All Episodes

August 10, 2025 64 mins
In a world where most K-Pop idols earn big, only a few enter a league of their own—and their wealth will leave you speechless. From billion-dollar chaebol families to global brand deals, this video uncovers the shocking truth about just how rich some idols really are... and how they got there. From secret heiresses to self-made millionaires, we explore the real net worths behind K-pop’s elite.

 Annie Moon, the rising star of ALLDAY Project, might just be the richest active idol ever—with ties to Samsung, Shinsegae, and Korean government power. But she’s not alone. Lisa of BLACKPINK is racking up millions in fashion and brand deals. Jungkook and V of BTS are building empires with every solo project. And Gen-Z icons like Wonyoung, Karina, and Minji are already pulling in serious money before hitting 25.
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Behind the fame and bright lights, idle life can be
crushingly expensive, as countless idols spend years trapped in debt
to their agencies, barely earning anything for themselves. Yet a
select few start their careers with strong financial support and
wealth beyond imagination, avoiding the struggles most others face. For example,
All Day Project is perhaps one of K pop's most
intriguing groups for this aspect alone, as their combined net

(00:22):
worth is certainly something to be in awe of, with
even their youngest member, young So already starting to show
as a huge money.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Earner for the group.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
At first glance, Youngs might not be coming in with
the same financial backing or long list of achievements as
the rest of her group members, but for many fans
that makes her one of the most relatable members and
therefore one of the most supported members. After initially being
cut from Islet's final lineup and leaving Hybe, Youngso seemed
unsure of what would happen to her career, as she
didn't seem to have the luxury of leaning on a

(00:50):
legacy or a long resume. However, what she had was
persistence and an eye for success. It has been revealed
that Youngso worked very hard to promote herself to many
companies all on her own sending videos, making pitches, and
asking for a chance in order to achieve her true dream,
and when she finally hit gold by joining the Black Labels,
she actually agreed to their terms with almost no knowledge

(01:10):
of what her career prospects would be, as she later
revealed that she actually had no idea that she would
be debuting in a co ed group. Unlike the other members,
she certainly stands out from her fellow group members, likely
entering the group with the smallest net worth and connections
as she hasn't had the years of paid gigs, choreo credits,
or modeling deals that some of her members have stacked up.
But despite this, she's not lagging behind as she's becoming

(01:33):
one of the most talked about members, earning praise for
her performance, skills, visuals, and authenticity. If anything, her underdog
status is helping her gain attention, which is quickly coming
with opportunities both career wise and financially. Jungsho's financial ceiling
is therefore rising fast, especially with the way All Day
Project is gaining traction, endorsements, and a diverse international fan base.

(01:54):
Fellow member wu chan situation is similar to Jungsoh, considering
he doesn't seem to stem from a rich family either,
and has in fact managed to build a stable income
and fan base even before his debut, which has been
a huge help for his current career. When he was
just twelve years old, he made it to the Show
Me the Money stage, becoming the youngest to do so,
something he was highly praised for despite not making it

(02:14):
to the finale, especially as his talents matched his ambition.
His technical skill earned him credibility among seasoned rappers, and
that kind of reputation matters in the Korean music world.
After the show, Wuchan greatly capitalized on that buzz, appearing
in collaborations, brand campaigns, and even JTBC's short film Dad Sword.
This not only gives him connections in the industry, but

(02:35):
it has also grown his net worth considerably by earning
even more modeling gigs and endorsements. By the time he
started to release his first solo music, he already had
a fan base in industry connections that most rookies could
only dream of. His admission into Honyik University's highly selective
music department was also a sign of how deeply invested
he is in his artistry and how far his skills

(02:55):
can take him, both critically and commercially. In short, Wuchan
seems to have built a personal brand that had flourished
well before All Day Project was ever in the works.
There's no doubt that Wuchan has already earned a substantial
amount of money as a soloist, and his luxurious taste
and polished image reflect that. However, now that he is
an All Day Project, that value has only continued to
increase with the group's unique concept and rising popularity, as

(03:18):
Wuchan's pre existing influence is definitely contributing to carrying All
Day's image. Similarly, the group's main dancer, Bailey, isn't just
a dancer or another trainee, as she also seems to
stem from a quite favorable background with her mother even
being in the running for Miss Korea nineteen eighty seven.
Before joining the K pop world, Bailey was known as
a global choreographer with credits that could rival professionals twice

(03:40):
her age. The scale of her pre Idle career is
quite impressive, as she has been choreographing for major K
pop acts like Red Velvet, taman Espa, and xos Kai,
putting her on a short list of dancers trusted with
million dollar stages. And these aren't just lucky strikes either,
as she seemingly has long term connections in the industry.
Combine that with her performances alongside artist like Janet Jackson

(04:01):
and Jason Derulo, and you're looking at someone who's been
working internationally for years, collecting checks from both the Korean
and American entertainment industries, despite her actually only living in
the US. In fact, Bailey has only recently made the
move to Korea in order to debut. According to her,
she actually knew nothing about k pop before receiving a
call to choreograph for a girl group, and has slowly

(04:21):
learned about the industry through her job as a choreographer.
But while she hasn't always dreamed of being an idol,
it is these experiences that have made her idle career
now look so lucrative. It's not hard to see why
people believe she comes from a family that had the
resources to help her succeed early on, either, as being
a part of some of LA's most popular.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
Dance circles, as a child.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
Training with top tier choreographers and gaining access to elite
networks is something that takes both talent and connections, and
now her influence is turning into even more financial opportunity
with brand deals by companies like Spotify, Nike, Samsung, and Roadblocks,
as well as her many choreography checks. She started acquiring
her wealth well before her idle career and is now

(05:00):
only further building upon her royalties. Content from the group
even shows her lounging in luxury cars, indicative of just
how well off she might be, and as fans have seen,
she is actually very generous with her earnings, especially to
those closest to her, as it was just recently revealed
that both she and her fellow member Tarzan have gifted
Wuchan luxury goods for his birthday from brands like Louis Vutan.

(05:22):
Tarzan has also emerged as one of All Day's most
compelling members, not just because of his performance skills, but
because of the strong foundation he seems to have entered
the industry with. Though less publicly linked than his co
member Annie, Tarzan's journey is just as indicative of significant
wealth and backing before joining All Day Tarzan had already
built a name for himself in the performing arts world.
He attended Busson Arts High School and currently studies contemporary

(05:45):
dance at Korea National University of Arts, a school known
for being highly selective and costly. His accolades include gold
medals from the Tanza limp Asia Grand Prix and the
dong A International Contemporary Dance Competitions, both prestigious competitions that
require extent of preparation, international travel, and often private coaching,
something that is rarely possible without financial resources and family support.

(06:07):
Beyond dance, Tarzan made his way into fashion before even
debuting as an idol. He appeared at Soul Fashion Week
in twenty twenty two and featured in various editorials, gaining
major visibility. It's another area of his career that hints
at some alleged financial privilege and support systems that stretch
beyond the average idols. Even just his pre debut closet
speaks to his wealth, as he casually showed off luxurious

(06:28):
pieces worth thousands of dollars in their debut music video. Now,
as a member of All Day, Tarzan isn't just dancing
or modeling, as he's even expanded his skills to contribute
to the group's music, showing just how much trust the
company is putting in him.

Speaker 2 (06:42):
He's credited as.

Speaker 1 (06:42):
A lyricist on the group's debut track, Wicked, and this
early involvement means he's likely earning royalties, which seems to
open yet another profitable path for him through songwriting. Despite
facing major backlash over cultural appropriation controversies, including his styling
choices linked to black culture, Tarzan's career momentum hasn't slowed down.
Many Nedicins have even called for his departure from the group.

