Movie industry in Korea is huge, and you might wonder about the stars’ income. So we bring you some highest paid Korean actors and actresses to answer your doubt today. Korean television shows and dramas are very popular, and that also makes their actors and actresses famous as well. These actors and actresses are not only rich but also very successful in their career. Some of them star in movies while the other are famous for their roles in television series and more. Being the highest paid stars, these actors and actresses are very successful in their career. Let’s check out the list of the highest paid Korean actors and actresses below. Your favorite stars might be in there as well.
Gong Yoo
Net Worth: $3 Million
This talented actor starred in a main role of a successful drama called Guardian: The Lonely and Great God. His role was as Goblin, and he won Best Actor at the Baeksang Awards for the role. Then he starred in another box office hit in 2016 in a film called The Age of Shadows. Followed by his success in movie Train To Busan, Gong Yoo has risen to the highest point in his career. He is one of the highest paid Korean actors who gain the highest earnings for fan meetings.
At the same time, his income also comes from television series and dramas as well. He earns about $65,000 per episode which is a lot. That makes him one of the highest paid actors in the movie industry. Gong Yoo is famous for his roles in many television series. Those includes The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Silenced, Train To Busan, and more. This talented actor has many successful projects, one of which is television series The Age of Shadows. With a net worth of $3 million dollars, no doubt why he is one of the highest paid Korean actors.
Park Seo Jun
Net Worth: $5 Million
Began his career as an actor through music videos, he then made his way to be a famous actor. As a result of his hard work, he became an actor in television dramas and movies. He gained global recognition through his Korean television dramas including “Kill Me, Heal Me”, She Was Pretty, and more. His most famous television dramas was “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim” in 2018. Then he appears as a guest and a cast member in a variety of shows. Along with that, he also works in handful music videos for popular singers as well.
His latest drama series is “Itaewon Class” that you can find on Netflix’s Original. Apart from his dramas, Park Seo Joon also has advertising and endorsement earnings as well. Those include Union Bay, Sperry, NorthCape, Lanaige Homme Skin Care, Gong Cha, The OOZOO, Domino’s Pizza, Hite Jinro’s Chamisul, etc. The combination of his talents and personality makes him one of the most popular actors in South Korea. His success has brought him the increase in his income each year, stay tune for his next year net worth.
Lee Jong Suk
Net Worth: $5 Million
Started his debut in 2005 as a runway model at 15, making him the youngest model on Seoul Collection Show. He then transformed to a very famous actor after his debut in 2010. After his lead roles in I Can Hear Your Voice, Doctor Stranger, Pinocchio, and School 2013, everyone knows him. In 2015, he moved on YG Entertainment and starred in the drama W as a protagonist of a webtoon. According to the resource, Lee Jong Suk grosses around $50,300 per episode which is similar to Song Joong Ki’s payment.
Lee Jong Suk’s fame is not only in Korea but also in China. He was so popular they installed his wax statue in Madame Tussauds, Hong Kong. The actor himself had unveiled the statue, and his popularity and admiration grow among Chinese fans. He then starred in Chinese drama Jade Lover for the first time. His income does not only comes from his acting and modelling career but also endorsements. He is the endorser for various endorsements such as cosmetics, milk, fashion, food, and more. Lee Jong Suk is serving for the military at the moment, so stay tune for more when he comes back.
Ha Ji Won
Net Worth: $15 Million
Ha Ji Won is quite literally a drama queen for she appears in many K-dramas throughout her career. This actress actually studied film and theater at Dankook University, and she appeared in the 1990s series Don’t Know. Later on, she won a Blue Dragon Film Award for her supporting role in Ditto. That was when she began to become successful in her acting career. She rose to fame for the historical dramas Damo, Hwang Jini, and Empress Ki. Before all of this success, she failed over 100 auditions but she never gave up.
With her stellar acting chops and beauty, she is one of the highest paid Korean actresses. She made around $41,800 for her appearance in her latest drama The Time We Were Not In Love. She is so talented she can pull of roles in various genres like action, comedy, horror, drama, sports, and medical. Ha Ji Won is not only famous for her movies but also her active social activity and charity. Since she is so active in social activities, she became an ambassador for a lot of events. As for her charity work, she made a pledge to donate her cornea through the Organ Donation Center for Love.
In 2013, she established her own one-person agency named Haewadal Entertainment. She also has a contract with the fashion label Crocodile Lady as well. There, she launched her own Secret Jeans line and designed a handbag for the brand. She is the first Asian Woman and second Asian person to be named a promotional ambassador for Operation Smile. The first Asian person for that position was Jackie Chan. In 2016, Ha Ji Won donated 100 million won to help victims of ferry disaster. A very talented woman with a kind heart, no doubt why she is also one of the most popular actresses.
Jun Ji Hyun
Net Worth: $15 Million
A fashion editor found Jun Ji Hyun in 1997, that was when she signed her first modelling contract. She knew that she wanted to be an actress rather than a model. In 2000, she appeared in a melodrama Il Mare that got her the public recognition. Her success sky rocketed in 2001 when she starred in My Sassy Girl, a movie based on a popular internet-serial. She became more popular after two other movies: My Love From the Star, The Legend of Blue Sea. In 2012, she acted in the blockbuster The Thieves which had over 10 million views.
Her acting career keeps on moving forward as she makes her way to the highest paid Korean actress. She receives approximately 100 million won which equals to around $83,500 per episode. Besides acting, she also makes income from endorsements and advertising as well. She married in 2012 with a banker Choi Joon Hyuk at Shilla Hotel in central Seoul. There were more than 600 guests including celebrities, close friends, and family of the star attended the wedding. She then gave birth to their first son in 2016 and the second son in 2018.
