High Actor Salaries Trigger Heated Controversy Within The Korean Film Industry

The high cost of actor salaries in Korean commercial films is sparking debate across the industry and among netizens online.

According to a recent report from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the average net production cost for a 2024 Korean commercial film was approximately ₩9.50 billion KRW (about $6.56 million USD), with labor costs making up 43% or around  4.1 billion won . Of that, actors’ salaries alone accounted for ₩1.80 billion KRW (about $1.24 million USD) .

The report also highlights that the share of actor salaries relative to production costs has stabilized around 18–19% since the pandemic, after briefly dropping. This trend reflects the industry’s reliance on star-driven projects, where well-known actors are hired to boost box office potential. While this strategy can increase a film’s chances of success, it also amplifies financial risk when films fail to attract audiences.

Reducing actor salaries is not straightforward. One industry source noted that star actors’ market value has become entrenched through competition between production companies, and lowering pay could make casting top actors difficult. Meanwhile, staff wages are tied to labor conditions, limiting opportunities for cost reductions.

The film market itself adds to the challenge. In 2024, 68% of revenue for commercial films came from theaters, while streaming platforms accounted for just 3%, showing a decline from the pandemic period. With rising production costs, falling ticket prices, and slowing growth in non-theatrical markets, profitability is increasingly difficult to maintain.

Online reactions to the issue have been critical. Netizens highlighted how actors continue to earn high salaries even when films flop, questioned why Hollywood-level pay is given, and suggested switching to performance-based pay systems.

• “Actors keep getting endlessly rich even when their projects flop and reviews are bad.”
• “Actors should only take as much as their works earn.”
• “But they always hire the same actors anyway lol, and then complain about salaries.”
• “It’s really weird that they get paid Hollywood-level amounts… something’s wrong.”
• “These discussions have been going on for years, and even with the industry struggling, there’s no effort to adjust or fix things. They just keep repeating the same story over and over.”