Lee Jung Jae is now the Highest-Paid Korean Drama Actor - Here's How Much He is Paid per Episode
The jaw-dropping appearance fees of top Korean actors have become a major hot topic! Leading the list is Squid Game star Lee Jung Jae, who is reportedly making 1 billion KRW (around 750,000 USD) per episode for Squid Game 2, setting a new record for the highest drama salary in Korea.
A recent online post titled “A Male Actor Earning 500 Million KRW Per Episode” went viral, revealing that Park Hyung Sik, the lead actor of JTBC’s Doctor Slump, was earning a staggering 500 million KRW (about 375,000 USD) per episode.
Originally debuting as an idol in ZE:A, Park Hyung Sik successfully transitioned into acting, starring in popular dramas like The Heirs, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, Happiness, and Our Blooming Youth. He is currently leading SBS’s Treasure Island, playing a protagonist consumed by cold-hearted revenge.
With the explosive growth of the OTT streaming market, actor fees have skyrocketed.
Kim Soo Hyun, known for his massive earnings, reportedly received 500 million KRW per episode for Coupang Play’s One Ordinary Day and 300 million KRW (about 225,000 USD) per episode for tvN’s Queen of Tears.
Meanwhile, Park Bo Gum and IU both earned 500 million KRW per episode for Netflix’s highly anticipated drama You Have Done Well.
Veteran actor Choi Min Sik was reportedly paid 350 million KRW (around 262,000 USD) per episode for Disney+’s Big Bet, while Song Kang Ho, one of Korea’s most respected actors, received an impressive 700 million KRW (about 525,000 USD) per episode for Disney+’s Uncle Samsik.
With these jaw-dropping numbers, fans can’t help but wonder—who will be the next actor to break the record?
Single's Inferno 4 star Yook Jun Seo admits he was hurt by mean comments about his face, but now he’s embracing it like a boss
Single's Inferno 4 star Yook Jun Seo got real about the harsh comments on his looks and finally addressed his rumored relationship with model Lee Si An.
On the March 29 episode of MBC’s variety show The Manager (Ep. 340), Yook Jun Seo, who gained attention after appearing on Single’s Inferno 4, shared his daily life and struggles.
During the episode, he was praised for being the most sincere contestant in Single’s Inferno history. In response, he said, “I just acted like myself. I made one promise before going in—‘Be honest. Don’t try to fake anything.’ But after watching the show, I felt I might have been too sincere. I regret it a little.”
Many fans were eager to know if Yook Jun Seo and Lee Si An, who became the final couple on the show, were dating in real life. Fans even brought up supposed "proof," which he addressed one by one.
Regarding rumors that they traveled together to the U.S., he quickly denied it, saying, “I haven’t been abroad in 4-5 years.”
As for a group photo where they were seen touching, he clarified, “The lower hand is mine, but the upper hand can’t be Si An’s. The angle makes it impossible.”
Yook Jun Seo also spoke about the "mid-face controversy", where people debated the proportions of his facial features. He laughed as he demonstrated how his long nose made face masks too small to cover it properly.
He even joked about a running gag among his friends that his mid-face length was 40 cm, playfully showing a face-shortening massage he learned from a skincare channel.
When someone pointed out that he seems more humorous now, he responded, “I feel really comfortable and happy these days. "
He added. "After Steel Troops, people saw me as a ‘handsome guy,’ so I felt pressured to act a certain way. But now, I’ve accepted it like, ‘Yeah, sure, my mid-face is 40 cm. Fine, I’m ugly. My nose is long. So what?’ It’s freeing.”
The show also revealed his simple lifestyle. Unlike on Single’s Inferno 4, where he drove a Porsche, in real life, he drives an old truck inherited from his father.
Yook Jun Seo also admitted that being a painter isn’t a profitable career. “Holding an art exhibition costs a lot. When I held my exhibition last December, I spent about 30 million KRW (~$22,000) of my own money.:
He added, "My paintings are large, so they don’t have selling points. But I don’t do this for money—I just want to create and share the images I envision.”
Later, he met up with Lee Si An, Kim Jung Soo, and Kim Min Seol at a BBQ restaurant. When asked about memorable comments he received, he recalled, “The hateful ones stand out. Someone called me Australopithecus (prehistoric human).” Then, turning to Lee Si An, he joked, “You saw this face in real life. Thanks for accepting it.”
Lee Si An revealed, “He’s actually soft-hearted.”Yook Jun Seo admitted, “Now, I can laugh about it, but back then, I felt like my world was falling apart. I wondered if I could ever recover. It felt overwhelming.”
Lee Si An also shared that she had regrets about the early reactions to the show. “I was really honest throughout the show, but then I thought, ‘Oh no, maybe I shouldn’t have been like that on TV.’”
However, she added, “But even if I went back, I’d do the same thing.” She even said this includes the "bed scene", confirming that they really slept together and held hands.
But when asked again if they were dating, they denied it, saying they are just “like siblings”, leaving fans disappointed.