(07:04):
Many Nedicins even feel like his presence in the group
might reflect badly on the group's other members. As one
Nedisin commented by association, all the members are also now guilty.
How someone like Bailey can be in a group with
this man is beyond me. But unfortunately, it seems like
many of these critiques are falling on deaf ears and
it's very likely that Tarzan might not be going anywhere
considering the amount of commercial success he is contributing to,

(07:26):
not just for the group, but also the company and
of course, perhaps the group's most prominent member, Annie Moon
born Moon so Yun has quickly become one of the
most high profile names in K pop this year, and
that's not only because of her idle debut, but because
of the rare economic and social status she brings into
the industry. Annie is a fourth generation Chable, a title
reserve for those born into South Korea's most powerful business

(07:48):
owning families. In fact, it is said that her great
grandfather played a role in the founding of Samsung, which
is currently worth around three hundred eighteen billion US dollars,
and her mother, Chung Yu Kung, is the president of
shin Sege, south Korea's largest luxury department store chain. Even
her father, Moonsung wook, has served as South Korea's Minister
of Trade, Industry and Energy, tying Annie's lineage to both

(08:10):
corporate and governmental power, something which has perhaps made her
one of K pop's wealthiest idols. According to speculations, Annie's
mom could inherit up to ten billion dollars from her
grandfather alone, which combined with her own business and her husband's,
could make Annie richer than some royalty and certainly all
other idols. Everything considered, her background has sparked constant speculation

(08:30):
about the scale of her personal wealth, as many fans
and commentators believe that Annie may have the highest net
worth of any active k Pop idol even before beginning
her career. However, despite the intense public curiosity, Annie avoids
direct discussion of her privilege, going as far as to
speak around any and all questions regarding her actual wealth.
Just recently, on a July episode of p shik University,

(08:51):
she dodged questions about her lunar New Year allowance by
joking that she didn't spend the holiday in Korea with
her family, and when asked if she received her allowance
in Korean World one US dollars or department store gift cards,
she laughed and simply said just living expenses and dollars,
without giving any further information on what those expenses actually
sound like. With these offhand responses, it's no wonder that

(09:13):
fans have only become more curious about her actual net worth. However,
Annie's path to debut also speaks to how money hasn't
actually had that much of an influence on why she's
been able to become an idol, as she has been
very candid about the fact that her family strongly opposed it.
In interviews and pre debut content, she explained that the
only way she was allowed to pursue a music career

(09:33):
was by first getting into Columbia University, a condition that
she says took her nearly ten years to meet. When
she finally managed to get into the Ivy League school,
she laughed about how her parents then had no choice
but to let her follow her dreams.

Speaker 2 (09:45):
Saying they'd already made the deal.

Speaker 1 (09:47):
One takeaway from Annie's exceptional story is also the extremely
expensive school that she was able to attend with no issues,
which not only speaks to how educated she actually is,
but also to her family's wealth. And even though her
entrance into Cape was anything but ordinary, it was far
from easy, which also shows that it's not necessarily about
the money. In fact, her first debut prospect was originally

(10:08):
looking to be in the Black Labels Meal, but just
days before the official lineup was revealed, she was actually
removed from the group. Almost a year later, Annie was
confirmed to be part of a completely different project, All
Day Project, a co ed group that seemed to form
out of nowhere. The timing led many to speculate that
her family intervened, either requesting or funding a new group
to ensure she would debut under terms more favorable to her,

(10:30):
something that possibly wouldn't have happened had she not been
so well connected. However, even with this level of wealth,
Annie has managed to connect with fans by showing surprising
humility and down to earth tendencies. In one viral fan interaction,
when asked if she shops on abe, a platform popular
for affordable fashion, she casually said yes. This small moment
actually struck fans as very sincere, and many saw it

(10:51):
as a sign that despite her immen's wealth, she still
engages with everyday experiences like so many other idols. But
despite how down to earth she may appear, many medicines
still stand by the fact that the group might not
even have existed if it weren't for Annie's influence and
her wish to become a successful idol. Don't forget to
subscribe to the channel to stay up to date on
K pop news and stories, and make sure to comment

(11:12):
your thoughts on the group below. And if you thought
that was impressive, wait until you see just how wild
the lives of K pop's richest young idols really are.
What's so interesting about the K pop industry is that
its idols come from very different backgrounds. Some had normal
lives before they became idols, others had more modest backgrounds,
while the others were so rich that the idol life
didn't make much of a difference in the way that

(11:34):
they live well except for making them richer. One Young
from Ive Rises on Tone, Itsies members, and much more
showcased a life of luxury that can seem unreal even
before they debuted. To start with One Young, it was
pretty clear she came from a well off family. You
could see it in her education, the extracurricular activity she
was involved in, and the expensive outfit she wore when
she was a mere trainee. This might have something to

(11:56):
do with the fact that her family is rumored to
be pretty rich. There are rumorsuggesting that Wuyong's grandfather had
a significant role as the general secretary of the Association
of Overseas Chinese in Korea and also managed a Chinese restaurant.
These rumors weren't confirmed, but they may explain the money
and focus that was put into her education ever since
she was a child. Wu Yong once mentioned attending an

(12:16):
English speaking kindergarten, which is considered pretty exclusive in Korea,
as this is typically associated with rich families since it's
quite a competitive process to get into such kindergartens. When
she was six years old, she proved herself to be
quite the talented kid, attending academies for flue, piano, violin,
and swimming. Furthermore, netisins were even more surprised to find
out that Wunyong had never used public transportation like buses

(12:39):
or subways before. Just how rich do you have to
be to have never used public transport. Not only that,
but it seems like Wu Yong's upbringing has led to
quite an impressive circle of friends.

Speaker 2 (12:49):
And an expensive taste in food and clothes.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
Prior to debuting, it was said that Wuonyong had a
close bond with eed To Jung, who happens to be
the granddaughter of the chairman of Daylimb Group, one of
Korea's top corpors. Shortly after EES one debuted, she was
often spotted sporting various high end designer clothing and accessories
from brands like Gucci, Saint Lauren, and Prada, which means
that she wasn't paying for them with idle money. Her

(13:11):
favorite restaurant is also very luxurious and expensive, as a
meal there costs about two hundred and sixty dollars per person.
Rises Ontone was raised in a similar environment, but unlike
one young we know a lot about his family, and
most of these aren't rumors but stories that his parents
or even Ontone himself have shared. Onton is considered kind
of a NEPO baby in the industry, as he's the

(13:32):
son of renowned singer and producer Jun Sag who produced
a lot of hit songs for tons of artists, and
former actress Sheem Hitteen. Because of his already famous parents,
the spotlight fell on Ontone from early on, but thankfully
the public saw that there was a lot more to
him than his background. When he was only fifteen, Onton
made an appearance on Single Wife two along with his parents,
where it was revealed that he was an active professional

(13:54):
youth swimmer in New Jersey, USA, something that he had
done since he was five years old. Onton attended school overseas,
which means that he was rich enough to afford it
and was even considered a prodigy back there due to
his father's skills and of course, the money that was
being poured into his education. He started dipping his toes
into music production and was even an excellent cello player.
In addition to good Jean's wealth and talent, Ontone had

(14:17):
one hell of a friend circle even as a teenager.
When stalking Ontone's pre debut account before he deleted it,
Nedisence noticed that he and Iyu used to meet up
a lot thanks to his father. Ontone's father composed Au
song only I Didn't Know, and the two were generally
pretty close, with Iu even calling him dad at times.
It would only make sense that Ayu would also be
close to the rest of the family, with Ontone's posts

(14:39):
from his old Instagram account showing just that. In fact,
in one post, he had attached a screenshot of a
Louis Vuitton pair of sneakers, writing I walked up to
the apex of Namsan Justy Hamburger au knew not thanks
for the shoes, au replied to the post, writing what's
up with that screenshot? Onton also shared a stunning view
from the peak of Nomsan, so it's quite possible that
Iyu treated him to a bill at a restaurant located

(15:01):
atop of the hill. This is quite remarkable on its
own because dining at the top of Namsan tends to
be quite expensive and the shoes have been very pricey too,
EsPAS Jiselle also seems to come up pretty often when
the rich kids of k Popp are mentioned. Gazelle grew
up in the fancy Gattasukill area in Seoul. She went
to Sacred Heart International School in Tokyo, which costs about
six four hundred.

Speaker 2 (15:21):
And two US dollars a year.

Speaker 1 (15:23):
Not long after that, Gazelle was seen sporting very fancy
clothes and jewelries like the rings from Chrome Hearts. Just
to give you an idea of the prices, three of
the rings worn by Gizelle are valued at nearly ten thousand,
fifteen hundred and three thousand dollars respectively. As for her connections, well,
it's tricky to say the least, as nothing has been
confirmed so far. It is said that Jazelle's aunt is

(15:43):
told to heat the director of the sole branch of
ABC News in the US, whose rumor to be e
Sumann's girlfriend. However, Gizelle herself had to shut down these
rumors in an episode of Knowing Bros. When the speculations
that she was rich came up, she answered that there
was a little truth to them. Well, she didn't can
consider the rumors bad. She still said that the claims
that her family was rich and owned.

Speaker 2 (16:04):
Golf courses were all falls.

Speaker 1 (16:06):
Another idol we should mention is it'sys Leah. Before attending SOPA,
Leah went to the North London Collegiate School JJU, where
all classes are held in English. This school offers a
wide range of over one hundred club activities, from orchestra
to scuba diving and even horseback riding.

Speaker 2 (16:20):
If you're still not.

Speaker 1 (16:21):
Convinced about how upscale the school is, consider this. The
yearly tuition is approximately thirty four thousand dollars and with
accommodation expenses, attending costs a student over fifty thousand dollars.
It's known that children of numerous celebrities and successful business
figures enrolled here. Leah also once got attention when she
was seen carrying the seventeen hundred dollars bag at just nineteen,

(16:42):
prompting TMI News to suggest that she came from a
well off background. With her career as an idol, her
wealth has likely increased and it's expected to keep growing
in the future.

