The craze of K-drama, K-pop is surprisingly increasing across the globe, and it is reflecting in global fashion and music industry. With an value over $2.2 billion, South Korean entertainment industry is the 5th largest film and television industry in the world. This page is divided into three parts i.e. richest, most popular, and most handsome South Korean actors.
Table of Contents
- Highest Paid and Richest Korean Actors (By Fee & Net Worth)
- Most Popular Korean Actors (By Fan Following)
- Most Handsome Korean actors (By Report & Surveys)
1. Kim Soo-hyun
Kim Soo-hyun ( 김수현) is the richest and highest paid South Korean actor under Gold Medalist talent agency. He was born on 16 February 1988 in Gangnam District, Seoul and began his acting career in 2007
With an estimated net worth of $120 million Kim Soo-hyun is the richest South Korean actor. On an average he earns $92000/per episode for drama whereas approximately $2 million for a film. In Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40, in 2013 he was ranked 4th, 2rd in 2015, and 5th in 2016.
As per report he was paid $3.7 million for Queen of Tears which is around $230,000 per episode, and for One Ordinary Day he was paid more than $300,000 per episode that made him the highest paid Korean actor.
✦ Birth Date: February 16, 1988 (36 Year)
✦ Experience: 17 Years
✦ Net Worth: $120 million
It's Okay to Not Be Okay, Queen of Tears, One Ordinary Day, My Love from the Star, Dream High, Knock Off, etc are his must watch dramas.
2. So Ji-sub
So Ji-sub (소지섭) is an experienced Korean actor who was born on 4 November 1977 in Seoul and has been working in the South Korean acting and music industry since 1995 and has done several remarkable television series like The Master's Sun, Terius Behind Me, Oh My Venus, Ghost, Doctor Lawyer, etc.
So Ji-sub is an actor under 51K Entertainment, with a net worth of $43 million, So Ji-sub is the second-richest Korean actor. He has served as a goodwill ambassador of Gangwon Province to boost its tourism, he also worked as a model for several brands including Coca-Cola. He charges an average of $70000 per episode as a drama lead, whereas $1.6 million for a movie lead.
✦ Birth Date: November 4, 1977 (46 Year)
✦ Experience: 29 Years
✦ Net Worth: $43 million
✦ Average Salary: For series $70k per episode, for film $1.6 million per movie
3. Lee Jong Suk
Lee Jong Suk (이종석), with an estimated net worth of $33 million is the 3rd richest Korean actor and model. He was born on 14 September 1989 in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, and studied at Konkuk University. He started his career with modeling in 2005 and participated in Seoul Fashion Week, he became the youngest male model ever to participate in this contest.
He has worked under SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, YNK Entertainment, and HighZium Studio, and since January 2024 he signed under Ace Factory. He is in a romantic relationship with actress, and singer-songwriter Lee Ji Eun (IU).
✦ Birth Date: September 14, 1989 (35 Year)
✦ Experience: 19 Years
✦ Net Worth: $33 million
✦ Average Salary: For series $60k per episode, for film $1.2 million per movie
4. Lee Min-ho
The Korean international star, The Legend of the Blue Sea fame Lee Min-ho is the 4th richest South Korean actor with an estimated net worth of $28 million. He is an actor and model signed under MYM Entertainment and has been active in the Korean entertainment industry since 2002. Lee Min-ho's elder sister Yun-jeong is the CEO and co-founder of his current agency MYM Entertainment.
Lee Min-ho (이민호) was born on 22 June 1987 in Heukseok-dong, Seoul, and studied at Konkuk University. He gained international recognition for acting as "Gu Jun-Pyo" in the K-drama "Boys Over Flowers". With over 35 million Instagram followers, Lee Min-ho is one of the most followed and most popular K-actors.
Lee Min-ho earns most of his income from acting and brand endorsements, as an actor he charges an average of $70,000 per episode for dramas. He has done commercials for merchandise, accessories, clothing, and beauty brands. He has been a model for BOSS, CUCKOO, Azarine Cosmetic, SMDC, and several other brands and firms.
✦ Birth Date: June 22, 1987 (37 Year)
✦ Experience: 22 Years
✦ Net Worth: $28 million
✦ Average Salary: For series $70k per episode, for film $1.4 million per movie
The Heirs, The Legend of the Blue Sea, Pachinko, Boys Over Flowers, Ask the Stars, The King: Eternal Monarch and City Hunter are among Lee Min-ho's must-watch dramas.
5. Song Joong-ki
Descendants of the Sun fame Song Joong-ki is the 5th richest K-actor with an estimated net worth of $26 million. He is an actor under HighZium studio, in the past he has worked with Blossom Entertainment. Song Joong-ki has been in "Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40" in 2013, 2017, 2018, 2023, etc.
Song Joong-ki is the new brand ambassador face for Louis Vuitton, he has done endorsements for several international brands including EZIO, TBJ, Dunkin, Vivo, Jeju Air, Samsonite, etc.
Song Joong-ki earns an average of $61000 per drama episode and a maximum of $200k per episode. From commercials, acting, and other investments he makes approximately $3.2 million yearly which is approximately $8700 daily income.
In 2017 Song Joong-ki married his Descendants of the Sun co-star Song Hye-kyo who is a famous Korean actress, they divorced in 2019. In Jan 2023, he married British actress Katy Louise Saunders, the couple has a boy child.
