From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of notable
Zainichi Koreans or notable Japanese people of Korean descent.
Politics and law
-
Haku Shinkun, politician,
House of Councillors (Real Name: Baek Jinhoon)
-
Han Duk-su, North Korean politician, founder and first chairman of
Chongryon
-
Kim Ch'on-hae, leading official of the
Japanese Communist Party (Originally from
Ulsan, South Korea)
-
Kim Pyong-sik,
North Korean politician,
Vice President of North Korea and chairman of the
Korean Social Democratic Party (Originally from
South Jeolla Province, South Korea)
-
Ko Yong-hui, wife of
North Korean
Supreme Leader
Kim Jong-il and mother of North Korea's current leader
Kim Jong-un
-
Lee Kyung-jae, local activist
-
Lee Myung-bak, President of South Korea (born in
Osaka, ancestral roots in
Pohang,
North Gyeongsang)
-
Park Choon-Geum, politician,
House of Representatives (Originally from
Miryang,
Gyeongsangnam-do,
South Korea)
-
So Man-sul, North Korean politician,
Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea, chairman of
Chongryon (Originally from
Gyeongju,
Gyeongsangbuk-do,
South Korea)
-
Togo Shigenori, Minister of Foreign Affairs (in 1941), Minister of Greater East Asia (in 1945)
Business and economics
-
Aoki Sadao, President of
MK Taxi and Resident Director of
Kinkisangyo Shinkumi Bank - Originally from
South Gyeongsang, South Korea (Real Name: Yoo Bong-seok)
-
Arai Taidō, founder of
Jojoen restaurant chain (Real Name: Park Tae-do)
-
Kanayama Yoshio, founder of
Murasaki Sports
-
Kawamura Shinko (Madame Shinco), founder of Cowcow Food System and television personality
-
Choung-Un Kim, vice president of
Gilead Sciences and co-developer of
tamiflu
[1]
-
Yoshitaka Fukuda, President and CEO of Japanese consumer finance companies
Aiful
[2]
-
Han Chang-u, CEO of
Maruhan (Japan's largest
pachinko operator) - Originally from
Sacheon,
Gyeongsangnam-do,
South Korea
-
Okamura Katsumasa, founder of
Reve21
-
Masahiro Miki, founder and CEO of
ABC-Mart, Japanese footwear company (Real Name: Kang Jeong-ho)
-
Masayoshi Son, CEO of
Softbank and chairman of UK-based
Arm Holdings (Real Name: Son Jeong-eui)
-
Taizo Son, President and Chairman of
GungHo, mobile gaming company (Real Name: Taejang Son/Son Taejang/Son Tae-jang)
-
Akio Shigemitsu, CEO of
Lotte (Real Name:
Shin Dong-bin)
-
Hiroyuki Shigemitsu, Vice President of Lotte USA (Real Name: Shin Dong-joo)
-
Takeo Shigemitsu, founder of the
Lotte group (Real Name:
Shin Kyuk-ho)
Academic
Woo Jang-choon
-
Kang Sang-jung, political scientist, professor at the
Seigakuin University and
University of Tokyo
-
Kim Wooja, sociologist, professor at
Ritsumeikan University
-
Woo Jang-choon, agricultural scientist and botanist
-
O Sonfa, professor at
Takushoku University (Real Name: Oh Seon-hwa) - Originally from
Jeju-do,
South Korea
-
Suh Sung, Japanese-born Korean professor, writer and former
political prisoner
-
Kim Ik-kyŏn, sociologist, professor at
Kobe Gakuin University
-
Kyŏng-ju Kim, linguist, professor at
Tokai University
-
Kanayama Rika, historian, professor at
International Christian University (Real Name: Kim Mal-cha)
-
Yanchun Kaku (Real Name: Kwak Yangchun), economist, President of
Rikkyo University (2018-2021)
-
An Katsumasa, psychiatrist, professor at
Kobe University
-
Lee Young-suk, sociolinguist, professor at
Hitotsubashi University - Originally from South Korea
-
Yi Sookyung, historical sociologist, professor at
Tokyo Gakugei University - Originally from South Korea
-