Speaker 2 (16:50):
Let's move on to Lauren.

Speaker 1 (16:51):
Ever since seeing him for the first time, Nedison suspected
that Lauren was even at least.

Speaker 2 (16:56):
A bit rich.

Speaker 1 (16:57):
But little did they know that he's crazy rich. He
was pretty young, and still it seemed like Wygi was
desperate to push him to the public. He had a
producer credit in G Dragon's hit song Bold, earned credit
as a co lyricist for three out of the eight
tracks in Black Pinks the album, and even a cameo
appearance in the music video for Love Sick Girls. So
people thought that he must be someone pretty important, like

(17:17):
the son of a YG Entertainment executive or something similar.
In fact, he turned out to be the son of
E eighteen, who just happens to be Nagbor's founder and
global investment officer. You can just imagine how rich his
family was and just how lavish his lifestyle had been
before becoming an artist. When Lauren was in the fifth grade,
he moved from Korea to Singapore and attended the Singapore

(17:38):
American School, where the tuition reaches sixty thousand dollars without
calculating the additional costs. Following high school graduation in twenty thirteen,
he had it to Japan with aspirations to become an
EDM producer. After joining the Black Label, he found numerous
opportunities in the realm of dejaying and producing. Guess it
pays to have a rich father who can not only
fund your hobbies but also open doors to incredible opportunities.

(18:01):
In addition to that, he also got his own independent
record label, Fire Exit Records, and manages a distribution company Awall.
He also appeared on the cover of Day's Korea along
with Rose, was spotted at the Paris Fashion Week back
in twenty twenty two, and became the first male Korean
solo artist to be a model for Saint Lawrence twenty
twenty two eyewear campaign. He then signed with eighty eight
Rising and was even a part of Coachella's twenty twenty

(18:23):
three lineup, not to mention his appearance on Forbes thirty
Under thirty Asia annual list in twenty twenty three.

Speaker 2 (18:28):
Now, we're not.

Speaker 1 (18:29):
Implying that Lauren isn't talented or skilled. We've been witness
of what he can do as an artist, producer, DJ,
and even model. But to get your own label, DJ
at important events, model for luxurious brands and make an
appearance at Coachella. As someone who's relatively unknown in the industry,
it's possible that there was money put into boosting his career. Again,
that's not necessarily a bad thing, but his experiences as

(18:51):
an artist who's the son of neighbor's founder aren't as
relatable for the other artists. An unexpected entry in this
video is trot singer Jung Dong One, who you might
not have heard, so let us tell you more about
who he is. Jongdong One began his career as a
trot singer in twenty nineteen, when he was just twelve
years old. There's not much known about his family or background,
except that he attended Sunwa Arts Middle School, which is

(19:12):
a private school with some impressive alumni like actresses Moon
Teiwan and Pacambiole. Even though we don't know anything about
his upbringing, we can guess that he's pretty.

Speaker 2 (19:21):
Rich just by judging his purchases.

Speaker 1 (19:22):
It was reported on November seventeen that despite only being sixteen,
Domman has purchased an apartment which is worth about one
point fifty five million dollars. Sources familiar with the industry
disclosed that last summer Dong one purchased a property in
the Messanapolis complex, situated in Seoul's Hokdong area. This complex
includes high rise apartments and is surrounded by an outdoor mall,

(19:43):
a sizable grocery store, and other amenities. To think that
he purchased such an expensive apartment at his young age,
only four years since.

Speaker 2 (19:50):
His debut is insane.

Speaker 1 (19:52):
But when it comes to luxury and fame at a
young age, few idols stand out quite.

Speaker 2 (19:56):
Like Juejung Zong. Onejong is one of the most envied
K pop idols in the industry right now.

Speaker 1 (20:01):
She's young, she's gorgeous, she's tall and rich like super rich. Well,
it's not everything there is to life. It's probably a
lot on the checklist that one wouldn't complain about having.
But where did all this wealth come from? And how
is she spending it? Let me tell you all about
one Yong's lavish lifestyle. Born to be a star, Lunjong
was born on August thirty one, two thousand and four,
in Ichendong to.

Speaker 2 (20:22):
A very rich family.

Speaker 1 (20:23):
As a child, she was quite the prodigy kid, as
she attended flute, piano, violin, and swimming academies, including mathematics
and English tutoring.

Speaker 2 (20:31):
How is she so smart?

Speaker 1 (20:33):
On top of being absolutely gorgeous and talented. She was
scouted on the streets by Starship Entertainment at the age
of thirteen after attending her sister's middle school graduation ceremony.
She had trained under Starship for one year and two
months before joining Produce forty eight. Though Produce got tons
of criticism because of Oneyong's age and her initial evaluation
being a bee, She's still got tons of attention from

(20:55):
the public for her charming personality and outstanding talents for
visuals helped in gaining her popularity too, so to no
one's surprise, on August thirtieth, she finished the competition in
the first place with.

Speaker 2 (21:06):
Three hundred thirty eight thousand, three hundred and sixty six votes.

Speaker 1 (21:09):
Debuting as a center of the project, group is one
I one debuted on October twenty ninth, twenty eighteen, with
Lav and Rose, and they received immediate success. Throughout the
group's active years, they released two full albums and seven
mini albums. Despite initial talks of a possible contract extension,
they officially disbanded on April twenty ninth, twenty twenty one

(21:29):
and One Young returned to be a trainee under Starship
Entertainment along with Eugene, and Starship knows very well that
talented all rounder idols like Oneyong can't go to waste.
Her being left in the basement of the company when
she could be collecting bags for herself and Starship would
not make sense whatsoever. On November tewod Starship announced that
they would be debuting a new girl group and both

(21:49):
One Young and Eugene would be a part of it.
On December first, their new girl group, I've released.

Speaker 2 (21:54):
Eleven and it did well, like really really well.

Speaker 1 (21:57):
Eleven recorded the highest initial total numbers of album sales
recorded in its first week of release, the highest among
girl group debut albums, and topped multiple charts. Onejong was,
of course, one of the most popular and beloved members
of both Eyes One and Ives, so Starship and One
Young knew exactly how to capitalize on it.

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Chab Old daughter.

Speaker 1 (22:15):
Wealth is something One Young had been used to her
entire life, so the bag that she secured after being
an idol only added to it. We all know that
the family backgrounds of K pop idols have always been a.

Speaker 2 (22:25):
Topic of interest among medicines.

Speaker 1 (22:27):
Besides, idols who had the rags to riches stories that
Nedisons just love idols who were born into rich families
are just as interesting. The family background of One Young
in particular has been a topic of discussion among fans,
since she's always been a very private person when it
comes to her family and hasn't disclosed any information whatsoever. Naturally,
this made everyone even more curious. Even without knowing anything,

(22:49):
Nedison suspected One Young's family must be rich to some degree.
Ever since I was one debuted, she was seen wearing
many high end branded clothes and bags like Gucci, Saint Laurent,
Prada not long after Eyes One's debut. Accordingly, One Young's
family is rumored to be not only well off, but
also very powerful and influential in the political scene. Rumor
has it that Oneyong belongs to a table family. According

(23:10):
to some sources, her grandfather, named Juan Yong Sung, used
to be the General secretary of the Association of Overseas
Chinese and Korea. In addition to political activities, he also
runs a Chinese restaurant. Besides, even though One Young's father
is said to be a music teacher, he also allegedly
operates another Chinese restaurant. These are all just allegations, though
that Oneyong or starship has never confirmed nor denied, so

(23:33):
take this with a grain of salt. One Yong also
went shared that she went to an English speaking kindergarten,
which is a pretty big deal in Korea. In Korea,
it's usually the rich kids that go to international English
speaking kindergartens, even applying to them as hard Nedicines were
also taken aback when they learned that one young is
so rich that she had never used a bus or
subway before. She even asked fans if there were seat

(23:54):
belts there. Just imagine being that rich idle money. Oneyong
grew up wealthy, but being an idol, he certainly added
some money to her bank account. According to some sources,
John Oneyong, who is still just seventeen years old, has
a networth of one point five million dollars, but it
might actually be much more. Well, we don't have an
exact number of what the Ies one members earned during

(24:14):
the years the group was active. We can pull out
our calculators and draw an estimate based on the other
produced groups and what they earned.

Speaker 2 (24:21):
So let's do some math.

