Gone were the days where only Hollywood celebrities and supermodels were appointed as brand ambassadors of global fashion houses. With the rise in Korean inclusivity and the power of the Korean wave, more Korean celebrities have taken up those appointments as ambassadors, either for Korea or the global market.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up a list of Korean celebrities who are fronting or have fronted luxury fashion brands, including Squid Game’s lead actor Lee Jung-jae, and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’s lead actress Shin Min-A, who were recently named Gucci’s global ambassadors.
Instead of tracksuits, we will be seeing Squid Game’s player 456 in more snazzy suits now.
On Nov 11, Lee Jung-jae’s agency announced that he was appointed Italian luxury house Gucci’s global ambassador. Lee shared a few snaps of himself in sharp suits on his Instagram account (@from_jjlee).
He was also seen in photos with Gucci’s chief executive Marco Bizzarri, Netflix’s head honcho Ted Sarandos and Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.
On Nov 11, Gucci also announced model-actress Shin Min-A as its newly appointed global ambassador. Shin Min-A was most recently seen in Netflix’s Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.
She joins other Gucci ambassadors such as K-pop boy band Exo’s Kai, South Korean singer-actress IU, and Chinese stars Lu Han and Xiao Zhan.
Model-turned-actress Jung HoYeon, who catapulted to international fame in K-drama Squid Game, is now one of Louis Vuitton’s global ambassadors.
The French luxury fashion house’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere said in an Instagram post on October 6: “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.”
One of South Korea’s top models, Jung, 27, had previously strutted the catwalk for Louis Vuitton and other luxury brands. She joins K-pop mega boy band BTS, who were named global ambassadors in April.
The Korean actress, known for her roles in Korean dramas such as Descendants of the Sun and Autumn in my Heart, was chosen as the brand ambassador for Chaumet not only in Korea, but Asia Pacific, in December 2018. And we reckon her elegance makes her a perfect fit for the brand!
In February 2021, Song was also appointed as the brand ambassador for Fendi in Korea, presumably thanks to her timeless appeal. She’s soft, strong and elegant all at once. More recently, she was featured in the #FendiPeekaboo video – in celebration of the Maison’s iconic Peekaboo bag designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi.
The 25-year-old was first appointed as the brand ambassador for Chanel Beauty in 2018 before she started fronting the fashion house. She fits the brand’s style so much that she is affectionately known as “Human Chanel” among fans.
Recently she has been made the face of Chanel’s “Coco Neige” campaign, shot by legendary photography duo, Inezandvinoodh. This campaign marks the latest of Jennie’s ongoing collaboration with the fashion house.
Back in May 2021, Jennie made her debut as the face of Calvin Klein’s campaign for their Spring collection, a collaboration with American artist and known streetwear designer Heron Preston.
Widely known for her leading role in the popular K-drama hit series, Crash Landing On You, Son Ye-jin was appointed as Valentino’s new muse earlier this year. On March 22nd, the star was selected to grace the luxury label’s worldwide campaign and is now Valentino’s latest DiVa.
The South Korean actor needs no introduction, and even if you’re not familiar with him, then you would’ve probably at least seen him in advertisements for Tom Ford and Lazada. The star has received many brand ambassadorship and we can clearly see why he’s crash landing into our hearts. Recently, Hyun Bin was appointed by Loro Piana to be its official brand ambassador. Besides gaining recognition from his acting gigs (read: Crash Landing On You), his social engagement towards humanitarian and environmental issues underscores the common values shared between himself and Loro Piana, making the partnership a natural decision.
Hyun Bin says, “Loro Piana creates garments of timeless elegance, products that do not change over time. Through this collaboration, I want to share the history and values of this brand that I have always admired. I look forward to the upcoming activities”.
Besides her killer musical chops, Park Soo-young, otherwise known by her moniker, Joy from Red Velvet has a ton of style up her sleeve — which comes as no surprise when she was appointed to be the new face of Italian luxury brand Tod’s. Sharing the same passion for timeless style and the contemporary spirit of the brand, Joy stated “I am honoured to be Tod’s brand ambassador. I look forward to this new journey.” And if you’ve been following the starlet on Instagram before the announcement, you would know that she has been constantly spotted wearing Tod’s bags on her Instagram and she was also featured in anotiher Tod’s campaign too.
