The drama series, The Glory, has been a turning point in Song Hye Kyo’s career, earning her high praise for her acting abilities, which she had not received in her previous projects. It has also made her one of the highest-paid actresses in the Korean entertainment industry, with information from journalist Ahn Jin Young of Munhwa Ilbo suggesting that she earned 200 million won (approximately $163,000) per episode of the 16-episode series. This amount is on par with the average salary per episode earned by Jun Ji Hyun, another top actress in the industry.
Although The Glory is a huge success, Ahn Ji Young notes that the pay scale for female actors still lags behind her male counterparts. For example, Song Joong Ki, who starred in “Reborn Rich” in 2022, earned 300 million won per episode, much higher than the 200 million won per episode he received for his previous drama, Vincenzo.
However, given the success of The Glory and the positive reception of the recently released season 2, Song Hye Kyo’s earnings may increase in the future. With her newfound confidence in portraying challenging roles, she is fully capable of taking on even larger projects in the future, and her salary should reflect her contributions to the industry.
Source: K14