Speaker 1 (24:22):
Guys, we can safely assume that each IE one member
would earn a maximum of five hundred thousand dollars at
the best case scenario, but realistically it would be something
like three hundred thousand to four hundred thousand dollars considering
the album sales, individual variety show appearances, and cfs. This
is pretty surprising since their album sales were relatively high,
they got lots of magazine photoshoots. The money they earned

(24:44):
from their concerts was pretty good, along with the royalties
they got from the writing credits and downloads and streaming.
But we should keep in mind that albums as a
whole cost a lot to produce and to distribute, so
the revenue of album sales is lower than the concert
tours or even endorsements. Not to mention that i WA
members had to split their earnings with at least two companies,
and we're only discussing one young today, So on top

(25:05):
of the money she made during the time the group
was active, we should also take into account her solo
activities and gigs, because my girl has been booked and
busy before she even debuted.

Speaker 2 (25:14):
As a trainee.

Speaker 1 (25:15):
One Yong was selected to model in a music video
sponsored by Pepsi Korea named Love It Lived, and then
in twenty twenty one, she was chosen as a model
again on a music video named Zero Attitude, which was
also sponsored by Pepsi Korea.

Speaker 2 (25:28):
During her time.

Speaker 1 (25:29):
As an A one member, one Yong appeared as a
promotional model for several important magazine covers, including Vogue Korea
and Beauty Plus. She also appeared in GQ Korea magazine
July twenty twenty issue. In addition, she represented several luxury
beauty products in South Korea such as Meu, Meu, Dior
and Laura Marcia, which are crazy big brands. Oneyong has

(25:49):
been securing these deals ever since she debuted because she
just has that it girl vibe. One Yong has proven
she has taste, and an expensive one at that, as
she has shown up to multiple events wearing outfits that
cost more than six thousand dollars and pulsu photos on
Instagram with outfits that cost three thousand dollars in total.
Her outfits in general are mostly designer pieces, and it's

(26:10):
a nice reminder that she's literally untouchable. I mean, who
else except for our rich queen. Where's a ring that
costs nine hundred dollars to complete her also very expensive outfit.
Oh also, you know those cute glasses one young yiead
it across the stage during her and song whounds cover
a BTS's butter. Yeah, those are from mew Meu and
cost six hundred dollars. I swear crazy rich Asians was

(26:31):
made with her in mind. But despite this, she still
received four hundred million one worth of clothes as a
birthday gift from her fans. As if she doesn't already
have tons of money. What a generous fandom. Her expensive
taste isn't only limited to clothes, though. Her favorite restaurant
and the restaurant she often visits is Born and Bred,
where people usually pay two hundred and fifty dollars per person.

Speaker 2 (26:52):
Let that sink in for a second. One.

Speaker 1 (26:54):
Yon's impact in fashion cannot be denied from her brand
deals alone, and it was further recognized in Sceptember twenty
nineteen as she made her runway debut at the twenty
ninth Tokyo Girls Collection twenty nineteen Autumn Slash Winter Show
at the said Tama Super Arena.

Speaker 2 (27:08):
That same year, she also walked.

Speaker 1 (27:10):
The runway for the twenty ninth Tokyo Girls Collection twenty
nineteen autumn slash Winter show in Keiita Kyushu, and she
slayed both runways. If fashion brands asked her to abandon
the idle life for modeling, I wouldn't be surprised in
the slightest. Besides brand deals and cfs, one y'all also
tried writing. She helped co write two songs as a
NS one member. She is credited as a writer for
dream Like and With One, so she probably got her

(27:32):
fair share of money from that, or at least I
hope she did. In February twenty twenty one, John one
Yong was the model and cover girl for Meo Mio
pre Spring twenty twenty one collection on EL Korea's February
twenty twenty one issue. The money didn't stop flowing even
after the end of IZ one. Following the group's disbandment,
one Yong appeared in several fashion films, including Chaw May's
Josephine collection and Mio Mio's Mari Time. The dresses she

(27:55):
wore in the photo shoot costs like three thousand dollars.

Speaker 2 (27:58):
So good for her.

Speaker 1 (27:59):
She's also very loyal to the brand as she has
been seeing wearing Meo Meu pieces several times on Instagram
if a top brand like Mio Meu wasn't enough for her.
In July twenty twenty one, it was announced that one
Yong was a new MEWS and global ambassador of the
South Korean cosmetic brand in is Free, replacing snst's UNA.
To top it all off, in October of twenty twenty one,
one Jong was announced as the new muse of Kersh,

(28:21):
representing the brand's twenty twenty one collection. I'vor also doing
very well sales wise for a group with only two
songs under their bell, and the fact that one Young
was given designer dresses and pieces for showcases and red carpets,
we can safely assume that Starship is treating her as royalty.
This has been used to attack the company and one
Young herself for favoritism, and Oneyong got some heavy backlash

(28:41):
for her outstanding outfits. As for her social media, One
Young's Instagram account that she only opened in twenty twenty one,
as to her stack of money, quite a lot too.
According to lick dot Co, you need a minimum of
five thousand Instagram followers and three hundred eight sponsored posts
a year to generate one hundred thousand dollars, and as
of today, Oneyong has two point six million followers on

(29:02):
her personal Instagram account. An influencer with over a million
followers can reportedly make more than two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars per pose from brands, and one Young has
a lot of those. She posts a lot of official
content from her photo shoots, magazine covers, and is seen
wearing pieces from brand she endorses in almost every post,
So you do the math. As for her non fashion,

(29:22):
non branded related activities, one Yong was announced as the
new host for Music Bank with somhunovn Hypen replacing Audin
and Subine from October eighth onwards. The estimated salary for
EMC's on Music Bank is said to be two hundred
dollars for every appearance.

Speaker 2 (29:37):
Am I the only one who thought MC's would make
much more.

Speaker 1 (29:39):
She was also chosen as a host for twenty twenty
one Asia Artist Award on December second, along with Super
Junior's Eth Houk. So she's making money left and right
in one way or another. These activities help shape Oneyong's
net worth into what it is today, but despite how
rich she is.

Speaker 2 (29:54):
Or how much her clothes cost.

Speaker 1 (29:56):
What makes fans adore One Young is still her pretty visual,
sweet personalit, outstanding talent and hard work. Of course, Wan
Yong isn't the only one living large When it comes
to next level wealth, Black Pink is always part of
the conversation. There's always been a certain degree of curiosity
about how much money each K pop star earns. The
wage of K pop group members is hard to guess,

(30:16):
as some of them end up paying it off for
years to come, even when their fans think that they're
already making money.

Speaker 2 (30:21):
While there is a veil of.

Speaker 1 (30:22):
Secrecy about how much they make from just performing, It's
a whole different thing when it comes to brand collaborations
or even becoming a phase of a brand, and Black
Pink did it all. Considering that they're the biggest girl
group in the industry in they're almost seven years in
the spotlight. They performed at the top famous festivals in
the world and also became ambassadors of the most luxurious
brands in the world. Jenny is known to be connected

(30:43):
to one of the world's biggest fashion brands, Chanel.

Speaker 2 (30:46):
She loves the brand.

Speaker 1 (30:47):
And has been dedicated to wearing it for years nearly
every single day, to the point where her fans nicknamed
her human Chanel, and her love for the brand didn't
go unnoticed by the media or the brand, as she
became an ambassador and started attending shows of the brand.
Back twenty seventeen, when her partnership with the brand was announced,
the Chanelle spokesperson said, Chanelle aims for modernity, young and
trendy millennials are target customers. We are very interested in

(31:09):
stylish K pop stars. Jenny's loyalty to the brand, as
well as her trendy style march as well with Chanell's image.
In twenty twenty one, she also became the star of
Chanell's jewelry line called Cocoa Crush and has been shining
in their campaigns every year since then. To secure a
collab with her isn't really a cheap feat. A brand
that Jenny endorsed called Acebed Korea said that Jenny steeles
reportedly cost from five hundred thousand dollars to eight hundred

(31:32):
thousand dollars. However, her promoting the brand and having a
photoshoot with them helped the brand sales grow by over
nineteen percent after Jenny's influence. Her selling power and influence
were also noted when she collaborated with the brand Hair
Beauty in twenty nineteen and the collection of red lipsticks
modeled by her now nicknamed Jenny's Lipsticks, and they sold
five times more than other lip products from the brand.

(31:52):
On top of that, the star also made a collab
with the brand Gentle Monster called Gentle Home, where Jenny
got to create her own line of sunglasses. But it's
bigger than just brands, as Jenny was the first member
of Black Pink to dabble in a solo project.

Speaker 2 (32:04):
On the twelfth of.