Jeongyun Lee, educationist, professor at
University of Tokyo - Originally from South Korea
-
Kim Moonkyong (Kin Bunkyō), specialist of Chinese literature, professor at
Tsurumi University
-
Yang-gi Kim, cultural historian, professor at
Tokoha University
-
Myungsoo Kim, sociologist, professor at
Kwansei Gakuin University
-
Kim Sook-hyun, political scientist, professor at
Tokoku University and secretary for
Ichirō Ozawa
-
Kilnam Chon, computer scientist, professor at
KAIST and
Keio University
Literature and poetry
-
Boichi,
manhwa/
mangaka (Real Name: Mu-jik Park)
-
Kim Shijon, poet and activist
-
Lee Hoesung,
Akutagawa Prize-winning novelist
-
Lee Yangji,
Akutagawa Prize-winning novelist
-
Megumu Sagisawa, novelist
-
Tachihara Masaaki, novelist (Real Name: Kim Yun Kyu) - Originally from
Andong,
Gyeongsangbuk-do,
South Korea
-
Yang Sok-il, novelist
-
Yu Miri,
Akutagawa Prize-winning novelist
Entertainment
Miyavi
Film and television
-
Hakuryu, actor and musician (Real Name: Jun Jung-il)
-
Houka Kinoshita, actor (Real Name: Rhee Bon-hwa)
-
Brian Tee,
Japanese American actor, second-generation
Zainichi Korean
-
Kaho Minami, actress
-
Yuna Ito, singer
-
Yuny Han, actress, singer, and
pianist (Real Name: Han Tae-youn)
-
Juri Watanabe, model,
Miss Universe Japan 2021
-
Koichi Iwaki, actor (Real Name: Lee Gwon-il)
-
Hirofumi Arai, actor, third-generation Zainichi North Korean (Real Name: Park Kyung-sik)
-
Hwang Jang-lee,
martial artist and
film actor
-
Tsuyoshi Ihara, actor (Real Name: Yun Yu-gu)
- Kim Su-gil, film director and producer
- Hyunri, actress (Real Name: Lee Hyun-ri)
- Johnny Okura, actor and musician (Real Name: Park Unhwan/Park Unan)
-
Maruse Taro, mime artist, comedian, vaudevillian and movie star (Real Name: Kim Kyun-hong)
-
Kōhei Tsuka, playwright, theater director, and screenwriter (Real Name: Kim Pongung)
-
Mipo O,
film director,
screenwriter, and
commercial director
-
Romi Park, voice actress and singer
-
Yang Yong-hi, film director
- Sohee Park, actor
-
Sunghoo Park, anime director
- Gong Teyu, actor (Real Name: Gong Dae-Yoo)
-
Hanae Kan, actress (Real Name: Han Young-hye)
-
Keiko Matsuzaka, actress (Real Name: Han Kyeong-ja)
-
Kiko Mizuhara, actress and model (Real name: Audrie Kiko Daniel)
Music
-
Chon Wolson,
soprano
opera singer (Real Name: Jeon Wol-seon)
- Kim Sung-Je, member of Supernova
-
Tomoyasu Hotei, also known as Hotei, Korean father and Russian-born Japanese mother
-
Mink,
J-pop singer (Real Name: Lee Mink)
-
Miyavi, musician
-
Jyongri, singer (Real Name: Cho Jyong-ri)
-
Crystal Kay, singer
-
Hong-Jae Kim, conductor
- Kim Seikyo, conductor
-
Ayumi Lee, as also known as Iconiq, singer, Korean father and second-generation Zainichi Korean mother
-
Harumi Miyako,
enka singer (Real Name: Rhee Chun-mi)
-
Apeace,
South Korean
K-pop
boygroup based in Japan
-
Park Pushim, reggae artist
-
Kunihiko Ryo, composer (Real Name: Yang Bang-ean)
-
Shion, singer (Real Name: Yu-hyang Park)
-
Sonim, singer, third-generation Zainichi Korean (Real Name: Seong Son-im)
-
Towa Tei, DJ (Real Name: Dong-hwa Chung)
-
Verbal, rapper of M-Flo (Real Name: Ryu Yeong-gi)
-
Akiko Wada, singer (Real Name: Kim Bok-ja)
-
Kohh, rapper
-
Yuna Ito, singer, Japanese father and Korean-American mother
-
Rihwa, pop singer (Real Name: Park Ri-hwa)
-
RiSe, singer, model and
K-pop idol, former member of
K-pop girlgroup
Ladies' Code (Real Name: Kwon Ri-se)
-
Kangnam, singer, television personality and
K-pop idol, former member of
K-pop boygroup
M.I.B.
