Kang (Korean surname)
Korean family name
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kang is a Korean family name. All together, the holders of this name number are 1,176,847 in South Korea, according to the 2015 national census, ranking 6th largest Korean family name.[1] While the name "Kang" can actually represent 5 different Hanja, or Chinese characters, the great majority (more than 1 million) bear the surname 姜.[1] The Chinese surname Jiāng also shares the same 姜 character.
Clans
Clans whose surname uses the Hanja character 姜 include the clans of Jinju and Geumcheon seat. The majority belong to the Jinju Kang clan (ko) (진주 강씨; 晉州 姜氏) is said to be descended from Goguryeo commander Kang I-sik. The Geumcheon Kang clan (ko) (금천 강씨; 衿川 姜氏) is descended from an ancestor whose ancestral seat was Geumcheon, now part of Seoul.
Clans whose surname uses the Hanja character 康 include Sincheon (ko) and Yeonggang (ko). The Sincheon Kang clan is further subdivided into Goksan (ko) (곡산 강씨; 谷山 康氏) and Jaeryeong (재령 강씨; 載寧 康氏).
Notable individuals
Historic
- Kang I-sik, Goguryeo commander
- Kang Kam-ch'an (948–1031), Goryeo government official and military commander
- Kang Cho (964–1011), Goryeo official
- Gang Hong-rip (1560–1627), Joseon military official
- Kang Hŭian (c. 1417–1464), Joseon scholar and painter
- Kang Sehwang (1713–1791), Joseon government official
- Kang Yun-sŏng (1302–1358), Goryeo civil official
Modern
- Kang Ae-shim (born 1963), South Korean actress
- Angela Kang (born 1976), American television writer
- Anthony Kang (born 1972), Korean-American professional golfer
- Kang Baek-ho (born 1999), South Korean professional baseball player
- BJ Kang, American FBI special agent
- Kang Bong-kyu (born 1978), South Korean former baseball player
- Kang Boo-ja (born 1941), South Korean actress
- Kang Byul (born 1990), South Korean actress
- Kang Byung-chan (1951–2002), South Korean football manager and former player
- Kang Byung-kyu (born 1972), South Korean former baseball player and broadcaster
- Kang Byung-won (born 1973), South Korean politician
- C.S. Eliot Kang (born 1962), American diplomat
- Kang Chan-hee (born 2000), South Korean singer and actor, member of boy band SF9
- Kang Chang-hee (born 1946), South Korean politician
- Kang Chang-gi (1927–2007), South Korean footballer
- Kang Da-hyun (born 1992), South Korean actress and model
- Kang Dae-ho (stage name Gaho, born 1997), South Korean singer-songwriter and producer
- Kang Daesung (born 1989), South Korean singer, member of boy band BigBang
- Kang Daniel (born 1996), South Korean singer-songwriter, former member of boy band Wanna One
- Dawon Kahng (1931–1992), Korean-American electrical engineer and inventor
- Kang Dong-ho (stage name Baekho, born 1995), South Korean singer, former member of boy band NU'EST
- Dong-Suk Kang (born 1954), South Korean violinist
- Kang Dong-suk (adventurer) (born 1969), South Korean yachtsman
- Gang Dong-won (born 1981), South Korean actor
- Emil Kang (born 1968), Korean-American arts administrator
- Kang Full (born 1974), South Korean webtoon artist
- Gang Gyeong-hyo (born 1964), South Korean modern pentathlete
- Kang Ha-neul (born 1990), South Korean actor
- Kang Hae-rin (born 2006), South Korean singer, member of girl group NewJeans
- Kang Hae-won (born 1986), South Korean badminton player
- Kang Han-byeol (born 2002), South Korean former child actor
- Kang Han-na (born 1989), South Korean actress
- Kang Hee-gun (stage name Gary, born 1978), South Korean rapper
- Kang Ho-dong (born 1970), South Korean entertainer
- Kang Hong-seok (born 1986), South Korean actor
- Kang Hoon (born 1991), South Korean actor
- Kang Hwa-gil (born 1986), South Korean writer
- Kang Hwan-seug, South Korean bureaucrat
- Kang Hye-jung (born 1982), South Korean actress
- Kang Hye-mi (born 1974), South Korean volleyball player
- Kang Hye-won (born 1999), South Korean singer and actress, former member of girl group Iz*One
- Kang Hyeong-cheol, South Korean film director and screenwriter
- Hyun Yi Kang (born 1967), Korean-American scholar and writer
- Kang Hyung-gu (stage name Kino, born 1998), South Korean singer, member of boy band Pentagon
- Kang Hyung-ho (born 1988), South Korean singer
- Kang In-soo (born 1988), South Korean singer and actor
- Jay Caspian Kang (born 1979), American writer and editor
- Kang Je-gyu (born 1962), South Korean film director
- Kang Ji-hwan (born 1977), South Korean retired actor
- Kang Ji-hyun (stage name Soyou, born 1992), South Korean singer, former member of girl group Sistar
- Kang Ji-yong (1989–2025), South Korean footballer
- Kang Ji-young (born 1994), South Korean singer, member of girl group Kara
- Kang Jin-a (born 1981), South Korean film director and screenwriter
- Kang Ju-hyeok (born 2006), South Korean footballer
- Kang Jung-ai (born 1957), South Korean professor and politician
- Kang Jung-ho (born 1987), South Korean former baseball player
- Katherine Anna Kang (born 1970), American video game designer
- Kang Ki-doong (born 1987), South Korean actor
- Kang Ki-young born 1983), South Korean actor
