The era of South Korean top models began when Lee So-ra won the first “Supermodel of Korea” contest held on 23 November 1992 at Seoul’s Hilton Hotel Convention Center. Today, let’s take a stroll down the runway to look at some of the most precious and successful faces of the South Korean modelling industry.
It’s not just K-dramas and BTS but also South Korean models that are taking centre stage, thereby letting the country have its moment in the global limelight. Be it the veteran Jang Yoon-ju, with a career spanning over two decades, or the beautiful Sora Choi, joining top fashion week catwalks worldwide, these stunning South Korean models know how to own the runway.
Leading the list of top faces of Korea’s modelling industry is supermodel Choi Sora. With over 412 runway walks to her credit, Sora is famous for her androgynous looks and piercing gaze. In May 2023, she grabbed headlines as “The top South Korean model who stole the show at Met Gala.”
Not to forget the Squid Game breakout star Jung Ho-yeon. An established South Korean model, Jung is preparing for her big screen debut with A24’s The Governesses, opposite Lily-Rose Depp. The model-turned-actor will also be seen in Alfonso Cuarón’s thriller show Disclaimer and Na Hong-jin’s South Korean film Hope.
These top South Korean models are rocking the runways and how
Sora Choi
Sora at the 2023 Met Gala; Image: Courtesy Sora Choi/Instagram
Born Choi So-ra on 5 September 1994 in Bucheon, South Korea, Sora made her modelling debut through a college graduation show. In 2012, she went on to win the third season of Korea’s Next Top Model.
Following her massive national popularity, Sora made a brief international appearance in September 2013 by opening Christopher Raeburn’s Spring 2014 fashion show. However, it was only in May 2014 that Sora enjoyed her official international runway debut with Louis Vuitton’s cruise show in Monaco.
Admired by Vogue as “one of the most popular faces on the runways” in the fall 2016 season, Sora has featured in over 90 international advertising campaigns for high-end fashion houses like Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Versace, Tom Ford, Gucci, Valentino, Burberry, NARS, Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, Marc Jacobs, Coach, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hugo Boss, Fendi, Max Mara, Moschino, Michael kors and Mugler.
Consequently, she has made iconic runway moments by walking for brands, including Prada, Gucci, Miu Miu, Chanel, Hermès, Givenchy, Celine, Proenza Schouler, Loewe, Paco Rabanne, Burberry and Balenciaga.
In October 2022, Sora was included in the Business of Fashion’s BOF 500 — a list of the most significant names in the fashion industry. The following year, the South Korean model opened Gucci’s first-ever cruise collection Asia show, held at the prestigious Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul.
The year 2023 also saw Sora making her Met Gala debut at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The star-studded night saw the supermodel turn up the red carpet heat in a Thom Browne two-piece covered in camellias and gold chain motifs — a perfect homage to the legendary German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.
Jung Ho-yeon
Image: Courtesy Jung Ho-yeon/Instagram
Popularly known as Hoyeon Jung, she started her career as a freelance model in 2010 and is now one of the most prominent models in South Korea. The runner-up of the fourth season of Korea’s Next Top Model, Jung made her international runway debut with the Opening Ceremony’s S/S 2017 show at New York Fashion Week in September 2016.
Famous for her “fiery” red hair, which became her signature look, Jung also made her Paris Fashion Week runway debut in 2016. She walked the ramp as an exclusive model for Louis Vuitton at their S/S 2017 show, after being selected by the brand’s women’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquière and casting director Ashley Brokaw.
Other prominent runaway appearances of the South Korean model include Burberry, Miu Miu, Jason Wu, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Schiaparelli, Giambattista Valli, Emilio Pucci, Prabal Gurung, Jacquemus, Gabriela Hearst, Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Roberto Cavalli, Gucci, Lanvin, Zuhair Murad, Jeremy Scott, Tory Burch, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Brandon Maxwell.
