10 Korean Anime Characters in Japanese Anime

Anime is famous for its wide range of characters from different cultures.

Over time, we have seen many characters of Chinese and Indian backgrounds, as well as from Western countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy.

However, Korean characters in Japanese anime are still rare.

The lack of Korean characters can be due to historical and cultural reasons in Japanese media.

Even so, it is important to note that Korean characters do appear in anime, though not often.

When they do, these characters add a special touch to anime stories.

Anime characters with Korean origins often bring a unique perspective to their stories, making them stand out.

The representation of Korean culture in anime has grown, with several famous Korean anime characters becoming fan favorites.

Some well-known anime shows do have Korean characters, showing a slow move towards more diversity.

These characters often bring their own cultural details, making the story richer and giving viewers a look into Korean culture.

In short, while Korean anime characters are less common than those from other nationalities, they do exist.

They add to the diversity that makes anime such an interesting and loved art form around the world.

10. Kim “Wraith” Yun-hi – Full Metal Panic!

• Number of Episodes: 61
• Status: Finished Airing
• Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Mecha, Military
• Where to Watch: Funimation, Crunchyroll, Netflix

A former North Korean spy, known for her expertise in disguise, was assigned by the Intelligence Department to watch over Kaname Chidori and protect her from major threats.

Initially, she seemed distant and unapproachable.

However, everything changed after Kaname Chidori “rescued” her from Leonard Testarossa. This act of kindness led her to open up and start meeting Chidori in secret.

Her skills became evident during a critical mission on the rooftop of Jindai High School.

There, she played a key role in saving Sousuke and Tokiwa from Amalgam agents.

She successfully defused a bomb attached to Tokiwa and performed emergency surgery to remove shrapnel from Tokiwa’s diaphragm.

Afterwards, she rushed Tokiwa to the hospital, showcasing her medical skills and quick thinking.

Her compassion shone through when she allowed Kaname Chidori to surrender to Leonard in order to save Sousuke’s life, even though it was against her orders.

This selfless act highlighted her deep sense of loyalty and care for her friends.

9. Munsu – Blade of the Phantom Master

• Type: Movie
• Duration: 1 hr. 25 min
• Genres: Action, Fantasy
• Where to Watch: N/A

Often nicknamed the Korean Berserk “Blade of the Phantom Master” is a true masterpiece.

Munsu, the main character, is as tough as he looks.

On the surface, he seems like a harsh and blunt street-enforcer, showing no mercy or pity. His methods can be crude and sometimes border on “evil.”

As an Angyo Onshi and former General of Jushin’s Army, Munsu has an impressive set of skills and abilities, making him a formidable opponent.

Munsu is the perfect example of a smart, cunning, and badass main character without being a boring self-insert.

He is one of the greatest main characters and feels incredibly real.

8. Im Yong Soo Hetalia: Axis Powers

• Episodes: 52
• Status: Finished Airing
• Genres: Comedy
• Where to Watch: Funimation, Crunchyroll

“Hetalia: Axis Powers” offers a humorous twist on world history, especially highlighting events from World War I and World War II.

The show focuses on the relationships and interactions between different countries.

In “Hetalia,” countries are personified as characters, each embodying unique traits and quirks inspired by stereotypes or historical events tied to that nation.

One such character is Korea, who represents South Korea.

Korea is depicted as free-spirited and enthusiastic, with a love for video games, dramas, studying abroad, and the internet.

He often claims credit for inventions and believes his older brothers should recognize him as their elder.

He frequently uses phrases like “Da-ze!” or “Uri nara mansae!” which roughly translate to “Hooray for our land!”

However, many South Korean viewers found this portrayal offensive and in poor taste after discovering the series.

7. Hong Suyoung – Hikaru No Go

• Episodes: 75
• Status: Finished Airing
• Genres: Comedy, Drama, Supernatural
• Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

Hikaru Shindo, a sixth-grader, accidentally awakens the spirit of Fujiwara no Sai, a deceased Go prodigy. Sai then accompanies Hikaru, helping him develop his Go skills.

Suyong Hong starts as an yeon’gusaeng and later becomes a 2 Dan Professional from Korea. Suyong is an exceptionally strong player.

Many people have said that he did whatever it took to become a professional, quickly rising through all ten classes in his Insei class.

06. Kim Songyu – Bakuman

• Episodes: 25
• Status: Finished Airing
• Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
• Where to Watch: Hulu, Peacock, Netflix

Kim Songyu (or Kim Seong) – Korean character in Bakuman. He is mostly a background character and only had very little background.

He has the same name as the vocalist from the South Korean band INFINITE.

Kim Songyu is a copyeditor for Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump.

The only person her age is an upstairs neighbor, Crabbe, with blue-grey hair, grey eyes, and a frail frame.

In Bakuman he’s actually an editor for One Piece. In real life, though, he is an editor on Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn.

05. Yu-Mi Kim – Freezing

• Episodes: 24
• Status: Finished Airing
• Genre: Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi, Ecchi
• Where to watch: Funimation

A trainer in West Genetics, she once served as a Numbers.