-
Chanmina, rapper and pop musician
-
Yoshi (Kanemoto Yoshinori), producer, rapper and
K-pop idol, member of
K-pop boy group
Treasure (Real Name: Kim Bang-jeon)
-
Giselle (Uchinaga Eri), singer, rapper, dancer and
K-pop idol, member of
K-pop girlgroup
æspa (Real Name: Kim Ae-ri)
-
Saori, singer, model and entertainer (Real Name: Jang Eun-ju)
-
Obata Minoru, singer (Real Name: Kang Young-cheol)
Sports
Baseball
-
Kanemoto Tomoaki, professional baseball player, member of the
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
-
Kaneda Masaichi, professional baseball player, member of the
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (Real Name: Kim Kyung-Hong)
-
Harimoto Isao, professional baseball player, member of the
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (Real Name: Jang Hun)
-
Hideo Fujimoto, professional baseball player, member of the
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
-
Arai Takahiro, professional baseball player
-
Arai Ryota, professional baseball player
-
Morimoto Hichori, professional baseball player (Real Name: Heechul Lee)
-
Hisao Niura, professional baseball player (Real Name: Kim Il-young)
-
Hiyama Shinjiro, professional baseball player (Real Name: Hwang Jin-hwan)
-
Kinjoh Tatsuhiko, professional baseball player (Real Name: Kim Yong-eon)
-
Song Il-soo, former manager of the
Doosan Bears
Martial arts
-
Ōyama Masutatsu, martial arts expert and founder of
IKO Kyokushinkaikan, also known as Choi Bae-dal (Real Name: Choi Yeong-eui) - Originally from
Gimje,
Jeollabuk-do,
South Korea
-
Matsui Akiyoshi, President of Kyokushin-kaikan (Real Name: Moon Jang-gyu)
-
Royama Hatsuo, President of Kyokushin-kan (Real Name: Noh Cho Woong)
-
Akiyama Yoshihiro, judoka and mixed martial artist (Real Name: Sung-hoon Choo)
-
Kotetsu Boku, kickboxer and mixed martial artist (Real Name: Park Kwang-cheol)
-
Hiromitsu Kanehara, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler (Real Name: Kim Wang-hong)
-
Hwang Jang-lee, martial artist and film actor
-
Kim Eui-tae, South Korean judoka and bronze medalist at
1964 Tokyo Olympics
-
Oh Seung-lip, South Korean judoka and silver medalist at
1972 Munich Olympics
-
Park Young-chul, South Korean judoka and bronze medalist at
1976 Montreal Olympics
-
An Chang-rim, South Korean judoka and bronze medalist at
2020 Tokyo Olympics
-
Kin Taiei, mixed martial artist (Real Name: Taeyoung Kim)
-
Hideo Nakamura, karateka and first president of the Karatedo Kendokai (Real Name: Kang Chang-Soo) - Originally from
Pyongyang, North Korea
Professional wrestling
-
Mitsuhiro Momota, pro-wrestler, also known as Rikidozan (Real Name: Kim Sin-rak) - Originally from
Hongwon County,
South Hamgyong Province,
North Korea
-
Kensho Obayashi, pro-wrestler, also known as Zeus (Real Name: Kim Bon-u), former
AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and a former four-time
World Tag Team Champion
-
Kanemoto Koji, pro-wrestler (Real Name: Kim Il-Sung)
-
Kintarō Ōki, pro-wrestler, also known as Kim Il (Real Name: Kim Tae-sik)
-
Kanemura Kouhiro, pro-wrestler (Real Name: Kim Hyeong-ho)
-
Kantaro Hoshino, pro-wrestler, manager, and promoter (Real Name: Yeo Geon-bu)
-
Maeda Akira, pro-wrestler (Real Name: Go Il-myeong)
-
Momota Mitsuo, pro-wrestler
-
Ryouji Sai, pro-wrestler (Real Name: Choi Young-ii)
-
Tatsuhito Takaiwa, pro-wrestler (Real Name: Go Yong-Il)
-
