With the rise of K-Pop and Korean fashion, the spotlight on half-Korean celebrities is shining brighter than ever. Many well-known Korean celebrities come from diverse origins, and because we love celebrating diversity, we've compiled a list of some of our favorites in this feature list.

Mixed Korean Celebrities You Should Know

Despite living in the twenty-first century, biracial or mixed Korean celebrities employed in the Korean entertainment business are still uncommon when it comes to who gets to take center stage. Models for commercials and extras in movies that specifically feature biracial or partially Korean characters are standard. However, being a native-level Korean speaker is a requirement for leading roles and becoming recognizable in Korea. This high standard is one of the most challenging obstacles for those who want to break into the industry. If a performer lacks Korean language proficiency, the roles and possibilities available to him or her will be severely limited. However, many do make it onto the big stage. We've compiled a list of biracial and half-Korean celebrities active in the entertainment industry, as well as a few internationally-recognized names of Korean origin.

Kiko Mizuhara 

Born to an American father and a Korean mother, Kiko Mizuhara (also known as Audrie Kiko Daniel) is a Japanese model and actress who was born and raised in Japan.

Julien Kang

Julien Kang is among the most well-known mixed Korean actors thanks to his role in the sitcom 'High Kick Through The Roof.' His Korean-French fusion (his father is Korean and his mother is French) is reflected in his unique looks.

Daniel Henney 

Half-white, half-Korean actor and model Daniel Henney is from the United States. Henney is the son of an American father and a Korean American mother.

David Lee Mclnnis 

Thanks to David's piercing eyes and mischievous grin, he’s one of the most recognizable half-Korean, half-white celebrities. He is half-Korean and half German-Scottish.

Pascal Dior

Pascal Dior was born to a French-German father and a Korean mother and is a fashion model, bodybuilder, and actor.

Lee Dong-jun 

Lee Dong-jun, born Daniel Sandrin, is a Korean basketball player born in the United States. Eric, his older brother, accompanied him to Korea and was naturalized as a Korean citizen in 2009. Their father is American and their mother is Korean. 

Chanel Iman 

Chanel Iman is an American fashion model who was born in Atlanta and grew up in California before becoming one of the most well-known black-Korean celebrities. Her father is African-American and her mother is Korean.

Kolleen Park

Kolleen Park is a musical director, conductor, and actor born in the United States. Park was born to a Korean father and a Lithuanian-American mother.

Tia

Tia is one of the most well-known half-Korean women and has appeared in almost every aspect of Korean entertainment. This mixed-race Korean, German, and Puerto Rican goddess is a sight to behold.

Ha Hee-ra 

Ha Hee-ra is a former child performer and actress from Korea. She was born to a Taiwanese immigrant father and a Korean mother.

Kangnam (M.I.B)

One of the leading half-Korean celebrities, Kangnam, who was born to a Korean mother and a Japanese father, is gaining fame quickly thanks to his unique and endearing personality.

Trending Mixed K-Pop Idols and Rappers

Shannon Williams

Shannon, a former member of the Five Dolls, is half-Korean and half-Welsh. She recently made her solo debut.

Melanie Aurora Lee

ChoColat's Melanie, who is half-Korean and half-German/Italian, is known for her killer smile.

Juliane Alfieri

Juliane, another of the half-white K-Pop idols from ChoColat, is half-Korean and half-German/Italian and stunning by any cultural measure.

Crystal Kay

Crystal was born in Japan and raised in the United States by her Korean mother and American father. Her mother was a professional singer, and her father was a musician!

Michelle Lee

Michelle Lee is a singer born and raised by her mother in Korea. Her mother is Korean, while her father is African-American.

Tasha / Yoon Mirae

Tasha, aka Yoon Mira, is a half-black, half-Korean singer, renowned as the queen of hip hop. She is married to Tiger JK and the mother of a lovely son named Jordan, who is half-Korean and half-African-American.

Simon (DMTN)

Simon is a half-Korean, half-Japanese idol who is one of the hottest in the K-Pop industry.

Vernon / Hansol Choi

Following Vernon’s rap talents on 'Show Me The Money,' the half-Korean, half-American star captured our hearts as a member of the South Korean boy band Seventeen. 

Lee Joon-Kyung

Half-Korean, half-Spanish Dok2 (pronounced Dokki) is the stage name of Lee Joon-Kyung, a Korean rapper, producer, and co-founder of Illionaire Records. Lee's mother is Korean and his father is Filipino and Spanish.

Now that you know some of the most famous half-Korean celebrities, why not let their stylish wardrobes inspire you? Check out Lychee the Label’s guide on the latest Korean fashion trends and learn how to dress like a star. From K-Pop attire to streetwear to grunge clothing, we have unique styles on our site for everyone. Shop our newest arrivals today or contact us to learn more.

Below is a sneak peek of our women's Kpop and Korean inspired fashion.