Jung ventured into acting in January 2020 after being signed by Korean talent agency Saram Entertainment. She made her acting debut in the 2021 Netflix hit K-drama Squid Game. Her performance as the North Korean pickpocketer Kang Sae-byeok, desperate to transfer her family to South Korea, earned her massive popularity worldwide. Furthermore, she went ahead to win the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series at the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards. Not to forget, two of the highest-paid K-drama actors, Jung and co-star Lee Jung-jae’s accolades made Squid Game the first non-English language television series to win at the SAG Awards.
Shin Hyun-ji
Image: Courtesy Shin Hyun-ji/Instagram
One of the most successful South Korean models, Shin Hyun-ji found her footing in the fashion world after winning the fourth season of Korea’s Next Top Model. Since then, she has graced the runways for top fashion labels like Chanel, Dior, Max Mara, Anna Sui, Prada, Brandon Maxwell, Chloe, Altuzarra, Dior, Miu Miu, Giambattista Valli, Calvin Klein and Michael Kors.
Shin’s international journey started after walking for American fashion house Coach in New York. One of her biggest career highlights is being photographed by Karl Lagerfeld shortly before his death, for his final Chanel campaign.
In February 2023, Shin became the first Asian model to close Chanel’s Haute Couture show at the Grand Palais Ephemer in Paris. Furthermore, in July 2023, Shin also closed the Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2023 Show.
In an interview with models.com, Shin shared that her ultimate goal is to model for decades. The model said, “I think everyone can have long careers. Look at like Lauren Hutton. They’re always doing things like Valentino and are an inspiration to young people. I’m a really big fan of Cindy Crawford or Kate Moss. The 90s icons, but they’re still doing modeling.”
Park Soo-joo
Image: Courtesy Park Soo-joo/Instagram
This veteran South Korean model’s fashion stints range from flaunting her once platinum-blonde hair to impressive runway shows for Chanel, Fendi, Moschino and Tom Ford as well as editorials for Vogue Korea, Dazed and Wonderland.
From making her first fashion stint with her appearance in a BCBG Max Azria advertisement in 2010 to becoming the global ambassador of Chanel in 2020, Park has had an impressive career trajectory. She has also been the face of advertising campaigns for Michael Kors, Redken, Gap Inc., MAC Cosmetics, Tom Ford, DKNY and Bvlgari.
In March 2015, Park became the first Asian-American woman to be a L’Oréal spokesmodel and joined global celebrities such as Lara Stone, Jennifer Lopez and Karlie Kloss. Expressing her thoughts on the same, Park told Style.com, “It’s such an honor, but I also think the world is getting smaller and globalization of commerce is influencing industries like beauty and fashion.”
In 2017, the Korean star made her acting debut as Sutra in the second season of the American drama series Sense8. Park further ventured into music and in June 2021, made her singing debut under the name Ether, with a cover of a classic 1968 Korean rock song, “Haenim”. In September 2022, Chanel announced the model as the face of their Première Original Edition watch.
Jang Yoon-ju
Image: Courtesy Jang Yoon-ju/Instagram
Jang began her career as a 17-year-old with designer Jin Tae-ok’s Seoul Collection show in 1997 and went on to become one of the top South Korean models. From posing with global fashion icons like Kate Moss and Carla Bruni to judging Korea’s Next Top Model, Jang has demonstrated her prowess in everything she does.
Additionally, the runway model has established herself as an author, musician and actor. Based on her experiences in the fashion industry, Jang, along with fellow models Kim Jae-wook, Ji Hyun-jung, Han Hye-jin and Song Kyung-ah, co-authored the book Top Model in May 2011. As a singer-songwriter, Jang has two albums to her credit — Dream [2008] and I’m Fine [2012].
After making appearances in popular Korean variety shows like Running Man and Knowing Bros, Jang made her acting debut in 2015 with Ryoo Seung-wan’s crime thriller Veteran. However, it was only in 2029 that Jang became a household name with the critically acclaimed film Three Sisters.
Furthermore, in 2022, her popularity soared to greater heights with Netflix’s Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area, the South Korean remake of the hit Spanish drama series Money Heist. Jang will be next seen in the 2024 K-drama Queen of Tears.
