The Most Famous
SINGERS from South Korea
This page contains a list of the greatest South Korean Singers. The pantheon dataset contains 4,381 Singers, 177 of which were born in South Korea. This makes South Korea the birth place of the 3rd most number of Singers behind United States, and United Kingdom.
Top 10
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary South Korean Singers of all time. This list of famous South Korean Singers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of South Korean Singers.
1. Psy (b. 1977)
With an HPI of 70.88, Psy is the most famous South Korean Singer. His biography has been translated into 91 different languages on wikipedia.
Park Jae-sang (Korean: 박재상; pronounced [pɐk̚.t͡ɕεsɐŋ]; born December 31, 1977), better known by his stage name Psy ( SY; 싸이), is a South Korean rapper and singer-songwriter, known domestically for his humorous music videos and stage performances and internationally for his hit single "Gangnam Style" (2012). His accolades include an American Music Award, ten MAMA Awards, and a World Music Award. Psy debuted with his first studio album Psy from the Psycho World! (2001), and rose to international prominence with the single "Gangnam Style" (2012). The song and its accompanying music video became a worldwide viral phenomenon following its release; the music video became the first video on YouTube to reach 1 billion views and was the most-viewed video on YouTube from December 2012 to July 2017. His follow-up single, "Gentleman", was released in 2013; its accompanying music video was the most-viewed YouTube video in its first 24 hours at the time. In 2018, he founded his talent agency P Nation.
2. Jennie (b. 1996)
With an HPI of 65.63, Jennie is the 2nd most famous South Korean Singer. Her biography has been translated into 75 different languages.
Jennie Kim (Korean: 김제니; born January 16, 1996), known mononymously as Jennie, is a South Korean singer, rapper, songwriter, and actress. Born and raised in South Korea until 2004, Jennie later lived in New Zealand before returning to South Korea to successfully audition for YG Entertainment in 2010. She debuted as a member of Blackpink in August 2016. She made her acting debut under the stage name Jennie Ruby Jane in the 2023 HBO television series The Idol. In November 2018, Jennie released her debut single "Solo", which topped South Korea's Circle Digital Chart and the US Billboard World Digital Songs chart. The music video for "Solo" was the first by a Korean female soloist to surpass one billion views on YouTube. Her 2023 singles "You & Me" and "One of the Girls" achieved commercial success worldwide, with "You & Me" reaching number one on the Billboard Global Excl. US chart. After establishing her own label, Odd Atelier, in 2023, Jennie earned her second number-one single in South Korea with "Spot!" and signed with Columbia Records in 2024. Her debut studio album Ruby (2025) sold one million copies worldwide and tied as the highest-ranked album by a Korean solo artist on the UK Albums Chart. It spawned the Billboard Global 200 top-five hits "Mantra" and "Like Jennie"; the former broke the record for the highest-charting song by a Korean female soloist on the UK Singles Chart, while the latter became Jennie's third number-one single in South Korea. Jennie's accolades include four MAMA Awards, a Circle Chart Music Award, a Golden Disc Award. She has received a Billboard Women in Music Award, first Korean soloist to do so. The most-followed Korean person on Instagram, Jennie is known for her musical versatility and fashion image, and has been dubbed the "Human Chanel", for which she serves as a global ambassador.
3. Jisoo (b. 1995)
With an HPI of 64.32, Jisoo is the 3rd most famous South Korean Singer. Her biography has been translated into 61 different languages.
