Kwon also written as Gwon ( ) is a

Korean family name This is a list of Korean surnames, in Hangul alphabetical order. The most common Korean surname (particularly in South Korea) is Kim (Korean name), Kim (), followed by Lee (Korean name), Lee () and Park (Korean surname), Park (). These three sur ...

. Some sources list as many as 56 clans, but most of them were merged with the Andong Gwon clan under the Sijeung-gong faction soon after the establishment of the Goryeo Kingdom.

Andong Kwon clan

The founder of Andong Kwon clan, Kim Haeng (金幸), was originally a royalty of the Silla Gyeongju Kim clan. He participated in the Battle of Gochang and helped Taejo, who established the Kingdom of Goryeo in 918; the new king bestowed upon Kim Haeng a new surname: Kwon (權), as he could judge the situation correctly and achieve a purpose flexibly (能炳幾達權).

Yecheon Kwon clan

The original surname of the Yecheon Kwon clan was Hŭn (). However, they was forced to change their surname due to having the same character as the personal name of King Chungmok of Goryeo, which was Wang Hŭn (). Due to the

naming taboo A naming taboo is a cultural taboo against speaking or writing the given names of exalted persons, notably in China and within the Chinese cultural sphere. It was enforced by several laws throughout Imperial China, but its cultural and possibly ...

of using the character of the king's personal name, the Hŭn family changed their surname to Kwon (權), which was the surname of the mother of the clan head. The head of the Hŭn clan at this time, Kwon Sŏm (), became the founding ancestor of the Yecheon Kwon clan. Approximately two thirds of clan members live in the Gyeongsang provinces. All members of the Heun (昕) clan disappeared before the founding of

Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

. Another account states that the

Yecheon Yecheon County is a county in the province of North Gyeongsang, South Korea. It is 661 km2 in area, and in 2004 had a population of 52,311. It has lost over two-third of its inhabitants since the mid-1960s. It consists of twelve administr ...

Heun (昕) clan's Jeoksin, Suchang, Seungdan, and Seungjo married into the Andong Kwon clan and afterward their descendants took their mothers' surname Kwon (權). Yecheon Kwon clan called an Obongmun (五福門) in late

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

Notable people

Entertainers

* Kwon Bo-ah (stage name BoA, born 1986), South Korean singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer and actress * Kwon Chae-won (born 1999), South Korean singer, member of girl group DIA * Edward Young-min Kwon (born 1972), South Korean celebrity chef *

Kwon Eun-bi Kwon Eun-bi (; born September 27, 1995) is a South Korean singer and actress signed under Woollim Entertainment. She debuted as a member of the short lived girl group Ye-A under the stage name Kazoo. She participated in the Mnet (TV channel), ...

(born 1995), South Korean singer *

Kwon Eun-bin Kwon Eun-bin (, born January 6, 2000), also known simply as Eunbin or Eunbean, is a South Korean singer, actress and model. She participated in the Produce 101 (season 1), first season of ''Produce 101'' (2016), before being eliminated in the ...

(born 2000), South Korean singer, member of girl group CLC *

Kwon Eun-soo Kwon Eun-soo (; born February 4, 1989) is a South Korean actress and model. She is best known for her lead roles in ''If You Were Me 4'' as So-young and ''Wild Flowers'' as Eun-soo. She also did a supporting role and appeared in the famous and p ...

(born 1989), South Korean actress and model *

Kwon Hae-hyo Kwon Hae-hyo (; born November 6, 1965) is a South Korean actor and activist. In addition to his acting career, he is also known for his activism. Kwon has been involved with a number of organizations advocating for political and social justice ...

(born 1965), South Korean actor and activist *

Kwon Han-sol Kwon Han-sol is a South Korean actress. She is known for her roles in dramas such as '' Miss Lee'', '' She Would Never Know'', ''Snowdrop'', ''Extracurricular An extracurricular activity (ECA) or extra academic activity (EAA) or cultural ac ...

(born 1996), South Korean actress *

Kwon Hyuk (actor) Kwon Hyuk is a South Korean actor and model. He is known for his roles in dramas such as '' Top Star U-back'', '' Graceful Friends'' and ''A Good Supper''. He also appeared in the movie '' The Point Men''. Early life He was born on February 19 ...

(born 1989), South Korean actor and model *

Dean (South Korean singer) Kwon Hyuk (; born November 10, 1992), better known by his stage name Dean (), is a South Korean alternative R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer. On March 25, 2016, he released his debut EP, '' 130 Mood: TRBL'', and multiple collab ...

(born Kwon Hyuk, 1992), South Korean singer, songwriter and producer *

Kwon Hwa-woon Kwon Hwa-woon is a South Korean actor. He is known for his roles in '' Lie After Lie'', '' Sky Castle'', '' Doctor John,'' '' Zombie Detective'' ''and Mouse.'' He also appeared in movie ''Northern Limit Line The Northern Limit Line or North ...

(born 1989), South Korean actor and model *

Kwon Hyuk-soo (actor) Kwon Hyuk-soo (born May 6, 1986) is a South Korean actor, singer and comedian. He made his debut on ''Saturday Night Live Korea ''Saturday Night Live Korea'' (; abbreviated as ''SNL Korea'' () or simply as ''SNLK'') is a South Korean late-ni ...

(born 1986), South Korean actor, singer, comedian *

Loco (rapper) Kwon Hyuk-woo (Hangul: 권혁우; born December 25, 1989), better known by his stage name Loco (Hangul: 로꼬), is a South Korean rapper signed to hip hop label AOMG. His name "loco" means "crazy" in Spanish. He won the first season of Mnet's ...