Speaker 1 (32:05):
November twenty eighteen, the star had her solo debut with
the song Solo, which instantly became a hit. It charted
and sold amazingly, so the money and attention were also
focused on Jenny, not on Black Pink, and established herself
as a soloist. All this combined, Jenny's networth is supposed
to be around ten million dollars. When Solo came out
in twenty eighteen, Jenny broke many streaming records, but no

(32:26):
one was prepared for the storm that would come a
few years later when her bandmate Lisa debuted with li Lisa,
she broke the Guinness World Record for the most viewed
music video by a soloist in twenty four hours, a
record which was previously held by Taylor Swift and her
music video Me in twenty nineteen, and debuting with the
song money alongside with Lisa was accurate because Lisa does
have it with her estimated net worth up to fourteen

(32:48):
million dollars. Aside from the music industry breaking solo debut,
Lisa is also the face of many brands. Her probably
most prominent ambassadorship is with the French brand Selene, which
was announced in twenty twenty. She attended Celine's fashion show
in Paris in twenty twenty two along with BTSSV and
puk Bolgom, which basically broke the Internet. In twenty twenty,
the star also became the ambassador for Bulgari. Lisa is

(33:11):
known for her impeccable style that combined streetwear and classy
timeless pieces. She also dabbled in beauty, as in twenty twenty,
she dropped her collaboration with Mac Cosmetics and became their
global brand ambassador, making her the first K pop idol
to be the face of the brand. Her latest secure
deal was Asia Brand Ambassador of the Shivas Regal Whiskey.
She is also the most followed member on Instagram with

(33:31):
eighty six point nine million followers.

Speaker 2 (33:34):
With that number of followers.

Speaker 1 (33:35):
She is reportedly earning more than two hundred thousand dollars
for every sponsored post on her account.

Speaker 2 (33:40):
Aside from being.

Speaker 1 (33:41):
A fashionista and an amazing rapper, she is known for
her show stopping dancing skills. Combining all of her skills,
she got to appear as a guest judge on the
Chinese version of Produce one oh one called Youth With
You In Real Man three hundred. There were reports of
Lisa's TV appearances ranging from one hundred fifty thousand dollars
to three hundred thousand dollars. However, it's a compleat comletely
different story when it comes to brands. It's estimated that

(34:03):
her endorsements cost from three hundred thousand dollars up to
six hundred and fifty thousand dollars, But that's for now,
as her final decision can quickly change her networth. The
seventh year of Black Pink is quickly approaching, and the
question if the girls are going to resign their contracts
is hanging in the air. Allegedly, an overseas company is
offering Lisa eighty million dollars to sign with them instead
of YG Entertainment, and YG would hardly go to such

(34:25):
links to secure Lisa, mainly because they don't have such
finances just for her laying around. If Lisa decides to
take the offer, she would easily become the richest member
of Black Pink. There are other ways the girls get
paid for promoting the brands that they're ambassadors for besides
the class of one time payment. Rose became the global
ambassador for Tiffany and Co. In twenty twenty one and
has done countless photoshoots for the brand. The brand representative

(34:48):
said that they chose Rose for her bold personality and
modern style influence as someone who embodies the attitude and
identity of the collection. Rose shared that she has always
loved wearing Tiffany jewelry and love the brand, which is
why she found it even more meaningful to be a
part of it. She also appeared at many special events
organized by the brand, like attending the Tiffany and Co.
Party organized in Tokyo, Japan, and she got a special

(35:10):
gift for her attendance a sixty six thousand dollar necklace
with a specialized note. At the party, she wore a
statement piece necklace that cost two million dollars, which shocked
both the fans and nedicens well. Jenny has the nickname
Human Chanel. Rose is known as Human Saint Laurent. Her timeless,
beauty and classy looks were voted to be perfect for
the brand. She has shown her love for Hya Cell
time and time again and eventually became the ambassador for

(35:33):
them in twenty twenty, which made her historically the first
ever ambassador for the brand and it's fifty nine years
of existence. A year later, she became the muse for
Eve Saint Laurent. Butay the brand understood Rose's selling power,
as after she became associated with it, there is sales
skyrocketed and the searches for Yasl's products grew by thirteen percent.

Speaker 2 (35:51):
Even though all.

Speaker 1 (35:52):
The Black Pink girls are oteputour lovers, only one of
them made it to the most important American fashion event,
the met Gala. Rose Gottawaki ic a red carpet for
the brand Eve Saint Laurent while being accompanied by none
other than Anthony Vaccadello, the artistic director of the brand.
Her look of a little black dress and white beau
with eccentric accessories quickly made several headlines and added to

(36:13):
Rose's network, which is now estimated to be eighteen million dollars.
Rose is also known as a soloist after her debut
album Are In the single on the Ground. The song,
along with the follow up single Gone, were both hits,
and the album sold four hundred and forty eight thousand,
eighty nine copies in the first week, which was the
highest for any Korean female soloist until Lisa broke it

(36:33):
with Li Lisa a few months later. While the three
members of Black Pink all got to work on their
solo music projects, Jesu chose a different route. She had
her little roles and shows The Producers and Arthitol Chronicles,
but she secured her first leading role in the show Snowdrop,
where she played Unyong No alongside actor John Hayen. The
drama was a hit despite some of the controversies, and
Jesu gained the experience of being a drama leading lady.

(36:55):
Besides being a beloved vocalist in Black Pink, Jesus's beauty
has often been mentioned as the one sets the Korean
beauty standards. Her visuals have been recognized by both the
media and huge brands. The fashion house Door named Jesue
their global ambassador in September twenty twenty one, and since then,
she has worn many stunning and iconic looks from the brand,
along with attending events and shows. Vogue Business has reported

(37:17):
that black piece Jesu alone represents sixty four percent from
Dior seven million in earned media value. During Paris Fashion Week,
Doyor's media value came to thirty eight point one million dollars,
of which fifteen point seven million from that is only
thanks to Jesu and Jesue is truly loved at Dior,
as the brand often gives her custom made outfits, and
for her twenty eighth birthday, the Door beauty branch sold

(37:38):
a special shade of lipgloss called Strawberry, inspired by Jesu's
natural lipcolor. Even the chairman and CEO of Door, Pietro Bacari,
gushes about Jesu. The meeting between Jesu and Dior was
a perfect marriage. Jesue is amazing. She is a big star,
but she is also very humble and at the same
time shows intelligence and multiple facets. However, another brand noticed
the selling power of Jesue in decide to fight for her.

(38:00):
The jewelry brand Cartier, wanted the start to be the
face of their Panther de Cartier campaign. The Cartier house
actually double doors offer just to secure Gsu as their
global brand ambassador, especially for their Panther campaign. Jesu officially
earned the title of Cartier Ambassador in May twenty twenty
two and continue to stun through Carti photoshoots and events.
And Jesu's influence on social media is truly one of

(38:22):
a kind, as it's been reported that she is the
top performing influencer and has earned over one hundred ninety
eight million dollars in media value for the brands that
she's working with. Her acting career, combined with prestigious endorsements,
is rounding up her net worth being twenty million dollars,
making her the richest member of Black Paint. But newer
groups are catching up fast, So how do the ESPA
members compare. Being a group from sm especially one with

(38:45):
so many brand endorsements and promotions, means that the members
are some level of rich and expensive that we can't
even comprehend. So how rich are the ESPA girls Mizzell.
Giselle takes the crown for the most interesting family background
in ESPA, which definitely helped her current network. According to
Daily Safety News of Korean media outlet, Giselle was born
in Godosugil in Korea, which is located in Gungnam, a.

Speaker 2 (39:06):
Very wealthy district, and Seul.

Speaker 1 (39:08):
Before she debuted with ESPAD, Jiselle was a student at
the International School of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo. To
attend this school, Jizelle paid thirty thousand dollars in admission fees,
which is a hefty amount to say the least, since
Gizelle was also Korean Japanese staying in a foreign country.
The expensive school she went to made her study English,
Korean and Japanese. If you want an idea of just
how rich Gazelle is. In the past, she shared two

(39:30):
pictures on Bubble of the two rings she claimed she
bought for herself. The fans went to research the rings
a bit more and discovered that Gizelle was a different
type of wealthy. Three of the rings she was wearing
in the picture were worth ten thousand dollars, one point
six thousand, and three thousand dollars, respectively, which means that
she paid nearly fifteen thousand dollars for three rings. The
fans were not able to find the cost of the

(39:51):
other two rings, but I bet that they're just as costly.
Gizelle had also mentioned that she had been collecting accessories
from the.

Speaker 2 (39:57):
Brand Chrome Hearts for a while.

Speaker 1 (39:58):
Those accessories are pretty expensive too, which means that she's
used to the wealthy lifestyle.

Speaker 2 (40:03):
There are also rumors that her.

Speaker 1 (40:04):
Family is pretty rich and influential in South Korea and Japan.
Some say that the house Jaselle lives in Japan is worth.

Speaker 2 (40:10):
A whopping fourteen million dollars.