Kim Ji-soo (Korean: 김지수; born January 3, 1995), known mononymously as Jisoo, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is a member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink, which debuted under YG Entertainment in August 2016. Outside of her music career, she made her acting debut with a cameo role in the 2015 series The Producers and played her first leading role in the JTBC series Snowdrop (2021–22). In March 2023, Jisoo released her debut single album Me, which became the best-selling album by a female soloist in South Korea and the first to sell over a million copies. Its lead single "Flower" was a commercial success, peaking at number two on the Billboard Global 200 and the Circle Digital Chart and breaking the record for the highest-charting song by a Korean female soloist on the Canadian Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart at the time. After establishing her own label named Blissoo in 2024 and signing with Warner Records in 2025, she released the EP Amortage and its single "Earthquake", which became her first number one on the US Billboard World Digital Songs chart. Jisoo has been awarded several accolades throughout her career, including two Golden Disc Awards, three MAMA Awards, a Circle Chart Music Award, and the Seoul International Drama Award for Outstanding Korean Actress. She is the most-followed Korean actress on Instagram and has been recognized for her impact on fashion as a global ambassador for Dior.
4. V (b. 1995)
With an HPI of 63.84, V is the 4th most famous South Korean Singer. His biography has been translated into 55 different languages.
Kim Tae-hyung (Korean: 김태형; born December 30, 1995), known professionally as V (뷔), is a South Korean singer and songwriter. In 2013, he made his debut as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS, under Big Hit Entertainment. V has performed three solo songs under BTS' name—"Stigma" in 2016, "Singularity" in 2018, and "Inner Child" in 2020—all of which charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. Outside of his music projects with BTS, V had his acting debut in the 2016 television series Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth and contributed the single "It's Definitely You" to its soundtrack. He released his first independent song, the self-composed "Scenery", in 2019. In 2023, V made his official debut as a solo artist with the release of the singles "Love Me Again" and "Rainy Days". His debut solo album Layover was released on September 8, accompanied by a third single, "Slow Dancing".
5. Jungkook (b. 1997)
With an HPI of 63.72, Jungkook is the 5th most famous South Korean Singer. Her biography has been translated into 64 different languages.
Jeon Jung-kook (Korean: 전정국; born September 1, 1997), better known as Jung Kook, is a South Korean singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence as a member and vocalist of South Korean boy band BTS. He has performed three solo songs as part of BTS' discography— "Begin" in 2016, "Euphoria" in 2018, and "My Time" in 2020—all of which charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. He also recorded the soundtrack song "Stay Alive" for the BTS-based webtoon 7Fates: Chakho. In 2022, Jung Kook featured on American singer Charlie Puth's single "Left and Right", which peaked at number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, he became the first South Korean artist to release an official song for the FIFA World Cup soundtrack with "Dreamers", which he subsequently performed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony. In 2023, Jung Kook released his debut solo single "Seven" featuring Latto, which broke numerous chart and streaming records. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, the Global 200, and the Global Excl. U.S. charts, making him the first Korean solo artist to do so, and eventually became the fastest song in history to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify. His follow-up single "3D", featuring Jack Harlow, debuted at number five on both the Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, making Jung Kook the first South Korean solo artist to achieve two consecutive top-five entries on the latter.
6. Kim Seok-jin (b. 1992)
With an HPI of 61.65, Kim Seok-jin is the 6th most famous South Korean Singer. His biography has been translated into 51 different languages.
Kim Seok-jin (Korean: 김석진; born December 4, 1992), known professionally as Jin, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and member of the South Korean boy band BTS. Jin has released three solo tracks with BTS: "Awake" in 2016, "Epiphany" in 2018, and "Moon" in 2020, all of which have charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. In 2019, Jin released his first independent song, the digital track "Tonight". He made his official debut as a solo artist in October 2022, with the release of the single "The Astronaut". Apart from singing, Jin appeared as a host on multiple South Korean music programs from 2016 to 2018. In 2018, he was awarded the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit by the President of South Korea along with his bandmates for his contributions to Korean culture.
7. J-Hope (b. 1994)
With an HPI of 61.46, J-Hope is the 7th most famous South Korean Singer. His biography has been translated into 48 different languages.