Yoshida Mitsuo, pro-wrestler, also known as Riki Choshu (Real Name: Kwak Gwang-ung)
-
Jake Lee, pro-wrestler (Real Name: Lee Che-Gyong)
-
Hiromitsu Kanehara, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler (Real Name: Kim Wang-hong)
Soccer
-
Lee Tadanari, professional football player for the
Japan national team (Real Name: Lee Chung-Sung)
-
Takahiro Kunimoto, professional football player
-
Okayama Kazunari, professional football player (Real Name: Kang Il-Sung)
-
Masahiro Okamoto, professional football player
-
Ahn Young-Hak, North Korean football player
-
Han Ho-gang, South Korean football player
-
Jong Tae-Se, North Korean football player
-
Kim Jong-Song, North Korean football player
-
Kim Seong-Yong, North Korean football player
-
Ri Han-Jae, North Korean football player
- Ryang Gyu-Sa, North Korean football player
-
Ryang Yong-Gi, North Korean football player
-
Son Min-chol, North Korean football player
-
Kim Jung-ya, South Korean football player
-
Kim Yong-Gwi, South Korean football player
Sumo
Other
-
Takako Shirai, volleyball player,
Olympic gold medalist at
1976 Summer Olympics, silver medalist at
1972 Summer Olympics, and member of the
Volleyball Hall of Fame (Real Name: Jeongsoon Yoon)
-
Hayakawa Ren, archer and bronze medalist at
2012 Summer Olympics (Real Name: Um Hye-ryeon)
-
Hayakawa Nami, archer at
2008 Summer Olympics (Real Name: Uhm Hye-rang/Uhm Hyerang)
-
Lee Ryol-li, North Korean boxer, former
WBA
super bantamweight champion
-
Kim Chae-Hwa, South Korean figure skater
-
Kunimoto Keisuke, race car driver, winner of
2008 Macau Grand Prix (Real Name: Lee Gyeong-Woo)
-
Yuji Kunimoto, race car driver
-
Tokuyama Masamori, professional boxer, former
WBC super flyweight champion (Real Name: Chang-Soo Hong)
-
Koo Ji-won, rugby union player
-
Teiru Kinoshita, professional boxer (Real Name: Park Tae-Il)
-
Katsunari Takahashi,
professional golfer (Real Name: Go Seung-Seong)
-
Haru Nomura, female professional golfer (Real Name: Minkyung Moon)
-
Takazumi Katayama, motorcycle racer, former
Grand Prix
motorcycle
road racing world champion
-
Lee Seung-Sin, rugby union player
Crime
-
Machii Hisayuki, godfather and founder of the
Toa-kai yakuza syndicate
[5] (Real Name: Jeong Geon-Yeong)
-
Makino Kuniyasu, Yakuza leader of the
Matsuba-kai
[6] (Real Name: Lee Chun-seong)
-
Takayama Tokutaro, godfather of the
Aizukotetsu-kai yakuza syndicate
[7] (Real Name: Gang Oe-su)
-
Kiyota Jiro, godfather of the
Inagawa-kai
[8] (Real Name: Shin Byung-kyu)
-
Hashimoto Hirofumi, godfather of the
Kyokushin-Rengo-Kai
[9] (Real Name: Kang Hong-mun)
-
Yanagawa Jiro, godfather of the
Yanagawa-Gumi (Real Name: Yang Won Suk) - Originally from
Busan, South Korea
-
Jo Hiroyuki, uyoku assassin
[7] (Real Name: Seo Yuheng)
-
Mun Segwang, failed assassin of
Park Chung-hee
-
Joji Obara, serial rapist and murderer
[10] (Real Name: Kim Sung Jong)
-
Kwon Hyi-ro, murderer who brought public attention to discrimination against the Zainichi
-
Sin Gwang-su, North Korean spy, involved in
North Korean abductions of Japanese (Originally from
North Korea)
-
Hayashi Yasuo, of the member in the
Aum Shinrikyo. He was to carry out the
Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
Korean Royal Families
-
Yi Geon, Korean prince, the first son of
Prince Yi Kang of Korea, grandson of
Emperor Gwangmu and a
cavalry officer in the
Imperial Japanese Army during
World War II
-
Yi Un, the last crown prince of
Joseon Korea.