Yu-Mi is a former classmate and Student Council President at West Genetics who also shares Korean origins.

She is a 2nd-year student and a combat instructor and was part of the Numbers unit in the first elite team joined by Elize Schmitz and Kazuha Aoi during the 8th Nova Clash.

Later, in 2062, Yu-Mi was reemployed back at West Genetics; however, this time, she was recently hired to be an Instructor for a particular class of High-End Skills.

She is still a teacher and a physics teacher—executive Officer in the Chevalier.

Yu-Mi Kim may be one of the proudest women on the planet, and damn if she is not strong-willed and dedicated.

One nice thing about her is that she is extremely candid with her emotions, even if it gets her into trouble.

She is also fiercely proud of her Korean heritage and made two Korean girl friends in her student days, Mi-Ryung Baek and Su-Na Lee, who were also Pandora.

04. Li Chong-pil – Hajime no Ippo

• Episodes: 127
• Status: Finished Airing
• Genre: Sports, Boxing
• Where to watch: Crunchyroll

Chong-pil Li is a professional boxer from South Korea.

He fought in Japan again for the first time after 11 games overseas when he faced Ichirō Miyata. Li has a tanned, strong body.

He has a bowl cut for black hair, black eyes, thin eyebrows, and a broad nose.

He wears black and gold boxing shorts in the ring with his name written in Korean on the left.

The anime mistakenly writes his name as “李 張弼”, Lǐ Zhāng Bì. Li once fought against the 3rd ranked OPBF fighter, Ichirō Miyata.

03. Choe Gu Sung – Psycho Pass

• Episodes: 25
• Status: Finished Airing
• Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
• Watch It On: Crunchyroll, Hulu, Funimation, Netflix

Gu-sung Choe is one of the members of Makishima’s gang and a close friend.

Gu Sung is a super hacker, capable of penetrating and seeing the core security system of the Sibyl Core.

He has red/yellow heterochromian eyes that he always seems to have closed and short, straight brown hair with long sweeping bangs only covering the right side of his face.

He usually wears a blue coat, a lavender shirt, and green pants. His right ear is pierced.

This is a scientific mastermind who is good at making internet rumors and only temporary madness. He also feels, much like Makishima, that the Sibyl System should be eradicated.

Gu Sung doesn’t give a shit about anyone else, and everyone around him is expendable, even though he will sacrifice people’s lives to get to where he wants to be.

He reads novels by the cyberpunk author William Gibson.

02. Lee Seung Gil – Yuri On Ice

• Number of episodes: 12
• Status: Finished Airing
• Genres: Sports, Comedy, Drama
• Watch It On: Crunchyroll, Funimation

Seung-Gil Lee is a South Korean athlete who appears in Yuri on Ice!!!.

Seung-gil is a young man of average height with black hair that has bangs hanging on the left side, dark grey eyes, and thick eyebrows, and he is often seen with a severe or stoic expression.

His uniform of the day is usually a black tracksuit jacket with blue details and black pants.

During his short program, Seung-gil shows up in a rainbow-feathered number, which appears as a deviation from his usual clothes.

Off the Ice, Seung-gil becomes completely oblivious, his mind as blank as a white sheet.

But once he takes the Ice, his cold, hard-eyed, relentless demeanor rises to the surface, and that transformation is arguably part of what makes him so exciting to figure skating fans.

Seung-gil is beloved because of his elegance on Ice.

But he has never been effusive when it comes to the hordes of mostly female fans – as well as other women like Sara Crispino.

When he cries after not making it to the Grand Prix final, he is shown as much more vulnerable.

Yuri On Ice!! is one of the best anime with Korean anime characters.

01. An Si Eun – Sword Art Online

• Number of episodes: 96
• Status: Finished Airing
• Genres: Adventure, Science fiction, Romance
• Watch It On: Netflix, Crunchyroll

An Si Eun is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

After her diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, she began to immerse herself in virtual worlds in an attempt to have a better quality of life.

Si Eun is friendly and kind, but she is also sensitive and easily emotional.

She is also the sub-leader of a Guild called the Sleeping Knights, a group of terminally ill patients who met in the Serene Garden.

They use tech for palliative care, playing virtual reality games together.

However, the guild then fell apart because only a few of its members were still alive, and most of those lived for less than six more months.

Si Eun is now healed from her bitterness.

An Si-eun, who does wear glasses, wears a wig as well, having lost her hair to chemotherapy.

One of the most recognizable features of Undine players is their long, almost pure white light-blue hair, and An Si-eun’s avatar also has this hair.

Also, the calm, deep-blue eyes shining beneath drooping eyelashes, a nose like a thumbtack, lustrous lips, and a strangely slender body hinted at a good prototypical Undine healer.

Her hometown outfit is casual, whereas she wears a long, white robe with navy blue cloth at the edge, a senior-level cleric outfit with a cake hat, and also holds a thin silver staff in her right hand during battle.

Sword Art Online is one of the most popular anime of all time and one of the best when it comes to Korean anime characters representation.