Jun Ji Hyun, The Nation's actress, model, and a mother of two, was recently revealed to be the highest earning Korean celebrity of 2021. The 39-year-old award-winning actress boasts a great ensemble of dramas and movies in her career spanning more than a decade.
Celebrity news show Entertainment Live aired their latest episode about the top 8 celebrities who are the most expensive stars in the Korean entertainment industry currently. Among them, Jun Ji Hyun took first place, while It's Okay to Not Be Okay-star Kim Soo Hyun took second place. Popular comedian Yoo Jae Suk landed up third.
Jun Ji Hyun is the highest earning Korean celebrity of 2021
According to the show Entertainment Live, Jun Ji Hyun received 100 million KRW per episode for the 2013 fantasy-romantic drama, My Love From The Star. Interestingly, she starred opposite Kim Soo Hyun in the same drama!
The show is considered one of the classics when it comes to K-dramas. The show reports that the actress' value has since gone through the roof. Now, the actress charges more than 17 billion KRW for an appearance.
Advertisements, Netflix shows, a great selection of movies and many more come into play, making her Korea's highest paid celebrity.
If Korean enthusiasts are still unsure of her worth, according to the show, Korean hearthrob Song Joong Ki, last seen in Vincenzo, ranks fourth.
Here are the ranks and earnings of Korea's top celebrities:
- Jun Ji Hyun - About 17 billion KRW
- Kim Soo Hyun - About 13 billion KRW
- Yoo Jae Suk - About 10 billion KRW
- Song Joong Ki - About 8 billion KRW
- Lee Seung Ki - About 7 billion KRW
- Shin Dong Yup - About 5 billion KRW
- Song Hye Kyo - About 4 billion KRW
Jun Ji Hyun's rise to fame, notable works and awards
According to K-media reports on September 3, Jun Ji Hyun makes about a billion KRW per advertisement deal annually. This year alone, the actress is endorsing 16 brands, definitely climbing up the ladder to be the most expensive star in Korea.
Jun Ji Hyun rose to stardom with her comedy film My Sassy Girl in 2001. The movie ended with her earning the title of Nation's First Love, launching her into stardom in the pan-Asia community.
She made a Hollywood debut in 2006 with Blood: The Last Vampire and went on to explore the seas. She became the first Korean actress to feature in the American edition of Vogue.
She kept on rising with movies The Thieves and The Berlin File. Another major breakthrough came with the classic My Love From The Star.
Her recent release was Netflix's special episode, Kingdom: Ashin of the North, released in July 2021.
The actress has also been confirmed to star in tvN's upcoming thriller series Cliffhanger, written by Kingdom-fame Kim Eun Hee, starring opposite Ju Ji Hoon.
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