Speaker 1 (40:13):
None of these claims have ever been confirmed by sm
or Jizel herself. Most notably, there have been reports that
Jazelle's aunt is none other than Told Zuhi, who's the
director of the sole branch of ABC News in the US. Well,
why am I mentioning her aunt of all people? Well,
believe it or not, she had dating rumors with is Suman.

Speaker 2 (40:29):
Yeah, I didn't expect that either.

Speaker 1 (40:31):
Back in twenty twenty one, is Suman made headlines for
giving his alleged girlfriend a four million dollar villa as
a gift. The girlfriend was said to be a Korean
reporter from the sole branch of a North American broadcast
company covering news in the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong,
and South Korea, which heavily fits the profile of Jazelle's aunt.
The girlfriend was also said to be a whole seventeen
years younger than is Suman, but she was very well

(40:53):
known in the journalism field. She was also described as
a prominent media reporter and a published author in the
United States.

Speaker 2 (40:59):
The rumors came out, people.

Speaker 1 (41:01):
Had started thinking that Gazelle got into sm because of
her family connections and not because.

Speaker 2 (41:05):
She deserved it. The rumors got even bigger.

Speaker 1 (41:07):
Once Nedicin's found out that Gazelle's training period was a
lot shorter compared to the other ESPA members, as Gazelle
only trained for a few months while Naming trained for
a whole four years. The rumors went on to say
that the original ESPA lineup was a lot different before
Gizelle became a trainee, and that the other potential members
got snubbed in order to make way for Gazelle in
the group. The lengths people will go to discredit her

(41:28):
effort and talents are insane, but Gazelle has proven time
and time again that she deserves her position in the group.
But wealthy or not, Gizelle accumulated a networth of more
than one million dollars. Winter Winter is one of the
most popular members of the group and was even introduced
as a member of Girls on Top along with her seniors.
As Winter's popularity and success keeps growing more and more
every day, there's no doubt that she's doing great financially.

(41:51):
One thing that's for sure is that Winter's current wealth
doesn't come from her family. I know her visuals gave
table vibes, but her family is quite ordinary. Seeing how
anticipated espa's debut was and the fact that they were
group under the Big Three indicated that they were going
to earn quite a lot of money fast. They were
also the first sm girl group after the debut of
Red Velvet, so people started standing without even knowing the

(42:12):
members of the group. That translated into some heavy income
for the members at the very beginnings of their career.
Their debut song Black Mamba dominated all charts, whether that
be domestic or foreign. Their upcoming album also managed to
get more than one hundred thousand pre orders in Ktown
for You four days after the pre order started, which
made them the number one group with this amount of sales.
The album is also currently out of stock on Walmart's website,

(42:34):
so the girls will be earning a lot from all
these different shops. The numbers they're pulling this early into
their careers caused the members to become some of the
most popular faces in the K pop industry, though from
all the album sales, as some takes a percentage and
the other percentage is split between the four of them.
It's estimated that the annual salary of the ESPA members
is forty thousand dollars. On top of their salary and
including all their music releases, appearances on TV, and endorsement deals,

(42:58):
Winter has managed to reach networth of one point two
million dollars. According to KMAG. The net worth also came
from brand deals with Jivon, she cleo Ider, and Metaheel,
among others, making her a millionaire at only twenty years old.
The most impressive thing is that even with one point
two million, Winter isn't the richest ESPA member. Ladina Kadina
has had a long career in the idle industry compared

(43:19):
to her other ESPA members. Before debuting, she appeared in
the music video for tamanes As Want and even performed
alongside him in the promotional stages. She also performed with
exos Kai in a virtual showcase held by Hyundai Motors
and SM Entertainment. Then she debuted with ESPA and is
one of the most popular members, if not the most popular.
Her visuals really left everyone gaping and made her rise

(43:40):
in popularity against her peers. But since ESPA, Hausen started
doing individual endorsements and promotions, yet the only earning she
has from the activity she does is with the group.

Speaker 2 (43:49):
They're very costly too.

Speaker 1 (43:51):
For example, it was revealed that the group got paid
forty four hundred and forty seven dollars to make an
appearance at some of the college festivals they performed at.
This came as a surprise most because their seniors in
the industry were paid a lot less for the same appearances.
Even though ESPA are still considered rookies. Red Velvet and
Akmu were paid nearly thirty two thousand dollars. Rappers BO
and just this We're paid twenty four thousand, and Si

(44:13):
is the cheapest of them to book at twelve thousand.

Speaker 2 (44:15):
I did tell you that Espa are expensive, didn't I.

Speaker 1 (44:18):
They also were the first as SEM group to perform
at Coachella, and while we don't have a correct estimate
of how much they earn from their appearance, seeing the
numbers of the other performers pulled, it's probably a lot.
Even if the company ends up taking a percentage, the
girls must have still earned a lot from it. Kadina
is also involved in the Girls on Top project along
with Winter, not to mention all the endorsements with Cleo, Metahil, KB,

(44:39):
Koukman Bank, Eider, Aqua, Deparma, and most importantly Ji bon Shi,
which made ESPA the one and only K pop group
to represent them. All of this caused Kadina to have
a net worth of around one million US dollars as
of June.

Speaker 2 (44:51):
Twenty twenty two.

Speaker 1 (44:51):
While this may not look like a big number to some,
especially compared to bigger groups under the same company, we
must keep in mind that the group has only been
an active group since October of twenty twenty. They've already
made bank these two years, and it's seriously impressive so far.
Ninging Ningning may be the most hated ESPA member by
Korean nedicines because she comes from China, but I don't
think that she's that bothered by it since she's also

(45:13):
the richest ESPA member. She doesn't come from a wealthy
background either as far as we know, but her family
is probably upper middle class. While ESPA generally mostly do
activities as a group, Nieming still had more individual gigs
than the rest of the ESPA members. Actually, before making
her debut with ESPA, Niinging was already pretty well known
among SMS stands as an SM rookie, gaining her a

(45:33):
following before she became an idol. She got quite the
experience as an idol when she appeared on smt rookies
Princess Who's the Best, and even recorded a few covers
for a Korean animated series called Shining Star in twenty seventeen.
There are also rumors that she went to talent shows
in China and had a few singing gigs back in
her home country.

Speaker 2 (45:51):
She was making bank before being an idol, love that
for her.

Speaker 1 (45:54):
Her net worth is estimated to be nearly one point
five million dollars, making her the richest member of the
group overall, while all the members were extremely lucky to
have been trainees under SM Entertainment. In other companies, the
earnings from the group's debut go towards paying all the
deaths the company took in order to debut the group.
As for SM and other Big three companies, not only
do they share their earnings with their groups, even if

(46:14):
it is in small percentages, but it's also a lot
easier for the idols under these companies to get cfs
and brand endorsements from luxury brands. They also get money
from selling merch and of course tours and concerts. Since
the members are popular with the public and get huge
fan followings before they've even made a name for themselves
in the industry, these idols get gifted expensive gifts and
luxury items, and sometimes even given money as gifts. Plus,

(46:37):
we know just how excessive Chinese fans are with their gifts,
even though SM stopped them altogether. I'm betting that her
China Bar contributed a lot to NEMI. And speaking of
newer groups, Nu Genes took the world by storm, along
with some seriously impressive earnings in under a year since
their debut, New Genes achieved remarkable success in the music industry.
Their immense popularity resulted in impressive partnerships with top lug

(47:00):
rebrands and their appearances in advertisements and billboards. Even though
they have just started their career, Nu Gens have already
started getting their paychecks. In December, Adore CEO mean Hegene
announced that the New Gens members got their first payment
two months after the group made their debut. Aside from that,
it's important to highlight that New Genes represents multiple brands,
both in South Korea and internationally. One notable brand they

(47:21):
collaborate with is Mucinsa, a prominent fashion house in South Korea.
The members frequently showcase their impeccable style while also endorsing
the brand. But Mucinsa wasn't the only brand who was
eager to work with New Genes.

Speaker 2 (47:33):
In fact, Nu.

Speaker 1 (47:33):
Genes has become a highly sought after band with various
opportunities for partnerships because, let's be honest, they're one of
the most popular groups in the industry right now. They
were appointed as brand ambassadors for Shinhan Bank and were
featured in sk Telecom's commercial for the iPhone fourteen. Further
solidifying their influence. They have also become the face of
Mega Study, a highly regarded college preparation services company in

(47:55):
South Korea. However, their accomplishments don't end there. The group
were also named Honorary Ambassadors of Soul, joining the likes
of E Sulkun, comedian Gim Yong Yoon, and actor Noel Jujan.
As a final addition to their brand partnerships, Nu Gens
has collaborated with McDonald's, Coca Cola and Levi's. It's worth
noting that these partnerships, along with the band's musical venors,

(48:16):
have significantly contributed to their growing network. They also have
impressive sales and numbers for a rookie group. Nugen's debut
album has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first
Korean group in twenty six years to sell over a
million copies since Exky School of Bulkulk in nineteen ninety seven. Notably,
they're the only girl group to have their debut album
reach one million sales. They also reached a million sales

(48:37):
with their comeback mini album OMG, and are set to
have a summer comeback with a pre release track coming
out on July seventh. Knowing how much the public likes them,
we know that.

