2.5 Billion Won Per Episode?— Top Director Reveals The Reality Of Screenwriting Fees

The topic of the rising appearance fees of K-Drama actors has been a much-debated public discourse recently after many industry insiders raised concerns over it. But how much do the creatives behind these projects make? In his latest YouTube appearance, popular director Jang Hang Jun talked about this lesser-known topic.

Jang recently appeared as a guest on the YouTube variety show Have Breakfast Before You Go, hosted by Jang Sung Kyu, and candidly discussed the monetary aspect of K-dramas.

Jang Sung Kyu brought up the soaring actor fees, asking if some actors really received ₩700 million KRW (about $503,000 USD) per episode these days. In response, the director cheekily responded, saying his wife, screenwriter Kim Eun Hee, made ₩2.50 billion KRW (about $1.80 million USD) per episode!

As this revelation made the room go speechless, Jang quickly clarified that he was joking. However, it made the conversation pivot to discussing how the salaries in the K-Drama industry have grown over the years. Jang confirmed that actor fees have risen dramatically with some A-listers now reportedly demanding up to ₩1.00 billion KRW (about $719,000 USD) per episode! He remarked that this explosive increase in their fees was triggered by global streaming platforms aggressively investing in Korean content.

The conversation then moved toward a related topic—royalties. Jang Sung Kyu curiously asked Jang Hang Jung if writers really receive 50% of their original fee for reruns of shows. He responded, saying that they could even receive 100% of the original fee if the show is successful enough, and shared a personal anecdote related to it.

I used to be a drama writer, right? I was walking without any thoughts and I got a text. I saw my bank account; hundreds of millions of won had come in. I didn’t know I was getting that much.

— Jang Hang Jun

Jang credited veteran writer Kim Soo Hyun for securing these benefits for others in the industry. He recalled how she fought with even the biggest broadcasting stations to give her peers the rights to re-broadcast fees.

Meanwhile, Jang Hang Jun and Kim Eun Hee are considered a power couple in the K-Entertainment industry, each with an iconic repertoire. Jang Hang Jun is one of the most celebrated directors and screenwriters in the industry, having produced dramas such as Hick Kick Through the Rood, My Love from the Star, and Pinocchio, and films like Ghost House and Love Reset. On the other hand, Kim Eun Hee is the writer behind milestone K-Dramas such as Signal, Kingdom, and Revenant.

You can watch the full episode of Have Breakfast Before You Go here: