Mary Paik Lee, author of Quiet Odyssey
- Walter K. Lew, poet and scholar
- Nami Mun, novelist
- Gary Pak, writer, editor and professor of English, noted as one of the most important Asian Hawaiian writers
- Ty Pak, writer; speaker on Korean affairs and literature
- Linda Sue Park, American-born writer
- T. K. Seung, philosopher and literary critic
- Cathy Song, poet
- Jane Jeong Trenka, author of The Language of Blood
- Monica Youn, poet, National Book Award finalist
- Young Jean Lee, playwright and director
- Ji-Yeon Yuh, reporter, writer, editor and professor in Asian American history
Military
- Daniel Choi, U.S. Army officer and gay rights activist
- Susan Ahn Cuddy, first female gunnery officer in the United States Navy
- Major Gen. Sharon K.G. Dunbar, Commander of the Air Force District of Washington ; Commander of the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing, headquartered at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
- Jeff Hwang, U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and 1999 winner of Mackay Trophy
- Andrew Kim, former head of CIA's Korea Mission Center
- Richard C. Kim, U.S. Army brigadier general, Deputy Commander of United States Army North
- Colonel Young-Oak Kim, highly decorated U.S. Army combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War; first non-white to command an Army combat battalion in US history
- Fred Ohr, World War II ace fighter pilot
- Peter M. Rhee, trauma surgeon and military veteran
- Sue Mi Terry, CIA intelligence analyst specializing in East Asia
Music
- Ahn Trio, Juilliard-educated classical music trio, featured in print and television ads for Gap
- Priscilla Ahn, alternative/folk singer
- Ailee, singer based in South Korea
- Amerie, R&B singer-songwriter, actress
- Anderson Paak, singer, rapper and multi-instrumentalist
- Aaron Kwak also known as ARON, member of South Korean boy band NU'EST
- Sarah Chang, classical violinist and recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize
- Arden Cho, model, actress who also displays her singing and songwriting talents on YouTube
- David Choi, singer-songwriter and YouTube sensation
- Jae Chong, music producer, formerly of R&B group Solid
- Clara Chung, singer
- Dumbfoundead, rapper
- Dia Frampton, musician, younger sister of Meg Frampton
- Meg Frampton, musician, older sister of Dia Frampton
- Shinik Hahm, conductor, professor
- Joe Hahn, founding member of alternative rock band Linkin Park, multi-platinum and Grammy Award winner
- Jessi, singer and rapper
- Hei-Kyung Hong, soprano with The Metropolitan Opera Company
- Hansol Vernon Chwe, singer; member of southern Korean boy group Seventeen
- Joshua Hong, singer; member of southern Korean boy group Seventeen
- Kim Samuel, former Produce 101 Contestant & Soloist
- Danny Im, member of South Korean hip hop group 1TYM, R&B singer based in South Korea
- Yuna Ito, Korean-Japanese, America-born J-pop singer and actress
- Brian Joo, member of South Korean duo Fly to the Sky, R&B singer based in South Korea
- Tiffany Hwang, singer, musical actress Fame as Carmen Diaz; member of South Korean group Girls' Generation
- Jessica Jung, singer, musical actress of the South Korean version of ; former member of group Girls' Generation; sister of Krystal Jung
- Krystal Jung, singer, dancer, actress, model; member of South Korean group f; sister of Jessica Jung
- Nicole Jung, singer, dancer, rapper and former member of KARA
- Crystal Kay, J-pop singer
- David Kim, concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra
- Earl Kim, pianist and composer; Harvard University professor
- Eli Kim, member of South Korean boy band U-KISS
- George Han Kim, singer and member of former R&B group Solid
- Paul Kim, classical pianist
- Soovin Kim, violinist from New York City
- JinJoo Lee, guitarist and member of DNCE.
- Kodi Lee, pianist and singer-songwriter
- Sean Lee, violinist, four-season concertmaster and teaching assistant at Juilliard
- Sunny Lee, singer, radio host, member of South Korean group Girls' Generation
- Kevin Kwan Loucks, pianist and arts entrepreneur
- Nancy McDonie, singer and member of South Korean group Momoland
- Lucia Micarelli, violinist
- Eric Mun, rapper, actor and leader/member of South Korean boy band Shinhwa
- John Myung, bass guitar player of progressive metal band Dream Theater
- Eric Nam, singer and TV host based in South Korea
- Soon Hee Newbold, composer, conductor and violinist
- Karen O, lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Ken Oak, vocalist of Ken Oak Band
- Eugene Park, electric violinist in South Korea
- Jae Park, singer-songwriter, composer, and guitarist for South Korean band Day6
- Jay Park, hip hop singer, rapper, b-boy, dancer, and former ex leader of 2PM
- Park Joon-hyung, rapper and leader/member of South Korean pop group g.o.d
- Lena Park, K-pop, R&B singer, songwriter, composer
- Mike Park, ska and punk musician, founder of Asian Man Records
- Teddy Park, member of 1TYM, singer/rapper/producer based in South Korea.
- Todd Park Mohr, lead vocals/guitars/keyboards/saxophone of Big Head Todd and the Monsters
- Son Hoyoung, singer and member of South Korean pop group g.o.d
- John Suh, singer and rapper in the band NCT 127
- Susie Suh, singer-songwriter, signed with Epic Records
- T, R&B singer based in South Korea
- Tiger JK, musician
- Tim, R&B singer based in South Korea
- Steve Seung-Jun Yoo, singer and dancer formerly based in South Korea
- Michelle Zauner, singer and songwriter who performs under the name Japanese Breakfast
Religion
- Peter Ahn, translator of the New American Standard Bible
- Hae Jong Kim, Bishop of the United Methodist Church
- Andrew S. Park, theologian
- Angela Warnick Buchdahl, Rabbi
Science, technology and education
- Tae-Ung Baik, professor of law at the University of Hawaii Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law; legal scholar of international human rights law and Korean law
- Victor Cha, professor in Asian studies, former Director for Asian Affairs in the White House's National Security Council
- Dennis Choi, neuroscientist at Emory University, member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, former executive vice president for neuroscience at Merck, former chairman of the department of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
- Howard Choi, spinal cord injury specialist
- John Chun, designer of AC Cobra and Shelby Mustang GT350 and GT500 models; Tonka Toys designer
- Jefferson Han, one of the main developers of "multi-touch sensing" technology, owner of Perceptive Pixel company
- Moo-Young Han, physicist
- Dennis Hong, professor and the founding director of RoMeLa of the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department at UCLA
- Hyun Yi Kang, scholar and writer; chair of Women's Studies and Associate Professor in Comparative Literature and English at University of California, Irvine
- Larry Kwak, world-renowned physician and scientist who has pioneered breakthrough innovations in immunology and cancer vaccines; and named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2010.
- Minsoo Kang, historian and writer at University of Missouri
- Sung-Mo "Steve" Kang, chancellor of University of California, Merced; former professor of electrical and computer engineering at various institutions
- Jaegwon Kim, William Herbert Perry Faunce Professor of Philosophy at Brown University
- Jeong H. Kim, president of Bell Labs
- No-Hee Park, Dean of the School of Dentistry at the University of California, Los Angeles.
- Waun Ki Hong, Division Head and Professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and pioneer in field of cancer chemoprevention and cancer medicine.