Speaker 2 (48:45):
They're going to do amazing.

Speaker 1 (48:47):
It isn't known how a door distributes profit, but if
we base it on Big Hits income distribution, then the
girls get fifty percent of physical sales, seventy percent of
renewed physical sales, and seventy percent of overseas schedules. They've
also broken record when it comes to streaming, with them
surpassing one billion accumulative streams, which means that they earned
more than four million dollars from their streams alone. Besides

(49:08):
the group endeavors, each member of New Genes has landed
lucrative contracts with high end brands. Let's explore their individual
earnings and networks. Danielle was actually active in the entertainment
industry well before Nu Genes. When she was a child.
She gained attention as a popular model in Korea, appearing
in numerous TV shows and advertisements. In twenty eleven and
twenty twelve, she made appearances in the tvN's Rainbow Kindergarten

(49:30):
and Shinhua Broadcast, but her career had to end after
she went back to Australia. After joining New Genes and
experiencing their immense success in album sales and chart rankings,
Danielle was recently appointed as a global ambassador of luxury
brand Burberry. Additionally, Danielle has made contributions as a lyricist
and composer for Nugene's debut single Attention, which also gained
her some money. On May second, twenty twenty three, Danielle

(49:52):
was revealed as the voice actress of Ariel in the
Korean dub of the live action version of the classic
Disney film The Little Mermaid. On May seventeenth, Disney Korea
really an official video showcasing her performance of part of
Your World along with scenes from the film, and has
been promoting her heavily alongside the movie. According to K Popstars,
sources estimate Danielle's networth to be five hundred thousand dollars

(50:12):
as of January twenty twenty three. However, this might change
as we can only expect greater things from her in
the future. Just like her fellow members, Hayden is also
a brand ambassador for a major fashion brand. In May
of this year, Hayden was selected as the new Deal
Ambassador for jewelry, fashion, and beauty. The majority of her
income stems from Nugene schedules and releases, but it has
been rumored that Hayding comes from a wealthy family and

(50:34):
that she grew up living comfortably as her father is
apparently a businessman. All of this has contributed to making
her net worth approximately a million dollars according to Wiki biostars.
Since Hayden is not as active individually as the other members,
we're sure that she's going to be booked and busy
very soon, with her networth only going up from here.
Khanni is currently also doing amazing in her career outside

(50:54):
of group schedules. She was chosen as the official global
ambassador for Armani Beauty and Gucci in twenty twenty five
U two, with her attending her first fashion week event
as a brand ambassador at Milan Fashion Week in twenty
twenty three. Her earnings primarily stem from her professional career,
which includes songwriting and other group activities that generate income,
but seeing as Nugenes are going to have more releases
and activities in the future, we can expect her networth

(51:16):
to grow significantly. Sources suggest that Honey has an estimated
net worth of one point five million dollars. This is
only the start of their career, so it's foolish to
think that Honi won't be booking schedule after schedule in
the near future. Paine is the youngest member of Nu Genes,
but that doesn't mean that she should be overlooked. Her
stage presence as well as her skills, have gotten the
attention of the general public and the audience. Well, she

(51:38):
had a bit of practice in that regard. She debuted
in November of twenty seventeen with USU Girl, which was
a kid's girl group under Kid's Planet, promoting under the
stage name Outong. She left the group a year later,
and in twenty nineteen was revealed as a member of
the kids co ed group Play with Me Club. The
group made their debut in twenty twenty, and she ended
up graduating from the group with fellow member Tonguhan in
twenty twenty one. She does a stop there though, as

(52:01):
she was very active in the industry as a kid.
From October nineteenth to December twenty first, twenty twenty one,
Hain was a member of six Dance, a co ed
dance group on ebs's children's show Live Talk Talk Bonie Haney.
It's no wonder that Haynes shines on stage with so
much confidence. Hain managed to shine as an actress too
after appearing in the web drama The Girl's Double Life.
Haines's fame only skyrocketed after she became a part of

(52:23):
Nu Gen's After a very successful debut and comeback, hain
also showed everyone that she has a lot of potential
as an individual artist too. In December twenty twenty two,
she was selected as a brand ambassador by Louis Vatan,
which significantly boosted her status. At just fourteen years old,
hain holds the distinction of being the youngest ambassador for
the brand. According to k Pop Cradle, Hain's network is

(52:44):
estimated to be.

Speaker 2 (52:44):
Around one point five million dollars.

Speaker 1 (52:47):
Considering that she's only fourteen and that this is only
the beginning of her this is pretty impressive. We can't
wait to see what she has to offer us in
the future. Mean Gi is one of the Nu Genes
members that got attention for her outstanding visuals and skills
ever since the group day, and it turns out she's
allegedly filthy rich too. Yes, before she even became an idol.
According to various media outlets, Meanji apparently had a wealthy upbringing,

(53:09):
with her father being a businessman, and while there are
only a few public details about Minji and her family,
her personality suggests that she grew up in a wealthy environment.
Her Namu wiki profile reads that Minji was homeschooled in
elementary and also studied in Canada, which would explain why
she's so good at speaking English. She also had pre
debut activities, as she appeared in the music video for
BTS's hit song Permission to Dance along with fellow member Honey.

(53:32):
In their photo book, the members also hinted towards Minji's
alleged wealthy background, as they showed how she can easily
buy whatever she wants. For instance, when asked how they
would hide a cake, they said Mianji would probably have
it delivered or even buy a new fridge, which is
something that a very rich person would totally do. Likewise,
if they were locked out of the dorm, her teammates
said that means you would quickly book a fancy hotel

(53:52):
for a comfortable night sleep. But with her family's wealth
and her current earnings as a member of one of
the biggest groups in the world. What's Meanji's networth n
and the other members get their income in other ways
that are not related to group activities. Despite her young age,
Minji was chosen by Chanell as their brand ambassador. She
will represent the luxury brand in three areas, fashion, watches,
and beauty Menji also had a hand in writing the

(54:14):
lyrics for the group's hit song Ditto, and she's making
money from it too. On top of her music career,
her brand partnerships have allegedly brought her a net worth
of one point five million dollars according to K pop Stars.

Speaker 2 (54:24):
Good for her.

Speaker 1 (54:25):
Even with their impressive networks at such young ages, some
fans have expressed concerns about another aspect. It has been
revealed that High particularly Adore, invested approximately sixteen billion Korean
one in the group. This has sparked curiosity among K
pop fans regarding whether the group is responsible for covering
all the expenses, including their training costs, which suggests that
they may have earned even more. As we all know

(54:47):
the various expenses that companies make to bring a group
to light, such as vocal dance and language lessons. Accommodation
and other necessary resources are typically covered by the agency,
with the expectation that the trainees will repay the investment
through their future earnings once they debuts.

Speaker 2 (55:02):
Idols.

Speaker 1 (55:02):
However, rumors have circulated that a door does not require
trainees to make upfront payments. Instead, it speculated that the
members are gradually repaying their debts through salary deductions while
still receiving a reasonable income. So new Genes are making
bank and also paying the company's debt at the same time. Still,
no one can talk about wealth and kpop without mentioning BTS,
So let's break down who really holds the crown. After

(55:24):
debuting in twenty thirteen, it took BTS a few years
to get to the top. Now they're the most popular
group in the world, and they're insanely rich too. It's
said that the members have about one hundred and twenty
million dollars as a combined networth, as according to Forbes,
it doubled from their net worth of fifty million in
twenty twenty. They all have shares in high but also
sell record amounts of albums both physically and digitally, world

(55:47):
tours and concerts deals with the most luxurious brands like Samsung,
Hyundai and Louis Vauton merch sales, streams and commercials. In
twenty nineteen only, the group made one hundred and seventy
million from their Love your Self World Tour. BTS all
also brings in three point nine billion dollars to the
country's economy. Several sources have said that they're the most
valuable boy band in the world at the moment. This

(56:08):
just made fans wonder just how rich the BTS members
are and who takes the place of the richest one.
Gene is the seventh richest member in BTS, with his
net worth officially being reported as around.

Speaker 2 (56:17):
Twenty million dollars.

