From Byeon Woo Seok To Lee Jung Jae, Here’s How Much Netflix K-Actors Are Getting Paid Amid Budget Cuts
Netflix has decided to reduce K-drama actors' salaries due to rising production costs.
New reports reveal that Netflix has allegedly reduced the fee ceiling for actors starring in the platform’s Korean dramas and films. This change comes as a shock, as K-Drama actor fees have skyrocketed significantly over the past few years. The spiking salaries had reportedly put an immense strain on production budgets if the shows, as the crew and management were not able to sustain themselves due to this reason. Read on to know more.
Netflix Slashes Fee Of K-Drama Actors Amid Rising Production Costs
Until recently, top Korean actors were getting paid as much as 1.00 billion KRW (about Rs. 6 crore) per episode. Now, according to industry insiders, the new cap has dropped to around 300 million KRW (about Rs. 1.8 crore).
However, on 12 September 2025, Korean outlet OSEN reported that streaming giant Netflix has reduced the salary upper limit for their Korean shows and films from 400 million KRW (about Rs. 2.4 crore) to the ₩300 million KRW (about Rs. 1.8 crore) range. Insiders note that the move reflects growing concerns over spiralling production costs.
In the report, an industry source explained by saying that, “Over the past few years, Netflix’s appearance fees skyrocketed without limit. But beginning this year, the policy has shifted. ₩300 million KRW is now considered the cap in most cases.”
Fee Of Byeon Woo Seok And Lee Jung Jae Revealed
Popular actor Byeon Woo Seok, who rose to international fame through his hit K-Drama Lovely Runner, was announced to be cast in his first Netflix project, Solo Levelling. While his popularity could have justified an even higher paycheck, sources say it is unlikely he would exceed the ₩300 million (Rs. 1.8 crore) cap under the current system.
A Netflix spokesperson, however, clarified that this price ceiling is not definite and will remain dynamic for larger-scale productions and franchises. “Fees are not determined solely by episode count but reflect the role, contribution, and production timeline. We negotiate flexibly with partners; there is no strict universal cap.” Revealed the spokesperson.
Netflix has both been praised but also criticised for the role that it has played in popularising Korean content and the K-Boom globally. However, the streaming platform has also received quite the backlash for ballooning production budgets far higher than what the industry standards used to be.
Also Read: OMG! Lovely Runner Fame Byeon Woo Seok To Star In Live-Action Adaptation Of Solo Leveling
This inflation has directly affected the industry: while 141 dramas were produced in 2022, only about 80 are projected for this year. Earlier reports noted that actor Lee Jung Jae earned Rs. 8.3 crore per episode for Squid Game Season 2.
Also Read: Kim Soo Hyun Beats Byeon Wooseok To Secure Top Spot In Superstar Brand Power Rankings!
First Published: September 12, 2025 5:13 PM
