Whether it is the audiences’ love for K-dramas, films and shows or K-pop music, South Korean artists have captured the imagination of one and all. Such is their ever-growing reach that the world’s biggest luxury brands have turned to some of the most famous Korean celebrities for various collaborations. From BTS member Jimin becoming the global brand ambassador for Dior to NewJeans’ members Hyein and Danielle becoming the face of luxury house Louis Vuitton, Korean celebrities have been dominating the fashion world for a long time.
According to a report by CNBC, Morgan Stanley says that “South Koreans are the world’s biggest spenders on personal luxury goods per capita.”
Here are some of the Korean celebrities who are brand ambassadors of famous fashion labels
J-Hope
After BTS’ Suga and Jimin, it looks like it is J-Hope’s turn to finally collaborate with a high-end fashion Maison. And the opportunity came in the form of Louis Vuitton signing the K-pop idol as its newest house ambassador on 24 January 2023.
Prior to the announcement, the BTS member had also attended Louis Vuitton’s Fall 2023 Menswear Show held on 23 January in Paris — his uber-cool camouflage look consisting of a zip-up jacket and a set of matching shirts and trousers, which was the highlight of the evening.
Sharing about the collaboration on their social media, Louis Vuitton wrote, “@uarmyhope for #LouisVuitton. The Maison is pleased to announce that the world renowned rapper-singer-songwriter and music producer will be joining as new house ambassador. ”
Hanni
NewJeans’ Hanni is now the new face of the Italian luxury brand Giorgio Armani Beauty.
In February, the brand made the news public and shared on Instagram, “Introducing singer and dancer #Hanni from [NewJeans] as new Armani Global Makeup Ambassador.” Additionally, Giorgio Armani personally added, “Hanni is a very young artist with a great expressive power and an irresistible and captivating individuality: a contrast that I find interesting. She has personality, which for me is the most fascinating trait, always.”
Hanni joins global stars such as Cate Blanchett, Sydney Sweeney, Tessa Thompson and Barbara Palvin as the global ambassadors of Armani Beauty.
As a part of her collaboration, Hanni will start the promotional campaigns for the brand in the coming months with Armani Beauty’s new Power Fabric+ Foundation promotions beginning in April, and Lip Maestro Satin Lipstick promotions in May.
Before her beauty stint, Hanni had already been a Gucci girl. In October 2022, Gucci announced Hanni as their newest brand ambassador.
Since then, Hanni has been spotted representing the brand at various events in Seoul. The idol also attended the Gucci show on 24th February, held as a part of the 2023 Milan Fashion Week.
Minji
South Korean singer and member of NewJeans, Minji, has been roped in as the global ambassador for French luxury house Chanel across three categories — beauty, fashion and watches and jewellery, in February 2023.
According to ADOR, this is the first time Chanel has selected just one ambassador to cover three categories. As part of her collaboration, Minji also appeared on the cover of Elle Korea’s March 2023 issue in Chanel’s signature tweed.
Park Bogum
South Korean actor Park Bogum officially joined the French luxury brand Celine as their global ambassador on 23 November 2022 as per W Korea.
Bogum kicked off his new role as part of Celine’s new 2022 Boy Doll collection, adorning an E-boy look.
In an Instagram post, W Korea shared that the 29-year-old is the first-ever male actor to join the Parisian brand’s family.
Hyein
K-pop idol Hyein from NewJeans, who is steadily climbing the success ladder, was named the global ambassador for the luxury brand Louis Vuitton on 30 December 2022.
Welcoming her onboard, Louis Vuitton wrote, “We have chosen NewJeans’ Hyein as our new ambassador. From now on, we will start a new journey together with [Hyein], who defines NewJeans’ style with her unique charm,” as per Soompi.
Zico
The K-pop and hip-hop artist is Fendi’s brand ambassador in Korea. For his first campaign, Zico wore a white denim jacket, jeans and a t-shirt from Fendi Men’s summer capsule 2022 collection. He paired the look with a black Peekaboo ISeeU Mini and Baguette.
“Seeing how FENDI has created wonderful projects with different creative talents around the world, I am excited to join the family to do great things together!” Zico said in a statement following his appointment as brand ambassador.
Lisa
Lisa of BLACKPINK is one of the biggest Korean celebrities who fronts multiple prominent labels as their brand ambassador. These include Scotch whisky brand Chivas, for whom Lisa became the first female ambassador in Asia.
“After being on such a huge personal journey and hustling over the past few years, I want to inspire people to elevate themselves. It was a no-brainer to partner with Chivas, as their values are so closely aligned with my own, plus I’ve always been a whisky fan!” Lisa said after she was named the brand ambassador.
The Thailand-born rapper is also the face of luxury lifestyle global brands such as MAC, Celine, and Bvlgari. One of the most followed celebrities in the world on Instagram, Lisa often posts about the brands she endorses on the platform.
Jisoo
Jisoo is another famous member of the all-girls K-pop group BLACKPINK. She is the global ambassador of French luxury jeweller and watchmaker Cartier, joining the likes of Ella Balinska, Yasmine Sabri and Chang Chen.