Otherwise known as one of the most renowned and influential groups in the world, BTS is making their mark in the world of fashion with their latest appointment as House ambassadors for Louis Vuitton.
In response to the latest news, Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Artistic Director, Virgil Abloh said “I am delighted BTS are joining Louis Vuitton today. I am looking forward to this wonderful partnership which adds a modern chapter to the House, merging luxury and contemporary culture. I can’t wait to share all the very exciting projects we are working on”.
Louis Vuitton also shared on Instagram several images of BTS wearing clothes from the brand. The band also wore Louis Vuitton outfits to the Grammy Awards earlier this year, where their hit single Dynamite was up for a nomination.
The singer‘s appointment as the ambassador for Saint Laurent was announced in June 2020. The announcement comes after a series of images and videos posted on Saint Laurent’s Instagram page.
However, more recently, after her stunning solo debut, Rosé was also appointed as Tiffany and Co.‘s latest global ambassador. Here, the star is said to front the 2021 Tiffany Hardwear collection.
Another Blackpink member that’s in your area? Yes, we’re talking about Jisoo. Having worked closely with Dior over the past few years, the star recently teamed up with the luxury house showcasing their latest Dior Cruise 2021 collection. She’s graceful, elegant and classy — she’s truly the embodiment of Dior.
The Thai-born K-pop singer/rapper is not only the brand ambassador for Bvlgari, but was recently announced as the Global Ambassador for Celine! Speaking of which, just take a minute or two to admire the Celine bags Lisa has been spotted with.
The EXO star, who was in Singapore for Prada’s Spring/Summer 2019 Party, is now the ambassador for the brand. He stars in a special film, where he and Irene interpret Prada’s surreal glamour through their own identities.
Alongside Chanyeol, Irene was also announced as a brand ambassador for Prada. Since her Instagram posts in April 2020, rumours have been rife that she would be working with the fashion house after she tagged them in the posts wearing their bags, which she doesn’t usually do for brands.
It’s not every day that Gucci chooses a Korean ambassador. Their first happens to be Kai, who is known for his slim stature and modelesque height. The singer started attending Gucci shows is 2018 before being appointed as an ambassador in 2019 through an eyewear campaign.
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In January this year, the actor was appointed as the global model for Calvin Klein, making him the first Korean actor to be given that appointment. According the reports, he was chosen as they found him a perfect fit with their young and modern image.
It obviously takes a queen like Jun Ji Hyun (also known as Gianna Jun) to front a brand like Alexander McQueen. The actress was appointed as the brand’s first Korean ambassador in June 2020.
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Let’s be real, G-Dragon was one of the first K-pop celebrities anyone has associated with Chanel. The Big Bang leader was appointed as their brand ambassador in 2017, having attended their fashion shows for years prior. And if there’s anything that sets him apart from other ambassadors, it’s that he injects his personal style into any piece he wears.
In December, Longines announced that the actor would be joining other A-list celebrities to be their brand ambassador. Woo Sung was appointed as one of the “Ambassadors of Elegance” and if you’ve seen him in any interviews, you’ll immediately understand why the title is so befitting for him.
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He was the first Korean actor to be appointed as the brand ambassador for Cartier in Korea, and has also been appointed as Burberry‘s brand ambassador. The actor boasts a unique style that is quirky yet polished, so it’s no surprise that brands would want to be associated with him.
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Not every can be a designer’s muse, but the Korean actress is one of the lucky ones to be Louis Vuitton‘s Nicolas Ghesquière’s muse in 2016. Since then, she has been the brand ambassador and is a front row fixture in the brand’s runway shows. She even walked the runway for the 2018 Cruise collection in Japan.
The actor has been chosen as the face of Dior Men not only in Korea, but in Asia, in 2019. And honestly, with his modelling roots, we’re not surprised that brand had set their eyes on him!
In 2018, the actor was appointed as the brand ambassador for Swiss watch brand, Jaeger-LeCoultre. The top actor, who has even acted in Hollywood films, is known for his poise, so the appointment was definitely not out of left field.
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The Itaewon Class actor was chosen as the brand ambassador of Montblanc Korea in 2018. His appointment came after his rise in popularity after appearing in dramas such as Hwarang and variety show Youn’s Kitchen 2. He was seen sporting the Star Legacy Full Calendar in Itaewon Class.
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