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4w ago

Lee Jung Jae Leads 2025 With $1M-Per-Episode Pay in K-Dramas

Global streaming demand has pushed per-episode fees for top Korean actors into six-figure territory.

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Stars like Kim Soo-Hyun and Hyun Bin also command impressive fees while Lee Jung Jae earns the highest income.

Overview

  • Lee Jung Jae tops the earnings chart with $1 million per episode for seasons 2 and 3 of Netflix’s Squid Game.
  • Kim Soo Hyun ranks second at $423,000 per episode for One Ordinary Day and about $231,250 for each of Queen of Tears’ 16 episodes.
  • Song Joong Ki earns roughly $219,923 per installment, while Hyun Bin and Lee Min Ho each command about $167,000 per episode.
  • Jun Ji Hyun, Lee Young Ae and Song Hye Kyo complete the top eight earners with fees ranging from approximately $54,400 to $99,900 per episode.
  • The surge in global interest for K-dramas has empowered Korean actors to negotiate record-breaking pay packages for 2025 series.