Korean fashion is known around the world for its gorgeous styles and eye-catching designs. However, it's also known for catering to smaller sizes. When it comes to clothing size, Korean fashion can pose a challenge to many women. While in the United States the category of plus size clothing generally starts around a US women's size 18, plus size Korean fashion starts in sizes that, in the US, would normally be considered petite. It’s quite a difference, which is why it's important to understand how Korean fashion is fitted and what is considered a Korean plus size garment.

To help you snag the cutest outfits on your next Seoul shopping trip, we've put together this guide to help you better understand plus size Korean clothing so that no matter what your body shape or size, you can enjoy stylish Korean plus size clothes without any confusion.

• What is a K-Pop Girl Crush
• The Girl Crush Concept
• The Girl Crush K-Pop Group
• The History of Girl Crush
• Groups that Embody the Girl Crush Concept

What is a K-Pop Girl Crush 

The Girl Crush Concept

The concept is a little abstract since the understanding that “Girl Crush” can differ slightly from person to person. At the core of it, girl crush Kpop is a term used to describe the gender dynamic between idols and their fans. How this happens can be understood in a number of ways. While the girl crush concept can largely be seen as a female empowerment movement, it’s also not explicitly defined as that, due to the controversy around this term in Kpop culture. With that being said, many would describe girl crush in vague terms, often pointing out elements of a group’s theme and their connection with female empowerment. For example, female Kpop groups can be identified by two major categories. OG Kpop groups like 2NE1 can be described as more outlandish, dynamic and strong-willed. On the other hand we have popular groups like TWICE that follow a more submissive, youthful and cute imagery for their brand. The first group is what we typically associate with girl crush kpop. It’s the idea of emphasizing the mature and sexier side of a woman, showing that bold confidence and playing that role-model figure to target their female audience. 

The Girl Crush K-Pop Group

Blackpink, the Kpop band consisting of Jennie, Lisa, Rose and Jisoo, is hands down one of the most iconic groups to date. Also known for their milestone of being the first to perform in a massive American festival, these girls know no bounds in terms of all the rules they can break. Their baddie style fashion and fierce confidence is the epitome of girl crush pop. Being a smaller group, their advantage lies in the fact that every single member gets just as much attention, and they all bring something to the table. Their success and growth is easily looked up to by their massive female following. You can learn more about their journey on our recap of Netflix’s BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky Documentary. 

Another 4 member group with a killer set of girls is Mamamoo! These girls all bring it hard when it comes to performance, and they all meet that girl crush criteria. Hwasa and Moonbyul, as the rappers of the group, have so much confidence and charisma when they’re in the spotlight. On the other hand Solar and Wheein steal the show with their fantastic vocals. Their fierceness and “i-don’t-give-a-****” attitude has earned them the admiration of girls all over Korea. 

Who can ever forget the OG Kpop group that paved the way for the girl crush trend to begin with? It’s 2NE1 y’all. These ladies broke out in the most wild apparel, hair and style only to inspire their female following and created a loyal fanbase that’s unmatched. They set the blueprint for what a girl crush group should look like, and have inspired many of their followers to this day.  

Last but not least, we have Red Velvet. These girls really know when to switch it up and around. The versatility in their image allows them to play up their girl crush side but also throw in some cuteness along the way, which is exactly where the group’s concept was born from. 

The History of Girl Crush

The idea of girl crush Korea can be dated as far back as the 1990s. This era’s most prevalent type of female idol consisted of young pop stars that were soft-spoken, feminine and youthful. In contrast we had women like Lee Sang-eun that did not fit this typical look that was so popularized during this time. In fact, she had an edge about her and steered towards a tomboy energy which really set her apart from the rest. 

By the mid 2000s, this concept further developed itself through dynamic groups like 2NE1, 4Minute and Brown Eyed Girls. Steering into the very concept of individualism and womanhood, these groups further pushed for girl crush pop to take shape for years to come. 2NE1’s iconic song “I am the Best” can be described as the epitome of girl crush kpop group, with the girls sporting edgy studded leather clothing, wild hair, and dynamic colored fashion. Their fierceness and confidence clearly expressed through the lyrics and music video states their awareness of their female following and fans, and are unapologetic for it. 

Today, this concept of girl crush kpop is not new by any means and has been adopted by some of the most popular Kpop groups you know of. With so many kpop girl groups geared towards this theme, it’s no wonder this term continues to rise in popularity.   

Groups that Embody the Girl Crush Concept 

While we love Kpop girl groups regardless of their girl crush status (see our take on The Kpop Girl Groups), these are our take of the best girl crush Kpop groups to date. 

• BLACKPINK
• Mamamoo
• 2NE1
• Red Velvet
• G(I)-DLE
• f(x)
• Brown Eyed Girls
• EXID
• 4Minute

Are you crushing on these Kpop girl groups just as bad as we are? At the end of the day, they’re role models to us and sometimes we want to be just like them! If voicing your girl crush Kpop wasn’t enough, we made a post on How to Dress Like a K-Pop Star to get us one step closer to that dream! You can also check out Lychee the Label’s collection of Kpop Fashion for more choices when it comes to building that Kpop style wardrobe.