Jung Ho-seok (Korean: 정호석; born February 18, 1994), known professionally as J-Hope (제이홉; stylized in lower case), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. He made his debut as a member of South Korean boy band BTS in 2013, under Big Hit Entertainment. J-Hope released his first solo mixtape, Hope World, in 2018. It was received positively by critics and peaked at number 38 on the US Billboard 200, the highest-charting album by a Korean solo artist at the time. He became the first member of BTS to enter the Billboard Hot 100 as a soloist in 2019, when his single "Chicken Noodle Soup", featuring singer Becky G, debuted at number 81. In 2022, J-Hope released his debut studio album Jack in the Box. In 2023, he released his single "On the Street" with J. Cole.
8. IU (b. 1993)
With an HPI of 61.43, IU is the 8th most famous South Korean Singer. Her biography has been translated into 62 different languages.
Lee Ji-eun (Korean: 이지은; born May 16, 1993), also known by her stage name IU (아이유), is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actress. She signed with LOEN Entertainment (now Kakao Entertainment) in 2007 as a trainee and debuted as a singer at the age of fifteen with the EP Lost and Found (2008). Although her follow-up albums brought mainstream success, it was only after the release of "Good Day", the lead single from her 2010 album Real, that she achieved national stardom. "Good Day" went on to spend five consecutive weeks at the top of South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart, and in 2019, it was ranked number one on Billboard's "100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s" list. With the success of her 2011 albums, Real+ and Last Fantasy, IU established herself as a formidable force on the music charts of her native country and further cemented her girl next door image as Korea's "little sister". Her musical style matured and evolved with subsequent releases, deviating from mainstream K-pop styles, exploring and mixing various music genres, with IU exerting more creative control over her music, both as lyricist and producer, at the same time consistently retaining her dominance on South Korean music charts. Her 2020 single "Eight" (prod. by Suga) became her first to reach number one on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart. Aside from her music career, IU has ventured into acting and hosting radio and television shows, starting with a supporting role in the hit teen series Dream High (2011). IU's roles in My Mister (2018) and When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) received critical acclaim, and she earned her first Best Actress in Television nomination at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards for the former. IU has released a total of five studio albums and nine EPs, five of which have reached number one on the Gaon Album Chart, and thirty-one number-one singles, making her the artist with the most number-one songs in South Korea. One of the best-selling solo acts in the group-dominated K-pop industry, IU became the first solo female K-pop act to perform at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena during the Seoul leg of her 2018 dlwlrma concert tour for her 10th anniversary and also the first Korean female artist to hold a solo concert, The Golden Hour, at Seoul Olympic Stadium in Seoul on September 17 and 18, 2022. Rolling Stone named her the 135th greatest singer of all time in a 2023 ranking. She has been included six times in the top ten of Forbes magazine's annual Korea Power Celebrity list since 2012 and attained a peak ranking of number one in 2025. In 2014, Billboard recognized IU as the all-time leader of its K-pop Hot 100 with the most number-one songs and the artist with the most weeks at the number-one position on the chart. She was named Gallup Korea's Singer of the Year in 2014 and in 2017. In 2024, media outlets such as NME and Billboard referred to IU as the "Queen of K-pop," highlighting her widespread influence and consistent success in the industry. In 2025, Forbes Korea referred to IU as the "Queen of K-pop and K-drama," noting her influence and success in both the music and acting industries.
9. G-Dragon (b. 1988)
With an HPI of 61.22, G-Dragon is the 9th most famous South Korean Singer. His biography has been translated into 42 different languages.