“It’s a truly meaningful honour for me to become a member of the Panthère community, in which each and every individual has their own unique and distinctive colour,” she said, referring to the iconic panther symbol of the brand.
Some of her most-liked Instagram pictures are those featuring her in Dior dresses, such as the one in which she poses in a yellow tartan outfit, which had a reported media impact value of millions of dollars.
Yoon Chan-young
The All of Us Are Dead star is one of the youngest faces in Korean entertainment appearing as the face of luxury lifestyle brands. Coach picked him as the brand’s first ambassador for Korea, and he debuted in its Spring 2022 ready-to-wear campaign.
“When I was in elementary school, my mom had a Coach bag. So, that was the first impression I had of Coach. Coach was never an unfamiliar brand for me,” Yoon told Lifestyle Asia after he was named brand ambassador.
“I was initially really fascinated to hear about the history of Coach,” he said, adding, “I could see that there were many different types of items that Coach offers to the people. So, I think it would be really meaningful for me to continue this legacy, and carry on looking into Coach’s brand of fashion.”
Lee Min-ho
Lee is a brand ambassador for Fendi and has appeared in its black Jacquard blazer, shirt and trousers from its men’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection. He has also posed with a Peekaboo ISeeU medium bag.
The actor has long been one of the most famous Korean celebrities fronting major luxury labels as their brand ambassador. This is because of his enduring popularity as an actor, starting with his breakthrough role as Goo Joon-pyo in Boys Over Flowers (2009) and playing Koh Hansu in the internationally acclaimed Apple TV+ drama Pachinko (2022).
Besides Fendi, he is the brand ambassador of LVMH’s subsidiary brand Berluti, BOSS, and Malaysian household appliances company Cuckoo Malaysia.
Hyun Bin
The Korean heartthrob who starred in the hit Netflix series Crash Landing on You (2019-2020) is the first Korean celebrity to endorse the Italian luxury brand, Loro Piana.
“His social engagement towards humanitarian and environmental issues underscores the common values shared between himself and Loro Piana, making the partnership a natural decision,” the brand said in a press release.
Besides Loro Piana, Hyun Bin featured in the Tom Ford Beauty’s Soleil Neige campaign as the brand’s first Asia-Pacific ambassador.
Hyun Bin has also endorsed Swiss luxury watch brand Omega as its first Korean ambassador. He was featured on the January 2021 cover of Esquire Korea, sporting an Omega piece.
Gong Yoo
The Train to Busan (2016) star, who also made a special appearance in Netflix’s most-watched series Squid Game (2021), is Chanel Korea’s brand ambassador. The actor endorses the brand’s fine jewellery and watches.
In an exclusive photoshoot with Elle Korea, Gong Yoo made his first appearance flaunting Chanel’s J12 timepiece.
Gong Yoo also did a shoot for Marie Claire Korea, where he was seen wearing the J12 watch.
Nam Joo-Hyuk
Popular Korean actor Nam Joo-Hyuk, who starred in the Netflix series Start-Up (2020), is the brand ambassador of Dior Beauty Korea. Before this, he was the first Korean ambassador of Dior Men.
As part of his partnership with the brand, Nam promotes various Dior products, starting from perfumes to skincare and makeup.
Lee Dong-Wook
His flawless skin makes him the perfect choice for beauty and skincare product endorsements. Chanel tapped on him to endorse its first makeup collection for men — Boy de Chanel — in 2019 as the brand’s global ambassador.
The Goblin (2016) star is also La Mer’s male brand ambassador. He appeared in Elle Korea’s July 2021 issue to announce his collaboration.
“Lee Dong-Wook’s luxurious image and irreplaceable atmosphere fit well with the brand, so we chose him as the model,” a brand representative shared with a South Korean media outlet, as per KDramaStars.
Kim Woo-Bin
The model-actor returned to the spotlight in 2021 after recovering from nasopharyngeal cancer. The same year, he attended The Sound Maker exhibition in South Korea as the brand ambassador of the Swiss luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre.
“I’m very delighted to be a Friend of Jaeger-LeCoultre, with a long history of 188 years and great watchmaking expertise. I look forward to the new journey with Jaeger-LeCoultre,” Woo-Bin said at the time.
He has also modelled for Jo Malone’s scent, Daydream in Color.
Kim Soo-Hyun
One of the highest-paid actors in South Korea, Kim Soo-Hyun is Tommy Hilfiger’s brand ambassador.
“For days at home and working life leisure and work, Kim always looks to the future with a smile,” Tommy Hilfiger’s website reads.
The actor has adorned the brand’s Autumn 2021 menswear collection.
He is also Swiss watchmaker Mido’s Asia ambassador.
Lee Jung-Jae
Lee Jung-Jae of the Squid Game fame is the global brand ambassador of Gucci.
Upon his appointment in 2021, a press release by Gucci said, “Lee Jung-Jae’s charismatic and iconic style and a strong self-identity is similar to Gucci’s philosophy that values acceptance of diversity and self-expression.”
HoYeon Jung
Another Squid Game star who gained massive popularity after the show’s release is HoYeon Jung. The model-turned-actress is now one of Louis Vuitton’s global ambassadors.