- Jim Yong Kim, Francois Xavier Bagnoud Professor Health and Human Rights at Harvard University; former director of HIV/AIDS at the World Health Organization; 17th president of Dartmouth College; president of the World Bank
- Peter S. Kim, president of Merck, former MIT-Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research biochemist, member of National Academy of Sciences
- Howard Koh, professor of the Practice of Public Health; associate dean for Public Health Practice at the Harvard School of Public Health; former Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Health
- Benjamin W. Lee, theoretical physicist
- Chang-Rae Lee, professor of creative writing at Princeton University; novelist
- Marina Lee, co-founder of an international program on empathy and global citizenship development in youth
- David Oh, NASA engineer and lead flight director of the Mars Curiosity rover
- Gary Pak, professor of English at University of Hawaii; one of the most important Asian Hawaiian writers
- Andrew S. Park, Methodist theologian
- Mark L. Polansky, NASA astronaut
- Michelle Rhee, former chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools; education reform advocate
- Sebastian Seung, computational neuroscientist, brain and cognitive sciences professor at MIT, and author of Connectomes
- Nam-Pyo Suh, doctor of engineering of Carnegie Mellon University, 14th president of KAIST in South Korea
- Jeannie Suk, assistant professor of law at Harvard Law School; award-winning writer
- Meredith Jung-En Woo, dean of the college and graduate school of arts and sciences at the University of Virginia, professor of political science and Korean studies
- Ji-Yeon Yuh, professor in Asian American history and Asian diasporas at the Northwestern University
- Joon Yun, radiologist; founder of Palo Alto Institute
Sports
- Rob Refsnyder, MLB player; born in Seoul, South Korea, and adopted by a couple from Southern California when he was five months old.
- Darwin Barney, MLB player; grandfather is from Korea and grandmother is from Japan
- Eugene Chung, former NFL player, first Korean American to be drafted in the 1st round, played offensive line
- Simon Cho, Olympic speed skater; won the bronze medal in men's 5000 meter relay at the 2010 Vancouver Games
- Hank Conger, MLB player
- Emily Cross, Olympic fencer; won the silver medal in foil team at the 2008 Beijing Games
- Toby Dawson, Olympic skier, won the bronze medal in men's freestyle skiing at the 2006 Torino Games
- Bill Demong, Olympic skier; mother is half Korean
- Marcus Demps, American football player
- Will Demps, American football player
- Jake Dunning, MLB player
- Tommy Edman, MLB player, mother is from Korea.
- Tom Farden, head coach of the Utah Red Rocks
- James Hahn, professional golfer
- Benson Henderson, mixed martial artist, former UFC lightweight champion
- John Huh, professional golfer
- Vicky Hurst, professional golfer
- Anthony Kim, professional golfer
- Chloe Kim, elite snowboarder, Winter X Games gold medalist Olympic gold medalist
- Christina Kim, professional golfer
- Kevin Kim, tennis player
- Jessica Pegula, tennis player; daughter of Terrence and Kim Pegula
- Younghoe Koo, American football player
- Tae Man Kwon, Hapkido Grand Master; 9th degree Black Belt
- Jeanette Lee, pool player, nicknamed "The Black Widow" for her tendency to wear black
- John Lee, former football player
- Sammy Lee, diver, first American-born male Asian Olympic gold medalist
- David Lipsky, professional golfer; mother is from Korea
- Moon Tae-jong, professional basketball player
- Kevin Na, professional golfer
- Naomi Nari Nam, figure skater
- Jim Paek, NHL hockey player
- Angela Park, professional golfer
- Jane Park, professional golfer
- Richard Park, NHL player
- BJ Penn, mixed martial artist and former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion
- Jhoon Rhee, taekwondo master and entrepreneur
- Terrmel Sledge, MLB player
- Daewon Song, professional skateboarder
- Sonya Thomas, aka "Black Widow," competitive eater, holder of 29 world titles
- Hines Ward, football player, MVP of Super Bowl XL
- Michelle Wie, professional golfer
- Alex Yi, soccer player
- Ariane Andrew also known as Cameron, professional wrestler
- Mia Yim also known as Jade, professional wrestler
- James Yun, professional wrestler
- Ben Leber, NFL Linebacker
Other
- Philip Jaisohn, first Korean to become an American citizen; first Korean American to receive an American medical degree
- Song Oh-kyun, Korean independence activist
- Song Yi-kyun, Korean independence activist and aviator