Actor Fees Soar in korean Dramas: ‘Knock-off‘ Star Earns ₩9 Billion, ‘Squid Game‘s Lee Jung-jae Reportedly Receives $1 Million Per Episode
Seoul, South Korea – The escalating costs of producing Korean dramas are increasingly driven by record-high actor fees, with recent reports detailing ample earnings for top stars. Figures released indicate that actor contributions now represent a significant portion of overall production budgets, sparking public discussion and, in some cases, direct responses from talent agencies.
Last month, reports surfaced that Park Hyung-sik received ₩400 million per episode for his role in the Disney+ and KBS 2TV drama “Twelve,” totaling ₩3.2 billion for his eight episodes. Ma Dong-seok reportedly earned ₩500 million per episode of “Twelve,” accumulating a total of ₩4 billion. These figures represent approximately one-third of the drama’s estimated ₩22-23 billion production cost.
Park Hyung-sik’s earnings are consistent with previous reports of ₩500 million per episode for his role in JTBC’s “Dr. Slump,” which concluded in March of last year, allegedly totaling ₩8 billion for the 16-episode series.
The sensitivity surrounding actor salaries typically prevents official comment from agencies. However, Park Hyung-sik’s agency, Lev Entertainment, issued a statement on the 17th of last month, clarifying that reports were “becoming a fact that is being made differently from the actual facts.”
Kim Soo-hyun is reported to have earned ₩500 million per episode for the Disney+ series “Knock-off,” a production with a ₩60 billion budget.With nine episodes in each of its two seasons, Kim Soo-hyun’s total earnings for “Knock-off” are estimated at ₩9 billion.
Currently, Lee Jung-jae holds the record for the highest reported fee, allegedly receiving $1 million (approximately ₩1.35 billion at current exchange rates) per episode for Netflix’s “Squid Game Season 2.” Lee Jung-jae acknowledged the reports in a post-drama interview, stating, ”It’s true that it’s a bit misunderstood, but it’s true.” He further emphasized the importance of strong relationships, adding, “If the relationship is wrong, I can’t do anything. I told each other that it is indeed better to do it with the best conditions.”