The most followed individual on Instagram in South Korea is Lisa from BLACKPINK, with over 106 million followers as of late 2025, followed by fellow BLACKPINK members Jennie and Rosé, with BTS members and their official account also ranking high, highlighting the dominance of K-pop idols on the platform.
Most followed celebrity Instagram accounts South Korea 2025
As of November 2025, Jennie of Blackpink was the most followed South Korean celebrity on Instagram with approximately 88.4 million followers. The most followed individual male celebrity was V of boy group BTS.
The following are the 13 most famous people in South Korea:
Top Instagram Influencers in South Korea
The number one influencer in the world, based on sheer follower count and broad appeal, is generally considered to be Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who boasts hundreds of millions of followers across platforms like Instagram, making him the most-followed individual person. While brands like Instagram itself have more followers, Ronaldo leads all individuals, followed by other major stars like Lionel Messi and Selena Gomez, showing sports figures and entertainers dominate the top spots.
IU tops Forbes Korea's 2025 Power Celebrity list, ranking as the most influential Korean celebrity. — Forbes Korea's Power Celebrity 40 evaluates stars based on media interest, public influence, achievements, social media popularity and earnings.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates 1 billion social media followers.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the most-followed person, sportsperson and European on Instagram.
However, it's generally agreed that influencers with 1 million followers can make anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 per sponsored post, depending on their engagement and niche. Influencers in lucrative niches such as beauty, fashion, and fitness may command even higher rates.
The Big Three in K-pop refers to the three South Korean entertainment companies YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and SM Entertainment. These companies dominated the K-pop industry from the late 1990s to today.
Kim Ji-won. Kim Ji-won is a South Korean actress. She gained attention through her roles in the television series The Heirs (2013) and Descendants of the Sun (2016) before taking on leading roles in Fight for My Way (2017), Arthdal Chronicles (2019), Lovestruck in the City (2020-2021), and My Liberation Notes (2022).
South Korea's 52-hour work rule caps most employees' weekly working hours at 52, consisting of 40 standard hours plus 12 allowed overtime hours, aiming to reduce overwork, improve work-life balance, and boost productivity by ending excessively long workweeks previously common in the country. Implemented in phases for different company sizes, this law applies to a seven-day week, including weekends, and was a major revision to the Labor Standards Act, phasing in from 2018 to 2021 for most businesses.
Top Korean Actors
BTS (방탄소년단)' #V is now the fastest person in the world to reach 65M followers on Instagram!
Jihoon Kim born in Seoul and based in Germany since the age of 12, has established herself as a remarkable presence in the global fashion world. At 24, she connects with over 5 million followers across lnstagram and TikTok, drawn to her effortless blend of Korean pop culture and international fashion aesthetics.
Top Social Media Influencers
Most-followed South Korean actress on Instagram: IU, Bae Suzy and more
Ariana Grande (@arianagrande)
Ariana Grande's Instagram account has garnered 370 million followers who adore her for her music, style, and entrepreneurial ventures, including her beauty brand, r.e.m. beauty.
Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) is the number one highest paid influencer on Instagram. He has the most followers of any person in the world. As a global football star, his reach is massive. He often works with sports and health brands.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 667 million followers. The most followed person on Instagram is none other than Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
The fastest time to reach 1 million followers on Instagram is 43 minutes, and was achieved by Kim Taehyung 'V' (Hangul: 김태형) (Republic of Korea), on 6 December 2021.
Most Beautiful South Korean Women of 2024
1. JYP Entertainment (Park Jin-young) As the founder of JYP Entertainment, Park Jin-young stands at the top with an estimated net worth of $200 million. His company is responsible for producing some of the biggest K-pop acts, including GOT7 and TWICE.
The biggest red flag in K-dramas is often the toxic, possessive, cold-hearted CEO/chaebol male lead who uses bullying, forced affection (wrist grabs, forced kisses), emotional manipulation, and controlling behavior (like isolating the female lead) as a form of "love," transforming into a doting partner only through the female lead's unwavering love, a trope popularized by dramas like Boys Over Flowers and The Heirs. Other major red flags include gaslighting, jealousy treated as romance, love-bombing, emotional unavailability, and characters with dark, violent pasts who inexplicably soften for the female lead.