Meet the Asian Pop Stars Who Sit in the Front Row of Every Fashion Show

A decade ago, “I’m big in Japan” was a dubious pickup line. Today it’s a front row guarantee to the most exclusive fashion shows in the world. With billions of fans, social media dominance, and a knack for supercool styling, Asian pop stars, actresses, and bloggers are gamely taking center stage—even when they’re sitting ringside by the runway. Here’s a quick guide to the style circuit standouts so far…

Name: CL (aka Chaerin Lee)
Hometown: Paris via Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo
Job: Pop Star
Gist: After becoming the breakout star of K-Pop group 2NE1, CL started a solo career in 2015. Her manager? Scooter Braun, who’s also the man behind Justin Bieber. Have we mentioned she’s in the current Alexander Wang campaign with Kaia Gerber and Kylie Jenner?
Be Her Friend! Ask her about her most adorable friend, a cat named Donut. Seriously.
Photo: Getty Images

Name: Zhiang Huiwen
Hometown: Yingtan, China
Job: Actress
Gist: Discovered by legendary Chinese director Zhang Yimou, this 23-year-old ballet student became a breakout star in the critically acclaimed drama Coming Home and nabbed the Asian Film Award for Best Newcomer.
Be Her Friend! If you meet Zhiang at a fashion show, trade vintage shopping secrets. Her stash of old-school graphic tees is insane.
Photo: Courtesy of Coming Home

Name: Fil Xiaobai
Hometown: Chendhu, China
Job: Stylist
Gist: After winning a street style competition in Beijing, Fil Xiaobai was sent to Paris for Fashion Week—and promptly became Insta-bait for Phil Oh and Scott Schuman. Now she has her own clothing line and a front row seat to Gucci.
Be Her Friend! The best way to bond with this blogger is to show her your tattoos—she’s obsessed!
Photo: Getty Images

Name: Sung Hee Kim
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Job: Model
Gist: The first Asian to book a Miu Miu campaign, this former ballet dancer has graduated to the front rows thanks to her celebrity status back home, and her strong relationships with former employers like MaxMara.
Be Her Friend! If you meet Sung Hee, talk to her about contemporary art—her Instagram is full of images from Frieke Janssens, Pina Bausch, and other female makers.
Photo: Getty Images

Name: Kim Yu-Bin
Hometown: Gwangju, South Korea
Job: Singer and Actress
Gist: A former member of The Wonder Girls pop group, Kim’s fame exploded in 2015 when she appeared on the hit Korean TV show, Unpretty Rap Star 2. (It’s like The X Factor for female rappers… we think…) Though she didn’t win, her on-point style made Yu-Bin a huge fashion star.
Be Her Friend! Ask her about being a real-life Hannah Montana. While developing her career, she went to public high school in San Jose, California!
Photo: Getty Images

Name: Dara (aka Sandara Park)
Hometown: The Philippines by way of South Korea
Job: Singer, actress, and TV host
Gist: She worked with CL in 2NE1, then struck out on her own with TV roles, a movie deal, and a makeup line called Sweet Bunny, which sold out almost overnight. Last year, she modeled for Philippines fashion chain Penshope alongside Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne.
Be Her Friend! Try talking to Dara in one of the five (!) languages she speaks: Korean, Tagalog, Japanese, Chinese, or English. (If that’s too tough, ask her to lunch—fan sites say she likes Ramen!)
Photo:Instagram/daraxxi

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