In an Instagram post on 6 October 2021, the French luxury fashion house’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere wrote: “I immediately fell in love with HoYeon’s great talent and fantastic personality, and I am looking forward to starting this new chapter of the journey we started at Louis Vuitton a few years ago.”
According to the post, she had earlier walked the ramp for the brand and had featured in a ready-to-wear campaign in 2017.
Shin Min-A
The gorgeous model-actress who is known for her stunning looks and versatility is one of the most famous Korean celebrities. She is also the brand ambassador of multiple labels.
The Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha star is Gucci’s global ambassador.
Announcing her as its face, the fashion label took to Twitter in November 2021 to share pictures of the actress sporting its collection.
“#MinaShin joins as new Gucci global brand ambassador. Here, the actress appears in a series of images wearing key pieces from #GucciAria, including a selection of #GucciJewelry. #AlessandroMichele,” read the tweet.
Song Hye-Kyo
The Descendants of the Sun (2016) actress is Fendi’s first Korean global brand ambassador.
Her strong and timeless appeal makes her the best choice to represent the luxury fashion house.
Suga
The charming rapper of one of the most popular Korean boy bands BTS, Suga or Min Yoongi, has recently been named the global brand ambassador of Valentino.
The artist will then be representing Maison Valentino Essentials campaign that features the menswear collections.
Regarding the good news, Suga stated that “Everyone has different dreams and different values. Maison Valentino and creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli have been supportive of this diversity, and so am I. I am delighted to be a Valentino Di.VA and I am truly delighted to be part of the Maison Valentino Essentials campaign.”
Jimin
French luxury house Dior often looks out to tap into the global popularity of K-pop stars. And this time it’s BTS member Jimin who has been signed as their latest global brand ambassador.
With an announcement from Dior on 16 January, Jimin became the first Asian man to hold the position for the fashion brand.
According to data from investing.com, Dior achieved a big feat — their stocks soared the highest after the South Korean singer was announced as its newest brand ambassador.
A suave W Korea shoot preceded the Dior announcement about Jimin’s collaboration with the brand. The “Filter” singer’s breathtaking visuals caused quite a stir on the internet. One of W Korea‘s videos featuring Jimin in the 2nd volume of the magazine’s 2023 cover has over 1.5 million views on Instagram.
Following the announcement, Jimin also attended the ‘Dior Winter 23’ show by Kim Jones in Paris on 20 January.
Talking about his new association with Dior in an Instagram post, Jimin said, “So thrilled to start a journey with @Dior! It’s an honour to be Dior’s global ambassador! Please look forward to (me) a lot.”
In some of the pictures released by Dior, Jimin is seen channelling Monsieur Dior’s passion for the outdoors.
Not to forget, the latest addition to Jimin’s brand ambassador streak is Tiffany & Co. On 2 March 2023, Jimin became the second K-pop artist after BLACKPINK’s Rosé to be signed as Tiffany’s brand ambassador.
Taking on his new role, the BTS singer will make appearances for the brand at its various events and ad campaigns.
According to Tiffany, the first campaigns featuring Jimin will arrive in the latter half of 2023.
Taeyang
Taeyang has recently been named the brand ambassador of Givenchy. He’s the first Korean artist to have received the role from the brand.
With regards to Givenchy’s Creative Director, Matthew Williams, Taeyang states that “I am grateful to be able to start this new chapter of my life with Givenchy. It holds a special meaning to me, as Givenchy is a brand that has inspired me in many ways over the years.”
Danielle
NewJeans member Danielle is the new ambassador of Yves Saint Laurent Beauty. The news was made public on 13 March 2023 by Vogue Korea, who shared a short clip on social media revealing a glimpse of the beautiful 17-year-old Danielle’s new pictorial and advertisement video for the YSL Candy Glaze lipstick.
Prior to this, ADOR had also officially announced Danielle as a new global ambassador for Burberry.
After the announcement, she was seen modelling for the brand’s Spring/Summer Pre-Collection.
Jackson Wang
The major sensation in Thailand in 2022, the Hong Kong-born Jackson Wang is Louis Vuitton’s latest brand ambassador.
The famous rapper was also previously the Face of Armani Fragrance, the China ambassador of Fendi, a Friend of the House of Cartier, and a spokesperson for Ray-Ban.
G-Dragon
Big Bang’s leader was one of the first K-pop idols to be signed by Chanel and became its brand ambassador in 2017. Since then, he has been spotted at various events and campaigns for the brand.
After the collaboration, the South Korean singer joined the likes of Kristen Stewart, Caroline de Maigret, Cara Delevingne and Pharrell Williams.
G-Dragon was also one of the many faces for Chanel’s Gabrielle bag campaign the same year.
Recently, the house ambassador attended the CHANEL Cruise 2022/23 show at the Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel in Monaco. The collection by popular designer Virginie Viard had a total of 67 looks that consisted of leather separates, bouclé jumpsuits and floral maxi dresses.
(Main image credit: bts_bighit/Twitter; Featured image credit: TiffanyAndCo/Twitter)