✦ Birth Date: September 19, 1985 (39 Year)
✦ Experience: 16 Years
✦ Net Worth: $26 million
✦ Average Salary: For series $71k per episode, for film $1.3 million per movie
Vincenzo, Space Sweepers, Descendants of the Sun, Reborn Rich, The Innocent Man, My Youth, Bogota: City of the Lost, The Battleship Island, My Name Is Loh Kiwan, etc. the Song Joong-ki's must watch films and series.
6. Hyun Bin
Hyun Bin (김태평) is a famous Korean actor under VAST Entertainment who is followed by over 3 million people on Instagram. He has been active in the industry since 2002 and holds an estimated net worth of $22 million which makes him the 6th richest K-actor.
With an average salary of $90,000 per episode, he is the second highest-paid South Korean actor after Kim Soo-hyun. His career starting salary was $27k per episode as lead cast and in 2019 he was paid $113k per episode for the popular K-series "Crash Landing On You"
Hyun Bin and his beautiful co-star "Son Ye-jin" from "The Negotiation", and "Crash Landing on You" got married in 2022, and gave birth to a son, Alkong, on November 27, 2022.
✦ Birth Date: September 25, 1982 (42 Year)
✦ Experience: 21 Years
✦ Net Worth: $22 million
✦ Average Salary: For series $90k per episode, for film $1.4 million per movie
Crash Landing on You, The Negotiation, Secret Garden, Memories of the Alhambra, Confidential Assignment, Confidential Assignment 2, etc. the Hyun Bin's must-watch films and series.
7. Park Seo-Joon
Park Yong-kyu (박서준) professionally known as Park Seo-Joon is an actor signed under Awesome ENT who made his acting debut in 2011 with K-film Perfect Game and rose to fame for his leading acting as Oh Ri On in the romantic comedy-drama "Kill Me, Heal Me".
In his previous 14 years of acting and modeling career, Park Seo-Joon has succeeded in making $22 million as his net worth. Park Seo-Joon earns an average salary of $60,000 per episode.
Park Seo Joon's rumored girlfriend's name is Lauren Tsai, she is an American model and actress, who appeared in Netflix's reality show Terrace House: Aloha State.
✦ Birth Date: December 16, 1988 (35 Year)
✦ Experience: 14 Years
✦ Net Worth: $22 million
✦ Average Salary: For series $60k per episode, for film $1.2 million per movie
Itaewon Class, Kill Me, Fight for My Way, Dream, Heal Me, Gyeongseong Creature, What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, She Was Pretty, etc. among Hyun Bin's must-watch films and series.
8. Lee Seung-Gi
Lee Seung Gi (이승기) is a Korean actor, singer, model, and host signed under Big Planet Made Entertainment. He owns a production company named "Human Made" which was founded by him in June 2021. In the past, Lee Seung Gi has worked under Hook Entertainment and has been the brand face for Breitling Korea.
Lee Seung Gi was born on 13 January 1987 in Banghak-dong, Seoul, and studied at Dongguk University. He has been K-pop and television industry since 2004, in his 20 years of career he has made a net worth of $17 million. Singing and acting are the main sources of his income although he also earns hefty amounts from products and brand endorsements. In 2023, Lee Seung Gi got married to My Dearest fame Lee Da In, the couple had a girl baby, she was born on 5 February 2024.
✦ Birth Date: January 13, 1987 (37 Year)
✦ Experience: 20 Years
✦ Net Worth: $17 million
✦ Average Salary: For series $65k per episode, for film $1 million per movie
Mouse, Vagabond, A Korean Odyssey, The Law Cafe, Gu Family Book, You're All Surrounded, etc. are Lee Seung Gi's must-watch dramas.
9. Gong Yoo
Gong Ji-cheol (공유) professionally popular as Gong Yoo is a Squid Game, Train to Busan, and Goblin fame Korean actor with a net worth of $15 million. He is the brand ambassador of Louis Vuitton & Chanel Korea and has been the endorsement face for the J12 timepiece.
Gong Yoo is an actor under Management SOOP, he earned $62,000 per episode for Goblin, reportedly he was paid $80k per episode for Squid Game 1 and for Squid Game 2 he is getting paid approximately $1 million per episode. Squid Game Season 2 has made Gong Yoo the highest-paid actor series actor in Korean television history.
✦ Birth Date: July 10, 1979 (45 Year)
✦ Experience: 23 Years
✦ Net Worth: $15 million
✦ Average Salary: For series $75k per episode, for film $1.1 million per movie
Squid Game, Train to Busan, Goblin, Coffee Prince, Kim Ji Young: Born 1982, Seobok, The Age of Shadows, etc. are Gong Yoo's top-rated dramas and films.
10. Ji Chang-Wook
Ji Chang Wook (지창욱) is a South Korean actor and singer under the talent management company "Spring Company". As an actor, he has been working since 2005 and earned an estimated wealth of $13 million as his net worth, reportedly he makes approximately $68,000 per episode for dramas. Ji Chang Wook is the brand ambassador of Traveloka. He donated ₩100 million to help the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.
Ji Chang Wook was born on 5 July 1987 in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, and studied at Dankook University. He joined Glorious Entertainment and made his acting debut in 2005 in a guest role in K-drama " Nonstop Season 6"
✦ Birth Date: July 05, 1987 (37 Year)
✦ Experience: 19 Years
✦ Net Worth: $13 million
✦ Average Salary: For series $68k per episode, for film $1 million per movie
The Worst of Evil, Suspicious Partner, The Sound of Magic, Welcome to Samdal-ri, If You Wish Upon Me, The K2, Healer, etc. are Ji Chang Wook's top-rated dramas.