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On April 6, 2023, Korean media outlet Osen revealed that IU will reportedly be paid $380,000 or ₩500 million Korean Won per episode for the upcoming Netflix drama You Did Good, aka Thank You for Your Hard Work. Interestingly, there were speculations that IU was going to be paid $760,000 or ₩1.00 billion Korean Won per episode. However, the rumors were shot down by the production team and Netflix.
Also starring Park Bo-gum, it is believed that You Did Good will be the LILAC singer’s sole acting project in 2023. Moreover, the reason she was able to command such high acting fees is due to her amazing acting talent, popularity, influence, and worldwide recognition.
“Groundless”: IU’s production team dismisses reports of the singer getting staggering acting fees
Pan Entertainment, the production company behind You Did Good, refused to confirm the singer’s staggering acting fees to Osen. They stated:
“We ask for your understanding that it is difficult to comment on the actors’ appearance fee or the total production cost.”
Additionally, they released another statement calling the media reports “Groundless.”
Streaming giant Netflix, who will be airing the IU-Park Bo-gum starrer drama on their platform, refused to comment on the LILAC singer’s acting fees, writing:
“We cannot tell you as it is a secret clause that is part of the contract. We cannot officially disclose that part.”
Reportedly, the production budget for You Did Good is $45.6 million or ₩60.0 billion Korean Won. Much of the budget is allocated to creating a giant period-drama-style set on Jeju Island, where the drama will be shot.
Industry insiders, who refused to be named, claimed that this is a good sign for female actors in the Korean entertainment industry as male actors have always been paid far more than their female counterparts. They also hope that this brings about a change and balances the pay parity in the industry.
As per reports by Wiki Tree and The Korea Herald, actor Kim Soo-hyun is the highest-paid actor in the Korean entertainment industry with $386,000 or ₩500 million Korean Won per episode for his web-drama One Ordinary Day. Reportedly, this is the actor’s base pay and excludes the revenue he will earn through advertisements, endorsements, and more.
According to the report published in The Korea Herald and Wiki Tree, A-list male actors in Korea receive a salary of $154,000 or ₩200 million Korean Won, while A-list female actors are paid $77,200 or ₩100 million Korean Won. Notably, most female actors get paid half of what the male actor gets paid. Jun Ji-hyun and Song Hye-kyo reportedly received $152,000 or ₩200 million Korean Won for Jirisan and Now, We Are Breaking Up, respectively.
According to the data revealed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), South Korea has the largest pay/wage gap between male and female, with a 31.1 percent record as compared to the standard 11.9 percent in other developed nations.
IU and Park Bo-gum’s drama You Did Good will premiere on Netflix in 2025
IU and Park Bo-gum’s upcoming drama You Did Good, or Thank You for Your Hard Work, is all set to be released on Netflix sometime in 2025. This was confirmed by the production company Pan Entertainment via an official statement. The production team has also signed an exclusive contract with Netflix up until October 31, 2025, and one of their flagship and much-awaited collaborations is the IU and Park Bo-gum starrer drama.
Taking place sometime between the 1950s, the period romance-comedy and coming-of-age drama is set on the soothing Jeju Island. The story revolves around a bold and rebellious Ae Soon (IU) and a quiet but dependable Gwan Sik (Park Bo-gum) and their growing up years on Jeju Island.
The drama is penned by screenwriter Lim Sang-chun, who has previously written dramas like Fight for My Way and When the Camellia Blooms. Additionally, the series will be directed by My Mister fame director Kim Won-seok who marks his second collaboration with IU.
