Kim Soo-Hyun will make a whopping $600,000 for each episode of his new drama, That Night. Which other Korean celebrities are being paid bucketloads?
It appears that Hallyu superstar Kim Soo-Hyun, known as the King of Commercials in South Korea, just broke his own impressive record. Cementing his position as K-drama’s top earner, he is set to receive a staggering 500 million won (approximately $600,000) per episode for his new drama titled That Night, the Korean adaptation of British hit TV series Criminal Justice. It will air in the second half of this year.
When it comes to the highest-paid K-drama stars in 2020, he was already sitting comfortably right at the top of a very impressive list, thanks to his $240,000-per-episode pay cheque from his smash-hit drama, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.
It just begs the question: What is the 33-year-old actor going to do with all that money? And also, who are the other actors and actresses who command top dollar in the K-drama stratosphere? Here are some of our favourite power earners.
(Related: The Best New Korean Dramas To Watch In 2021)
1. Kim Soo-Hyun: $600,000 per episode
The actor saw his value skyrocket after he was discharged from the army, and his paycheque just keeps hitting new highs. He’s also the king of commercial films (CFs) and has won various awards for his roles, as well as the hearts of K-drama fans all around the world.
Watch him in: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, My Love From the Star, Moon Embracing the Sun, Dream High