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Hye-rim Park — South Korean model, Cast Index Rising / Global Watch. Portrait photograph; see Image Credits for licence.

Rising / Global Watch
Editorial pillars · Medium confidence · evidence reviewed

South Korean model. Tracked for Balenciaga and major international runway work.

StatusRising / Global Watch

AgenciesVerification in progress

Recent showsRecord pending

NationalitySouth Korea

Current index status

Rising / Global Watch.

This profile remains unnumbered until its current evidence meets the Global 50 threshold. It is an editorial assessment, not a judgement of personal worth.

Index Rating · Editorial pillars · Medium confidence · evidence reviewed

78.8

How this is calculated ↗
Runway · 40%
74
74 / 100
Campaigns · 30%
82
82 / 100
Editorial · 20%
81
81 / 100
Cultural aura · 10%
84
84 / 100

Casting ledger

Verified walks.

No house-level walks on the casting ledger yet. The desk adds rows only when a public source confirms the booking.

Open the casting ledger ↗

01 / Why they matter

What Hye-rim is known for.

Balenciaga and major international runway work

02 / Career record

Early life

Park Hye-rim, known professionally as Hye-rim Park, was born on 17 January 1985 in Seoul, South Korea, and immigrated to Salt Lake City, Utah, as a teenager. She was discovered at an open casting call in 2004 while attending the University of Utah.

03 / Career record

A breakthrough at Prada, 2005

Park was shot by Steven Meisel for Italian Vogue ahead of the Fall 2005 shows, and made her runway debut that season, walking for Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui in New York before being cast by Miuccia Prada and casting director Russell Marsh for the Prada and Miu Miu shows in Milan — becoming the first non-white model to walk for Prada since Naomi Campbell in 1997, and the first Asian model ever to do so. Vogue named her one of its top 10 models of the year in 2005.

04 / Career record

Continued runway work

In 2011, Park became the first ethnic Asian model to walk for Balmain and Isabel Marant during Paris Fashion Week, adding to a campaign record that includes Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, H&M, M.A.C. Cosmetics, Tiffany & Co. and MaxMara, working with photographers including Steven Meisel, Mario Testino and Annie Leibovitz. She is represented by The Model CoOp in New York and VIVA Model Management in Paris.

05 / At a glance

Quick facts.

  • Born Park Hye-rim, 17 January 1985, in Seoul, South Korea; immigrated to Salt Lake City, Utah, as a teenager
  • Discovered at an open casting call in 2004 while attending the University of Utah
  • Shot by Steven Meisel for Italian Vogue ahead of her Fall 2005 runway debut
  • Became the first non-white model to walk for Prada since Naomi Campbell in 1997, and the first Asian model ever to do so
  • Named one of Vogue’s top 10 models of the year in 2005
  • Became the first ethnic Asian model to walk for Balmain and Isabel Marant during Paris Fashion Week, in 2011

06 / Current index evidence

Why is Hye-rim Park on the Rising watchlist?

  • Balenciaga and major international runway work.
  • Eligibility reviewed against work and public visibility in the 2021–2026 window; booking-level citations are maintained in the linked industry and biographical records.

Confidence: Editorial pillars · Medium confidence · evidence reviewed. Scores may change when a source is corrected or new work enters the current window.

Sources & evidence

  1. [1] Models.com industry record
  2. [2] Biographical reference

Facts are summarised in our own words from these public records. Independent editorial profile; not endorsed by the subject, agencies or brands. See our editorial & sourcing policy.

Facts on this page are drawn from public work records and industry press, and summarised in our own words. This is an independent editorial profile — it is not endorsed by the subject, their agencies, or the brands named. Last reviewed 2026-07-14. Corrections: desk@thecastindex.com.

FAQ

Hye-rim, answered

Where is Hye-rim Park from?

Hye-rim Park is a South Korean model.

What is Hye-rim Park’s current Cast Index status?

Hye-rim Park is currently on the unnumbered Rising / Global Watch board while current mainstream and international evidence is audited.

Which fashion weeks did Hye-rim Park walk in 2026?

The Cast Index has not yet attached a fully verified 2026 fashion-week event record to this profile. This will be updated when source review is complete.

What is Hye-rim Park known for?

Balenciaga and major international runway work

What is Hye-rim Park best known for as a career milestone?

Born Park Hye-rim, 17 January 1985, in Seoul, South Korea; immigrated to Salt Lake City, Utah, as a teenager; Discovered at an open casting call in 2004 while attending the University of Utah; Shot by Steven Meisel for Italian Vogue ahead of her Fall 2005 runway debut.

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