Actor salaries in the Korean entertainment industry have long been a topic of quiet speculation, but recent revelations have pulled the issue back into the spotlight. The numbers are staggering—some of Korea’s top actors are now earning sums that seem to defy industry limits.
The conversation reignited when reports surfaced that Park Hyung Sik earned 400 million won per episode for Twelve on Disney+ and KBS 2TV, totaling 3.2 billion won across the eight episodes. Co-star Ma Dong Seok reportedly received 500 million won per episode, adding up to 4 billion won. With production costs estimated at around 22–23 billion won, nearly a third of the budget went to these two stars’ fees alone.
This was not the first time Park Hyung Sik’s paychecks became a hot issue. Rumors suggested he had earned 500 million won per episode for JTBC’s Doctor Slump, which would mean 8 billion won for its 16 episodes. Unwilling to let misinformation solidify, his agency issued a rare official statement, clarifying that reports on his drama salaries were inaccurate. They emphasized that Park Hyung Sik is committed to every role he takes on and asked the public to continue supporting his work with goodwill.
Meanwhile, Kim Soo Hyun is said to have received 500 million won per episode for Disney+’s big-budget drama Knock-Off, which has two seasons of nine episodes each. That would bring his total pay to a record-breaking 9 billion won.
However, the highest reported drama salary to date belongs to Lee Jung Jae. For Squid Game Season 2, he was allegedly paid $1 million per episode—about 1.3 billion won. In an interview after the show, Lee admitted, “There may be some misunderstandings, but it’s true that I was paid a lot. I can’t say for sure if it’s the highest ever, but what matters most are the relationships. If relationships break down, nothing can happen. We adjusted conditions together to make a satisfying contract.”
As production costs climb and streaming platforms expand globally, star salaries are only expected to grow. Yet the debate continues over whether such skyrocketing fees are sustainable for the industry.
Sources: daum
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