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If rumors are to be believed, K-drama actresses Jun Ji Hyun and Song Hye Kyo are raking in the moolah as the two are allegedly making over $170k per episode of the respective K-dramas they're acting in.
The numbers are on the higher side of pay rates, to the point where Jun Ji Hyun and Song Hye Kyo are possibly the highest-paid K-Drama actresses in the industry right now.
Jun Ji Hyun and Song Hye Kyo raking in big numbers through "Now, We Are Breaking Up" and "Jirisan"
The report regarding the two actresses' pay was released on November 30, 2021, through various Korean news outlets, including Naver.
According to the report, Jun Ji Hyun and Song Hye Kyo are making $170k per episode each from their respective K-dramas. Currently, Jun Ji Hyun is starring in tvN's Jirisan, while Song Hye Kyo is on SBS' Now, We Are Breaking Up.
K-drama followers may recognize Jun Ji Hyun from her roles in My Love from the Star (2013) and The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016). Prior to Jirisan, she starred as Ashin for Netflix's K-Drama Kingdom series (2021).
Song Hye Kyo is another prominent actress in the South Korean drama industry. One of her most iconic roles is from Descendants of the Sun (2016), where she played Dr Kang Mo Yeon. Aside from that, she also starred in Encounter (2018) and That Winter, The Wind Blows (2013).
While acting for My Love from the Star (2013), Jun Ji Hyun was paid $84k per episode. Song Hye Kyo was paid $84k per episode in 2018 for Encounter as well. The two have risen to great heights, especially Hye Kyo, who doubled her pay rate in just three years.
Giant pay gaps between genders in the entertainment industry are not uncommon, even in South Korea.
Apparently, $84k per K-drama episode for well-known male actors is quite common, while it is not a frequent sight for even the top female K-drama actresses. This makes the two actresses achievement all the more commendable.