Kwon Ji-yong (Korean: 권지용; born August 18, 1988), best known as G-Dragon (지드래곤), is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur, known as the "King of K-pop". Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, G-Dragon made his debut in 2006 and rose to prominence as the leader of the South Korean boy band BigBang, which went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands in the world. In 2009, he released his first solo album Heartbreaker; the album and its title track of the same name were commercially successful, becoming the best-selling album by a Korean soloist at the time and earning him Album of the Year at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards. This was followed by a collaboration with bandmate T.O.P for the album GD & TOP in 2010. His first EP One of a Kind (2012), spawned three singles: "One of a Kind", "Crayon", and the chart-topper "That XX". The EP earned Best Album at the 2013 Seoul Music Awards. In 2013, he embarked on his first worldwide tour as a solo artist, making him the first Korean soloist to tour Japanese dome arenas. His 2017 EP, Kwon Ji Yong, yielded the number one single "Untitled, 2014", and the supporting concert tour Act III: M.O.T.T.E became the largest tour ever conducted by a Korean soloist. In 2023, G-Dragon officially departed YG Entertainment after 20 years of activities, signing to Galaxy Corporation under his real name. Widely recognized for his influence on youth culture, fashion trends, and music in South Korea, G-Dragon was included in Forbes' list of the 2030 Power Leaders for three consecutive years (2012–2014), and has been part of Hypebeast's list of the 100 most influential people in fashion eight times. He has written or co-written 24 number one songs on the Gaon Digital Chart most of which he has also co-produced. G-Dragon is the recipient of numerous awards, including eight MAMA Awards, six Melon Music Awards, two Korean Music Awards and two Golden Disc Awards, and the first and only solo artist to receive the MAMA Award for Artist of the Year (2013).
10. RM (b. 1994)
With an HPI of 60.90, RM is the 10th most famous South Korean Singer. His biography has been translated into 52 different languages.
Kim Nam-joon (Korean: 김남준; born September 12, 1994), known professionally as RM (formerly Rap Monster), is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is the leader of South Korean boy band BTS, under Big Hit Entertainment. Born in Seoul and raised in Ilsan, RM began his music career in the underground Korean hip-hop scene as a teenager, going by the name Runch Randa. He joined Big Hit in 2010, and debuted as part of BTS in June 2013. RM released his first solo mixtape, RM, in 2015, followed by his second mixtape, Mono, in 2018. The latter became the highest-charting album by a Korean solo artist in the United States in history when it peaked at number 26 on the Billboard 200. He made his official solo debut in 2022, with the release of his studio album Indigo. The project featured contributions from various artists including Erykah Badu and Anderson .Paak. It peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, becoming the highest-charting album by a Korean solo artist of all-time. RM has also collaborated with artists such as Warren G, Krizz Kaliko, MFBTY, Primary, Gaeko, Wale, Fall Out Boy, Younha, Megan Thee Stallion, and Lil Nas X.
People
Pantheon has 177 people classified as South Korean singers born between 1954 and 2004. Of these 177, 176 (99.44%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living South Korean singers include Psy, Jennie, and Jisoo. The most famous deceased South Korean singers include U;Nee. As of April 2024, 177 new South Korean singers have been added to Pantheon including Psy, Jennie, and Jisoo.
Living South Korean Singers
Go to all Rankings
Psy
1977 - Present
HPI: 70.88
Jennie
1996 - Present
HPI: 65.63
Jisoo
1995 - Present
HPI: 64.32
V
1995 - Present
HPI: 63.84
Jungkook
1997 - Present
HPI: 63.72
Kim Seok-jin
1992 - Present
HPI: 61.65
J-Hope
1994 - Present
HPI: 61.46
IU
1993 - Present
HPI: 61.43
G-Dragon
1988 - Present
HPI: 61.22
RM
1994 - Present
HPI: 60.90
Jimin
1995 - Present
HPI: 60.61
Kim Jung-sook
1954 - Present
HPI: 60.30
Deceased South Korean Singers
Go to all Rankings
Newly Added South Korean Singers (2024)
Go to all RankingsPsy
1977 - Present
HPI: 70.88
Jennie
1996 - Present
HPI: 65.63
Jisoo
1995 - Present
HPI: 64.32
V
1995 - Present
HPI: 63.84
Jungkook
1997 - Present
HPI: 63.72
Kim Seok-jin
1992 - Present
HPI: 61.65
J-Hope
1994 - Present
HPI: 61.46
IU
1993 - Present
HPI: 61.43
G-Dragon
1988 - Present
HPI: 61.22
RM
1994 - Present
HPI: 60.90
Jimin
1995 - Present
HPI: 60.61
Kim Jung-sook
1954 - Present
HPI: 60.30