- Kang Kyŏng-ae (1906–1944), Korean feminist writer
- Kang Kyun-sung (born 1981), South Korean singer and television personality, member of boy band Noel
- Kang Kyung-ho (born 1987), South Korean mixed martial artist
- Kang Kyung-hun (born 1975), South Korean actress
- Kang Kyung-jin (born 1973), South Korean former badminton player and coach
- Kang Kyung-joon (born 1983), South Korean actor
- Kang Kyung-min (born 1996), South Korean handball player
- Kang Kyung-ok (born 1965), South Korean manhwa artist
- Kang Kyung-wha (born 1955), South Korean diplomat and politician
- Maggie Kang, South Korea–born Canadian film director
- Kang Mal-geum (born 1979), South Korean actress
- Michael Kang (director) (born 1970), Korean-American film director and screenwriter
- Michael Kang (musician) (born 1971), Korean-American multi-instrumentalist, member of jam band The String Cheese Incident
- Michele Kang (born 1959), South Korea–born American businesswoman
- Kang Mi-na (born 1999), South Korean singer and actress, former member of girl groups I.O.I and Gugudan
- Kang Min (better known as Nal_rA, born 1982), South Korean former professional StarCraft player
- Kang Min-ah (born 1997), South Korean actress
- Kang Min-hee (born 1991), South Korean singer
- Kang Min-hyuk (born 1991), South Korean musician and actor, member of pop rock band CNBLUE
- Kang Min-hyuk (badminton) (born 1999), South Korean badminton player
- Kang Min-kyung (born 1990), South Korean singer, member of pop duo Davichi
- Minsoo Kang (born 1967), South Korean historian and writer
- Kang Min-soo (born 1986), South Korean footballer
- Kang Na-eon (born 2001), South Korean actress
- Kang Nak-youn (born 1967), South Korean alpine skier
- Kang Nam-gil (born 1958), South Korean actor
- Kang Nung-su (1930–2015), North Korean literary critic and politician
- Kang Oe-jeong (born 1966), South Korean para table tennis player, Paralympic bronze medallist
- Kang Ok-sun (born 1946), North Korean former volleyball player
- Kang Rae-yeon (born 1981), South Korean actress and model
- Kang Ryang-uk (1903–1983), former Vice President of North Korea
- Kang Ryong-woon (born 1942), North Korean professional footballer
- Kang San-eh (born 1963), South Korean folk rock singer-songwriter
- Kang Sang-hee (born 1998), South Korean footballer
- Kang Sang-jae (born 1994), South Korean professional basketball player
- Kang Sang-jung (born 1950), Japanese-born South Korean academic
- Kang Sang-woo (born 1993), South Korean professional footballer
- Kang Sang-yoon (born 2004), South Korean footballer
- Kang Se-jung (born 1982), South Korean actress
- Kang Seul-gi (born 1994), South Korean singer, member of girl group Red Velvet
- Kang Seung-yoon (born 1994), South Korean singer, member of boy band Winner
- Kang Shin-hyo (born 1989), South Korean actor
- Kang Shin-il (born 1960), South Korean actor
- Kang Si-ra (born 1991), South Korean singer
- Kang So-ra (born 1990), South Korean actress
- Kang Sok-kyong (born 1951), South Korean author
- Kang Soo-yeon (1966–2022), South Korean actress
- Kang Soo-yun (born 1976), South Korean professional golfer
- Sukhee Kang (born 1952), American politician
- Suki Seokyeong Kang (1977–2025), South Korean visual artist
- Sung Kang (born 1972), American actor
- Kang Sung-hoon (singer) (born 1980), South Korean singer, former member of boy band Sechs Kies
- Kang Sung-hoon (golfer) (born 1987), South Korean professional golfer
- Sung-Mo Kang, American electrical engineering scientist
- Kang Tae-joo (born 1995), South Korean actor and model
- Kang Tae-hyun (born 2002), South Korean singer, member of boy group Tomorrow X Together
- Tim Kang (born 1973), American actor
- Kang We-suck (born 1986), South Korean civil rights activist
- Kang Woo-suk (born 1960), South Korean film producer and director
- Kang Ye-seo (born 2005), South Korean singer and actress, member of girl group Kep1er
- Kang Ye-won (born 1979), South Korean actress
- Kang Yeo-sang (born 1999), South Korean singer and dancer, member of boy group ATEEZ
- Kang Yi-seok (born 1998), South Korean actor
- Kang Yong-sop (1931–2012), North Korean politician
- Kang You-seok (born 1994), South Korean actor
- Younghill Kang (1898–1972), Korean-American writer
- Kang Young-hoon (1922–2016), South Korean politician
- Kang Young-hyun (stage name Young K, born 1993), South Korean singer, member of pop rock band Day6
- Kang Young-joong (born 1949), South Korean businessman
- Young Woo Kang (1944–2012), Korean-American disability rights advocate and author
- Kang Yu-chan (born 1997), South Korean singer and actor, member of boy band A.C.E
- Kang Yu-jeong (born 1996), South Korean judoka
- Kang Yu-mi (comedian) (born 1983), South Korean comedian and actress
- Kang Yu-mi (footballer) (born 1991), South Korean footballer
- Kang Yun-gu (born 2002), South Korean footballer
- Kang Yun-mi (speed skater) (born 1988), South Korean short track speed skater, Olympic gold medallist
- Kang Yun-mi (gymnast) (born 1988), North Korean artistic gymnast
- Kang Yun-seong (director) (born 1971), South Korean film director and scriptwriter