Irene
Image: Courtesy Irene Kim/Instagram
This Korean-American model started as an intern at record label JYP Entertainment and finally made her first runway debut with a Jardin de Chouette and SJYP fashion show in 2012.
In her decade-long career, Irene, aka Kim Irene, has worked with multiple high-end brands like J Koo, KYE, Youser, Supercomma B, S=YZ, Mulberry, Ferragamo, MaxMara, Calvin Klein, Charles & Keith and Chanel. Her magazine cover editorials include Grazia China, Cosmopolitan Korea, W Korea, Marie Claire Taiwan, Harper’s Bazaar Korea and Elle Thailand.
In 2015, Estée Lauder appointed Irene as the brand’s Global Beauty Contributor along with Kendall Jenner. Kim became the global brand ambassador for Chanel in 2017.
Furthermore, Irene established her own fashion brand, IRENEISGOOD, in June 2018. The South Korean top model, who is popular for her rainbow hair, made sure to include in her brand a wide range of merchandise that reflects her eclectic and vibrant style. Irene launched the 2020 Spring/Summer collection of IRENEISGOOD at the Paris Fashion Week in September 2019.
Irene has also been grabbing headlines for reportedly dating BTS member J-Hope and was spotted on the rapper’s solo stage at the hit 2022 music festival Lollapalooza.
Lee Soo-hyuk
Image: Courtesy Lee Soo-hyuk/Instagram
One of Korea’s top models, Soo-hyuk debuted at the Lone Custom fashion show by designer Jung Wook-Jun in 2006 and quickly climbed the success ladder.
Soo-hyuk has walked down the runways of famed fashion labels such as Balenciaga, JW Anderson, Balmain, General Idea and Song Zio. Named one of the “13 Top Breakout New Male Faces of F/W2013” by the fashion magazine Style Minutes, he was also featured in fashion editorials for magazines like GQ, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, W Korea, Esquire and Elle.
In 2013, Lee was a part of Paris Fashion Week and London Fashion Week, for shows by JW Anderson, Balenciaga and Songzio. The following year, he became a guest judge in the fourth season of Korea’s Next Top Model.
Meanwhile, the South Korean fashion model has also made appearances in multiple music videos by K-pop girl groups Gavy NJ and 2NE1. A model-turned-actor, some of his most popular K-dramas and movies include The Boy From Ipanema [2010], White Christmas [2011], What’s Up [2011], Runway Cop [2012] and Horror Stories 2 [2013].
Kang Seung-hyun
Image: Courtesy Kang Seung-hyun/Instagram
One of the most successful Korean models, Hyoni Kang, aka Kang Seung-hyun, officially started her journey at the 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall fashion show in New York in February 2008.
Kang was just nineteen when she became the first Asian model to win Ford’s Model of the World title in 2008. The same year, she also walked for fashion houses like 3.1 Phillip Lim, DKNY, Halston and Michael Kors.
Her other standout runaway walks were for designers such as Badgley Mischka, Tory Burch, Roksanda Ilincic, House of Holland, Maria Cornejo, Osman Yousefzada, Karen Walker and Amanda Wakeley. Kang has also been featured in various editorial covers for Vogue Korea, Marie Claire, Teen Vogue and Vogue China.
In September 2014, Kang was signed by the entertainment company YG KPLUS, following which the model ventured into acting. Standouts from her portfolio include shows like We Broke Up [2015], High Society [2015], Partners for Justice 2 [2019] and My Holo Love [2020].
[Hero and featured image: Courtesy Sora Choi/Lee Soo-hyuk/Instagram]
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
– Who is Korea’s most famous model?
Some of the most famous South Korean models are Sora Choi, Irene Kim, Lee Soo-hyuk, Shin Hyun-ji, Kang Seung-hyun, Jang Yoon-ju and Park Soo-joo.
– Who is the youngest Korean model?
While there’s no official data on her, according to various sources, Kim Min-young is the youngest South Korean model.
– What is the eligible height for modelling in Korea?
According to the media outlet The Korea Times, the required height for male models in South Korea is 180 centimetres or above, while the minimum for Korean female models is around 168 centimetres.