Renowned actor Lee Jung-jae is no stranger to the South Korean film circuit but it was Netflix’s 2021 thriller series Squid Game which catapulted him to global fame. He quickly became high in demand, with brands clambering to sign him, after making history by bagging several international best actor awards including at the 2022 Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Primetime Emmy Awards that same year. Lee is set to reprise his role in season two of Squid Game.  

Estimated earnings per episode: US$248,000 (based on his pay per episode of Squid Game)

A familiar face in the South Korean entertainment industry, Song Joong-ki has impressed viewers and swept millions of K-drama fans off their feet with his acting chops in popular K-dramas such as The Innocent Man (2012), Descendants of the Sun (2016), Arthdal Chronicles (2019), Vincenzo (2021), and Reborn Rich (2022). In fact, since 2012, he has appeared on Forbes Korea’s Power Celebrity 40 list six times, earning a spot in the top 10 four times.

Estimated earnings per episode: US$228,500 (based on his pay per episode of Reborn Rich)

Among one of the earliest Hallyu stars, Song Hye-kyo has been making waves since the early 2000s. She gained international popularity through her leading roles in Autumn in My Heart (2000), Full House (2004), That Winter, the Wind Blows (2013), Descendants of the Sun (2016), and Encounter (2018). The fashion icon continued to wow fans in 2022’s The Glory, which is now ranked among Netflix’s top 10 all-time Non-English TV series.

Estimated earnings per episode: US$163,000 (based on her pay per episode of The Glory)

Also among one of the earliest Hallyu stars, Jun Ji-hyun (otherwise known as Gianna Jun) rose to fame with her role in the romantic comedy film My Sassy Girl (2001), which became a sensational hit worldwide and a breakthrough for Korean cinema. She also starred in top-rated K-dramas such as My Love from the Star (2013), The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), and Netflix’s Kingdom (2021).

Estimated earnings per episode: US$163,000 (based on her pay per episode of Jirisan)

Lee Young-ae’s name is synonymous with the 2003 historical K-drama Dae Jang Geum (Jewel in the Palace) due to its immense popularity which had a significant cultural and tourism impact. Despite announcing her semi-retirement from acting in 2006, she put on a hanbok once again for 2017’s Saimdang, Memoir of Colors, which received much attention due to it being her comeback. Lee, famed for her timeless beauty, was later cast in title roles in Inspector Koo (2021) and Maestra: Strings of Truth (2023).

Estimated earnings per episode: US$160,000 (based on her pay per episode of Inspector Koo)

Hyun Bin, whose success has established his status as a top Hallyu star internationally, first gained widespread recognition for his role in 2005’s My Name is Kim Sam-soon. Not forgetting, he also starred in acclaimed K-dramas such as Secret Garden (2010), Memories of the Alhambra (2018), and one of the highest-rated K-dramas in Korean cable television history, Crash Landing on You (2019). Already one of the highest-paid actors of our generation, he continues to be a highly sought-after actor, taking on film roles, the latest being Harbin.

Estimated earnings per episode: US$113,000 (based on his pay per episode of Secret Garden)

Actress and 1989 Miss Korea runner-up Go Hyun-jung made her debut in 1995’s Sandglass, one of the highest-rated and critically acclaimed dramas in Korean television history. After early retirement, she made a comeback in the melodrama Spring Day (2005), followed by What’s Up Fox? (2006), H.I.T. (2007), Queen Seondeok (2009), Big Thing (2010), and Reflection of You (2021). Having regained her top-star status, she became one of the highest-paid K-drama actresses.

Estimated earnings per episode: US$85,000 (based on her pay per episode of Reflection of You)

One of the most followed South Korean actors on Instagram and the first Korean celebrity to have a Madame Tussauds wax figure, Lee Min-ho’s role as Go Jun-pyo in Boys Over Flowers is undeniably hard to forget. After the 2009 K-drama, the Baeksang-winning actor continued to gain international fame with his works in City Hunter (2011), The Heirs (2013), The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), and The King: Eternal Monarch (2020), and Pachinko (2022).

Estimated earnings per episode: US$80,000

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