Speaker 1 (56:19):
A tiny portion of his wealth might come from his family,
as he comes from a very wealthy background. The rest
comes through his earnings as a member of BTS. This
includes their profits from releases, promotions, and endorsements. He also
gains income from the group's broadcast appearances, as the members
in general are very in demand and have high brand power.
Gene also owned shares in High which reached the value

(56:39):
of sixteen million dollars, and earns an additional annual salary
of eight million dollars. As for music related profits. Gene
earns quite a lot of royalties from earning from the
Korean Music Copyright Association, where he is credited as a
writer on several BTS songs, and also his own. His
solo music also plays a big part in his networth,
as his solos have been pretty successful. Other ways, he

(57:00):
earns us through social media and entrepreneurship, with Gene accounting
forty two point seven million followers on his Instagram account,
he probably earns a minimum of around fifty three thousand
dollars per sponsored post, an amount which can go as
high as six hundred and thirty eight thousand dollars since
he is very in demand and has a large following.
He also opened a Japanese restaurant in Korea in twenty
eighteen and is the owner of several apartment buildings in Seoul.

Speaker 2 (57:23):
Gene was also.

Speaker 1 (57:24):
Spotted driving a Porsche Panamera GTS a few years back,
which is priced at a hefty one hundred and seventy
nine thousand, eight hundred dollars. He's also been seen driving
a sleek Lamborghini a Venta door S, which costs upwards
a five hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Peyhung takes the
place of the sixth richest member in BTS as his
network has officially been reported as twenty six million as

(57:44):
of twenty twenty two. Just like Gene, most of his
earnings come from his activities with BTS and the sales
from albums, concerts, tours and merchandise. Peyhung also owned shares
in Hive and has his own credits and songs like
Blue and Gray Boys with Fun, hold Me, Tight Run
and on his solo song Stigma, Winter Bear, Sweet Night,
Inner Child and much more. Unlike the other members in

(58:04):
the vocal line, Paygung has the most solo work, including solos,
original soundtracks, acting gigs, and variety show appearances. Peyyung has
also had a couple of original soundtracks under his belt
as he lent his voice to hit dramas like Quadong,
The Poet, Warrior, Youth Epey One Class, and Our Beloved Summer.
Every single soundtrack release of Peyhung's has reached domestic and
international success. He also had a few solo gigs involving

(58:27):
acting and variety shows. He had a supporting role in
the drama Quadong, The Poet Warrior Youth and had solo
appearances and variety shows like Celebrity Bromance. He also had
a solo photoshoot with Vogue in September twenty twenty two,
and the addition he was in reached the highest sales
index in history, surpassing one million on its first pre
order day. As for social media, Taykung earns a lot

(58:48):
from his Instagram account alone. His earnings per sponsored post
begon at sixty four thousand dollars, and this number can
go as high as seven hundred seventy three thousand dollars.
Since he has a following a fifty four point one million,
this makes him the idol with the highest Instagram earnings
among BTS members and other Korean artists alike. Peyhung is
also the owner of a luxurious apartment in Hannam, hilgun Nam,

(59:09):
which is worth four point five million dollars. It's reported
that he paid everything in cash. As for the car
he drives, Payyung made the choice of purchasing a Hyundai
Genesis GV eighty, a luxury suv whose price starts at
around fifty seven five hundred dollars. At least we know
he can fit all of the BTS members in his car.
Don't Cook is the fifth richest BTS member according to

(59:30):
soul Space. Don't Cook has a declared net worth of
twenty six million dollars. Like his bandmates, he gets a
fair share of his earnings from sales and brand endorsements,
but he also has a few solo gigs that have
solidified his status as one of the richest idols in
the industry. Don't Cook has a few solo songs and
collaborations with Western artists like Charlie Pooth on the single
Left and Right, and has royalties from the BTS music.

(59:51):
As a songwriter and artist, Jon Cook is involved in
co producing and co writing many BTS songs. He also
earned from his solo appearances on shows like King of Masks,
Singer Flower Crew, and Celebrity Bromance Jilm. Cook also has
solo songs which have earned him a lot, and he
also got the honor to sing the song for the
FIFA World Cup Guitar twenty twenty two, and he also
performed at the opening ceremony for the tournament. This also

(01:00:13):
raised the number of followers on his Instagram account, which
is also a way that he profits. His earnings per
sponsored post start at around sixty thousand dollars, which can
go up as high as seven hundred twenty five thousand dollars.
Dilm Cook is a resident of the luxurious Soul Force
Triage Complex, as he purchased an apartment worth one point
seven million dollars all in cash. His luxurious lifestyle doesn't

(01:00:34):
stop at his apartment, as he's the owner of a
Mercedes Benz GT six three S which costs around one
hundred and seventy eight thousand dollars. The car was then
put on auction and sold for nine hundred thousand dollars,
which marks the highest price in the history of the
auction site. Deeman is one of the most popular BTS members,
so it's no surprise that he takes the Ford spot
on the list, with his net worth officially being reported

(01:00:55):
to reach twenty six million dollars. In addition to his
earnings as a BTS member, Teman also earns royalties from
the songs that he's credited in as a co producer
and co writer, including BTS songs and his own solo songs.
Deman also took part in the official soundtrack of the
TV and drama Are Blues, and it was pretty successful
on both domestic and international charts. He is also the

(01:01:16):
owner of several apartments in Seoul, with one of them
being the nine to one Hunum, which often gets called
the Beverly Hills of Korea. On top of his extremely
expensive outfits, Deman also drives a Porsche Panomera GTS, which
starts at around one hundred and thirty thousand dollars. Now
that BTS have gone on hiatus to focus on their
solo projects, it's expected that g mean solo gigs and
releases will cause his networth to get bigger and bigger.

(01:01:38):
Nangen has reached the number three spot on this list
from his solo work and writing credits alone. According to
several sources, his officially reported network goes as high as
thirty one million dollars. Aside from his earnings with BTS,
he also earns from his royalties as a writer, composer,
and producer. He hasn't only worked on BTSA songs, because
according to the Korean Music Copyright Association, he has more

(01:02:00):
than two hundred songs credited under his name, making him
the youngest and second most credited musician under the association.

Speaker 2 (01:02:06):
This includes the songs that he has made.

Speaker 1 (01:02:08):
For his group, his solo songs, and other artists like txt, OM,
Steve Alki, and Glam. Nam June has also released plenty
of solo songs like his mixtapes RM and Mono and
most recently, his album Indigo.

Speaker 2 (01:02:19):
He has plenty of.

Speaker 1 (01:02:20):
Noteworthy collaborations under his belt too, like Whale, Erica, Badu, Andersimpak,
and much more. He's also featured on other artist tracks
including Fallout Boy, Lil Nas, Ex, Han, Gaeko, and Moore.
Even though nam June has appeared on different shows with
his fellow BTS members, he has made some solo appearances
of his own. Some of the shows he appeared in
alone include Running Man and Problematic Man, and he is

(01:02:42):
also the host of music shows like m Countdown and
Inky Gyo and even kekon New York. Just like de Mean,
nom June purchased a house in the nine to one
Hanam Complex for five point sixty three million dollars in
March of twenty twenty one. Nom June is also an
avid art collector. On a video released in December of
twenty twenty two, where Noam June was showing off his house.
Fans could count more than one hundred art pieces around

(01:03:03):
his house, including paintings and sculptures. One of them is
a one point two million dollar art piece by Ronnie Horn.
With non June confirming the release of yet another album
and the fact that he's going to become a cast
member on the Dictionary of Useless Knowledge, it's likely that
his network will increase. With his earnings officially being reported
as thirty three million dollars, Yungi takes the place as
the second richest member in BTS. Yungie has a fair

(01:03:25):
share of earnings from BTS's sales, brand endorsements, and commercials,
but he also profits a good amount from his royalties.
Yungi has an impressive list of songs where he's credited writer, composer,
and producer under the Korean Music Copyright Association. This doesn't
involve only BTS songs or his own solo work, but
the releases of other musicians as well. Yungie has also
released his own mixtapes called August D and D two,

(01:03:48):
and has a list of hit songs like Betweeta, Tony Montana,
So Far Away, August d Give It to Me and
much more. His latest release D two landed on top
of several music charts like Billboard's World Albums, Into In Albums,
Top Rap Albums, and Billboard two hundred Charts. Yungi has
been involved in producing for other artists like Psi, Iu, Hayes, Epicai,
and even for Samsung and Hibe. He is also the

(01:04:10):
owner of a luxurious house located in you And Village
in South Korea. The cost of this house is set
to be around three million dollars at the time of purchase.
Yungi is set to release another mixtaper album in the
near future, so he might be moving.

Speaker 2 (01:04:22):
Up on this list.

Speaker 1 (01:04:23):
And at the top of the list is none other
than Hulsok. His net worth over the years has reportedly
accumulated to thirty four million dollars, making him the richest
BTS member. He has a base salary of eight million
dollars per year, and like every BTS members, he earns
a lot from album sales, concerts, tour, merge and much more.
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

The Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience

The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.