Studio Dragon, the production company behind the ongoing tvN drama “Queen of Tears,” has refuted rumors claiming that actor Kim Soo-hyun’s appearance fee per episode amounts to 800 million won (approximately $595,000).
“Kim Soo-hyun’s appearance fee per episode is not 800 million won. We cannot disclose the exact fee,” the company told TV Daily on the 26th.
However, Hankook Ilbo reported on the 27th that Kim agreed to a fee of 5 billion won ($3.7 million) for the 16-part series, or about 312 million won per episode. This is smaller than the rumored 800 million won per episode, although Kim’s agency, GOLDMEDALIST, has refrained from disclosing the specific details of his compensation.
This 5 billion won constitutes 12.5% of the overall production budget for “Queen of Tears,” which totals approximately 40 billion won (equivalent to around $30 million).
Kim’s per-episode fee has decreased compared to his previous work, as he received approximately 500 million won (equivalent to about $372,000) per episode for the 2021 Coupang Play original series “One Ordinary Day.” Notably, his fee alone accounts for 20% of the project’s total production cost.
Starring Kim and Kim Ji-won, “Queen of Tears” achieved a new record-high rating and viewership in its latest episode on March 24 and is now the most-watched Korean drama in primetime so far this year.
The popularity of the romantic comedy series can be attributed in part to Kim Soo-hyun, one of the most popular and highest-paid actors in South Korea, and its celebrated screenwriter Park Ji-eun, renowned for “Crash Landing on You” and “My Love From the Star.”
Sources: TV Daily | JTBC News | Hankook Ilbo
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