Jung Ji Hoon
Net Worth: $20 Million
You probably don’t know who Jung Ji Hoon is, that is because he is famous for his stage name. Rain is an artist with multiple talents as he is a singer, songwriter, dancer, music producer, and actor. In his career, he did numerous concerts, songs, and albums, and he also appeared in many movies and dramas. He debuted in acting career in 2003 and he rose to fame after his lead role in Full House. He also starred in Korean and American films which brings him more and more reputation and popularity.
Rain married with Kim Tae Hee in 2017, and together, they became one of the richest celebrity couples. The couple owns a villa estate in the luxurious Seoul neighborhood of Cheongdam-dong and a building in the same neighborhood. In terms of the value of their real estate possessions, they own high valued properties that worth around $43 millions. As they tied the knot, the couple also becomes one of the most powerful couples in Korean entertainment in general. Wealth, fame, and popularity, this one sweet couple has them all.
Song Hye Kyo
Net Worth: $20 Million
Song Hye Kyo has been an actress for years, and she is also one of the most beautiful Korean actresses. She began her acting career since 1995, and she starred in so many films, television series, and dramas. She first gained widespread fame with her role in Autumn in My Heart in 2000. After that, she made her big-screen debut in My Girl and I in the same year. A year later, the movie that got her fame won her first valuable award for Most Popular Actress. By 2018, she won 30 valuable awards, appeared in 23 television dramas, 11 films, 7 MV, and 7 educational shows.
According to the estimation, Song Hye Kyo’s salary is $41,800 or even more per drama episode. It was her mega-hit romantic comedy series Descendants of the Sun that brought her both popularity and love in 2016. The drama was incredibly popular in Korea and Asia which made her the leader of the Hallyu. A year later she married with her co-star Song Joong Ki, then divorced two years after. She took a break for two years before returning in the small screen with romantic-melodrama Encounter alongside Park Bo Gum. This wealthy actress actively participates in voluntary work especially with animals. She is also known for her frequent and large social donations as well.
Lee Young Ae
Net Worth: $40 Million
Made her debut as TV model 1991, Lee Young Ae appeared in numerous television commercials. Then she entered the world of television dramas and film and became successful in a historic drama Dae Jang Geum. This film aired overseas for the first time in 2004 and even won the hearts of Taiwanese and Chinese audience. The film was so good it reached many other countries in Asia as well. Her worldwide recognition is also from her lead role as a revenge-seeking single mother in Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.
Besides her acting career, Lee Young Ae has also involved with several charities as well. In 1997, she went to Ethopia as an NGO Goodwill Ambassador. Then she went to Thar Desert in 1999 to do a TV show about people in India’s lowest social caste. In 2004, UNICEF appointed her as a Goodwill Ambassador, and she held several charity functions since. At the same time, she has made many donations to schools and hospitals in South Korea and China.
Lee Young Ae is the first Korean actress to be selected as a jury member of the International Berlin Film. She also received the Medal of Culture Merit for her contribution to the Korean Wave from the South Korean government. She married with Jeong Ho Young in 2009, and gave birth to twins (boy and girl) in 2011. In 2012, she launched a business handling organic and environmentally friendly products for children in Seoul.
Choi Si Won
Income: $40 Million
Many know Siwon as a member of Super Junior, a very popular boy band for years. Yet not many knows how rich this man is. Choi Si Won comes from a rich family as they are the owners of the Hyundai Department Store Chain. Also, his father was the former CEO of Boryung Medicine; and his family is worth over $500 million dollars. As for the man himself, he is not only a singer but also an actor and model as well. He has appeared in many dramas, endorsements, and commercials in South Korea, China, and even Thailand.
Siwon was so popular in China that he even appeared on a Chinese postage stamp. His popularity in China is what drives his net worth since most of the income comes from Chinese endorsements. He has also starred in many films, TV shows, and variety shows in both Korea and China. With so many roles, no doubt why he is among the highest paid Korean actors. Apart from all the fames, he also committed as special representative of UNICEF Korea for children’s issues for 4 years. After that, he was chosen as UNICEF regional ambassador for East Asia and Pacific in November 2019.
Choi Ji Woo
Net Worth: $215 Million
The 44-year-old South Korean actress Choi Ji Woo has taken the number one spot as highest paid actresses in 2020. Actually she is the highest paid actress in the world, pulling an astonishing $75 million from March 2019 to 2020. This famous actress began her acting career when she won talent audition of MBC in 1994. She then debuted for the drama series War and Love in 1995. Throughout her career, she has won so many awards and appeared in many K-dramas. Besides having the title of highest paid actress, she is also very rich as well.
Choi Ji Woo’s income does not only come from her acting career but also from her business. Some of her fortune comes from smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, and lucrative endorsement deals. At the same time, she also owns several chain restaurants in Seoul under the name “Fat Choi Burger”. Choi Ji Woo also owns a football team (the Paju Angels), and launches her own Voda brand (Pure Wonderchoi). She is also tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume “With Love from Ji-woo” as well. That is not all, she even has a fashion line called “Choi Ji-woo Seduction”.
Choi Ji Woon finally stepped up for marriage on 29th March, 2018 in a private wedding ceremony. In her wedding, Choi wore a designer bridal dress by Ashi Studio’s founder Mohammed Ashi. You probably want to know who the lucky guy is; unfortunately, none of us know. Her agency only said that her husband is a non-celebrity, and they dated for around a year before the wedding. She also wrote a letter for her fans and followers after the marriage that says:
“I feel shy and nervous writing a letter for the first time in a while. It is a bit sudden, but I have great news. I tied the knot on March 29th with someone I want to start a new life with. We held a private wedding ceremony with only our close family members in attendance. I will start a happy family with the person I love, and we will always respect each other.”