(born Kwon Hyuk-woo, 1989), South Korean rapper *

Kwon Hyun-bin Kwon Hyun-bin (; born March 4, 1997), also known by his stage name Viini, is a South Korean actor, rapper and model. He is known for his appearance in the second installation of ''Produce 101'' and debuting in the former boy band, JBJ. Life a ...

(born 1997), South Korean rapper and actor *

Solbi Kwon Ji-an (; born 30 September 1984), commonly known by her stage name Solbi (), is a South Korean singer, painter, and television personality. She made her singing debut in 2006 as a member of the K-pop group Typhoon (South Korean band), Typ ...

(born Kwon Ji-an, 1984), South Korean actress and singer *

G-Dragon Kwon Ji-yong (; born August 18, 1988), best known as G-Dragon (), is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur, known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of K-pop". Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, G-Drag ...

(born Kwon Ji-yong, 1988), South Korean rapper, member of boy band Big Bang *

Kwon Jin-ah Kwon Jin-ah (; born July 18, 1997) is a South Korean singer-songwriter and guitarist. She began her music career after winning third place on SBS' '' K-pop Star 3'' in 2014 and subsequently signing to Antenna Music. She debuted in 2016, with the ...

(born 1997), South Korean singer-songwriter *

Kwon Mina Kwon Mina (; born September 21, 1993), mononymously known as Mina'','' is a former South Korean singer and actress. She was a vocalist and rapper of the girl group AOA and bassist of the sub-unit AOA Black. Kwon has acted in television dramas ...

(born 1993), South Korean singer and actress *

Sik-K Kwon Min-sik (; born February 26, 1994), known professionally as Sik-K (), is a South Korean rapper. He first garnered attention when he appeared on '' Show Me the Money 4'' in 2015. Early life and education Kwon Min-sik was born on February 26 ...

(born Kwon Min-sik, 1994) South Korean rapper *

Kwon Nara Kwon Ah-yoon (; born March 13, 1991), better known by the stage name Kwon Nara (), is a South Korean actress and former singer. Before she transitioned to acting career she is best known as one of the original members of the South Korean girl g ...

(born 1991), South Korean singer *

Kwon Oh-joong Kwon Oh-joong (born November 24, 1971) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for starring in ''Gourmet'' (2008), as well as the television series '' The Secret Lovers'' (2005), '' Freedom Fighter, Lee Hoe-young'' (2010), and '' Miss Ajumma'' ...

(born 1971), South Korean actor *

Kwon Ri-se Kwon Ri-se (August 16, 1991 – September 7, 2014), better known by her stage name Rise, was a South Korean singer. She was a member of the South Korean girl group Ladies' Code under Polaris Entertainment. Prior to her joining Ladies' Code, s ...

(1991–2014), South Korean singer, member of girl group Ladies' Code *

Kwon Sang-woo Kwon Sang-woo (; born August 5, 1976) is a South Korean actor. He rose to stardom in 2003 with the romantic comedy film '' My Tutor Friend'' and the melodrama series ''Stairway to Heaven''. His other notable credits include the films '' Once Upo ...

(born 1976), South Korean actor *

Sogumm Kwon So-hee (; born March 8, 1994), known professionally as Sogumm (; stylized in all lowercase), is a South Korean singer-songwriter. In 2019, she released albums ''Not My Fault'' and ''Sobrightttttttt'', which were met with critical acclaim. Sh ...

(born Kwon So-hee, 1994) South Korean singer-songwriter *

Kwon So-hyun Kwon So-hyun (; born August 30, 1994), known mononymously as Sohyun, is a South Korean actress and singer. She was known as a former member of South Korean girl group 4Minute, under Cube Entertainment, and also a former member of the South Kor ...

(born 1994), South Korean singer and dancer * Kwon So-hyun (actress) (born 1987), South Korean actress * Kwon Soo-hyun (actor) (born 1986), South Korean actor * Hoshi (born Kwon Soon-young, 1996), South Korean singer and dancer, member of boy band Seventeen *

Kwon Yu-ri Kwon Yu-ri (; born December 5, 1989), known mononymously as Yuri, is a South Korean singer, actress, and songwriter. She debuted as a member of girl group Girls' Generation (and later its subgroup Girls' Generation-Oh!GG) in August 2007, which ...

(born 1989), South Korean singer and actress, member of girl group Girls' Generation *

Yul Kwon (television personality) Yul Julius Kwon (born February 14, 1975) is an American television host and former government official, lawyer, and management consultant based in California. He first gained national recognition and popularity as the winner of the reality TV sh ...

(born 1975), American television host * Kwon Yul (actor) (born 1982), South Korean actor

Others

* Queen Hyeondeok (1418–1441), Joseon Dynasty consort * Gwon Yul (1537–1599), Joseon Dynasty general * Do Kwon (born Kwon Do-Hyung, 1991), South Korean former businessman * Kwon Jeong-saeng (1937–2007), South Korean writer * Min Kwon (born Kwon Min-kyung), Korean-American pianist * Kwon Oh-hyun (born 1952), South Korean businessman * Kwon Chang-hoon (born 1994), South Korean football player * Striker (gamer) (born Kwon Nam-joo, ), South Korean ''Overwatch'' player * R. O. Kwon, South Korean–born American author * Kwon Tae-man (born 1941), Korean hapkido practitioner

References