-
Prince Junda, the second son of
King Muryeong of Baekje and the founding ancestor of the
Yamato no Fuhito clan
-
Shigakishi, the third son of
King Muryeong of Baekje
-
Buyeo Gonji, member of the royal family of
Baekje, one of the
Three Kingdoms of Korea, son of the 21st king,
Gaero of Baekje and younger brother of the 22nd king,
Munju of Baekje
-
Dongseong of Baekje, the
24th king of
Baekje, one of the
Three Kingdoms of Korea and the 1st son of
Buyeo Gonji
-
Muryeong of Baekje, the
25th king of
Baekje, one of the
Three Kingdoms of Korea and the 2nd son of
Buyeo Gonji
-
Mokuto-Ō, prince of
Baekje, one of the
Three Kingdoms of Korea, the grandson of
Seong of Baekje and ancestor of both
Gwisil clan and Oka no muraji clan
-
Prince Asa, the eldest son of
King Wideok of Baekje and older brother of
Prince Imseong
-
Prince Imseong, the third son of
King Wideok of Baekje, younger brother of
Prince Asa and ancestor of the
Ōuchi clan (Originally from
Baekje)
-
Gwisil Boksin, military general of
Baekje, one of the
Three Kingdoms of Korea and member of the
Gwisil clan (Originally from
Baekje)
-
Gwisil Jipsa, the son of
Gwisil Boksin
Samurai
-
Wakita Naokata,
samurai from
Joseon who served the
Maeda clan in the early
Edo period and Commissioner of
Kanazawa city (Real Name: Kim Yeo-cheol) - Originally from
Hanseong,
Joseon (Currently
Seoul, South Korea)
- Hoshiyama Chūji, founder of
Satsuma ware (Real Name: Kim Hae) - Originally from
Joseon
- Soga Seikan,
samurai from
Joseon who served
Nakagawa Hidenari, the first
daimyō of Oka, as a
retainer (Originally from
Joseon)
- Akizuki Tanenobu, renowned Korean style
tofu merchant (Real Name: Park Won-hyuk) - Originally from
Joseon
-
Rinoie Motohiro,
samurai from
Joseon who served the
Mōri clan and retainer of
Chōshū Domain in the early
Edo period and son of Korean commander and politician
Yi Bok-nam (Real Name: Yi Gyeong-bu) - Originally from
Hanseong,
Joseon (Currently
Seoul, South Korea)
References
-
^
"Studies Directed Toward the Total Synthesis of Tetrodotoxin and Derivatives".
ProQuest.
ProQuest
302454492.
-
^
"在日韓商(Korean entrepreneurs)の起業家精神 - 李洙任 (SOO IM LEE)" (PDF).
Archived (PDF) from the original on 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
- ^
a
b
c The Person Who Crosses The Border - Yusaku Matsuda (越境者 - 松田優作, Ekkyousha - Matsuda Yusaku) by Michiko Matsuda, published 2008
-
^ Kam, Joshua.
"Zainichi: The Korean Diaspora in Japan". Association for Asian Studies. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
-
^ Romero, Frances
Top 10 Real-Life Mob Bosses: Hisayuki Machii Time Magazine - Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011
-
^
"暴力団ミニ講座その37". www.web-sanin.co.jp.
Archived from the original on 2013-06-09. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
- ^
a
b
"FYI YAKUZA IN JAPAN From rackets to real estate, yakuza multifaceted". The Japan Times. Feb 14, 2007.
Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
-
^
Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
[1]
Archived 2014-12-18 at the
Wayback Machine
-
^
"橋本弘文-六代目山口組若頭補佐・極心連合会会長-". gokudou24.web.fc2.com.
Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
-
^ Summers, Chris
The 'beast with a human face'
Archived 2012-05-24 at the
Wayback Machine BBC News - Tuesday, 24 April 2007