Song Hye Kyo and Kim Soo Hyun Are the Highest Paid South Korean Artistes
Song Hye Kyo and Kim Soo Hyun Are the Highest Paid South Korean Artistes
South Korean reporter Ahn Juin Yong has released the top paid South Korean artistes in 2023. At the top of the list, Song Hye Kyo is the highest paid actress and commands 200 million Korean Won per episode. In comparison, Kim Soo Hyun is the highest paid actor and receives well over 300 won per episode.
Among the highest paid actresses, the reporter reveals that Jeon Ji Hyun and Song Hye Kyo easily earn around 200 million won per episode. As Song Hye Kyo recently appeared in the well-received Netflix original series The Glory, it is expected that the actress will receive a higher rate for her next project.
The reporter adds that the actors that earn more than 300 million won per episode include Song Joong Ki, Lee Jong Seok, Ji Chang Wook and Lee Min Ho. When calculated on a standard 16 episodes drama, the actors have the potential of receiving 4.8 billion won per project plus a bonus payment if the project gains popularity outside of South Korea.
With the popularity of online streaming platforms, many media broadcasting companies are releasing web series with only 6 to 12 episodes. In order to attract artistes for the roles, these companies are compelled to pay higher per-episode rates than traditional dramas. To date, Kim Soo Hyun was the highest paid actor for his role in One Ordinary Day where he reportedly received 500 million won per episode.
Meanwhile, the South Korea media reported that Lee Jung Jae’s salary rose to 1 billion won per episode for his role in Squid Game 2. Considering that Squid Game 2 is expected to have 9 episodes, Lee Jung Jae will be receiving a total of 9 billion won for his role. While Netflix declined to comment on the actor’s salary, media insiders believe that the number would not be too far off and believe that Netflix is likely making adjustments to compensate the actor for Squid Game’s success.
While actors and actresses on the small screen are enjoying high salary growth, the reporter adds that the remuneration for the film industry is complicated. Unless it is an A-listed actor like Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun and Ha Jung Woo who are paid 1 billion won plus 10% of box office sales, there are many actors who are not receiving a high salary. This is attributed to a slowdown in the film industry and declining box office sales.
Source: Korea Star Daily
This article is written by Sammi for JayneStars.com.
