K-pop is a profitable industry, with hundreds of groups debuting every year, hoping for the kind of success groups like Blackpink and BTS have achieved. While many groups have tried, few will reach the heights of the following 10 K-pop groups.
As of 2022, these groups are believed to be the richest in South Korea and have made their fortunes through their music, investments, and lucrative brand deals. The K-pop industry can be unforgiving, and these groups have beat the overwhelming odds and achieved enviable monetary success.
While it’s difficult to confirm exactly how much money each group on this list has made throughout the years, we compiled estimates of their net worth to bring you this list of the 10 richest K-pop groups.
10. Red Velvet
After debuting in 2014 with the song “Happiness,” Red Velvet has achieved a lot in eight years as a group. Estimates of their net worth range from a modest $8 million up to as much as $40 million, thanks to consistent music releases, commercials, and individual business deals.
As a K-pop girl group, Red Velvet has broken many musical records throughout their history. First, they became the first girl group in K-pop to chart a debut single on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart with Happiness. Red Velvet performed in North Korea as part of a special concert in April 2018, becoming the first K-pop group to perform in North Korea since 2003. In addition to that, they’re the first K-pop girl group ever to have four tracks at the top of the World Albums chart: “The Red,” “Rookie,” “The Red Summer,” and “Perfect Velvet.”
In terms of their brand collaborations, each member has signed deal after deal with luxury brands. These include Prada, Miu Miu, Ferragamo, Damiani, and Hogan. As their luxury portfolio continues to grow, their net worth is only projected to increase. Furthermore, their inclusion on numerous celebrity power lists demonstrates their brand power around the globe. In 2019, Billboard declared Red Velvet as “the best idol group alive.” The South Korean government has also praised the group for helping to spread K-pop throughout the world.
The members have been busy with solo activities this year, including Seulgi’s solo debut with “28 Reasons” and Joy’s drama, Once Upon a Small Town, but they found the time to release two mini albums in 2022.
9. MAMAMOO
MAMAMOO is one of the lucky K-pop groups to be successful both in their solo careers and as a whole. After debuting in 2014, the group from RBW Entertainment quickly took off with their vocal-focused retro sound. The group’s total net worth is unknown, but most sites estimate it to be anywhere from $10 million to $14.9 million. The girls have been focusing more on their solo careers as of late but recently released their latest mini album, Mic On, in October 2022. Also, Mamamoo+ made up of members Solar and Moonbyul, released their first EP, Two Rabbits, in August.
Hwasa, in particular, has continued her run as one of the most visible and prominent members of the group. Along with releasing a couple of successful singles this year, Hwasa also earns from her consistent broadcast appearances. She was a regular cast member of MBC’s I Live Alone, where she gained even more popularity. She had her own television program in 2023, Hwasa Show, and joined another program that year, Dancing Queens on the Road, with other idol stars. Other shows she appeared in are King of Masked Singer, Hangout With Yoo, Hidden Singer, and Saturday Night Live (SNL).
The “Maria” star also makes money from endorsement deals with brands and companies like The North Face, Lotte, Davich, Coca-Cola, Rarekind, Everland, Ottogi, EA Korea, Adidas, and Kiss New York, among others.
8. Seventeen
Seventeen has always been a successful group, but the 13-member K-Pop group saw a huge increase in popularity in the past few years. In April 2023, they released the EP FML, which, upon release, became the best-selling album in history, with 3.9 million first-day sales and 4.5 million first-week sales. The group released their eleventh extended play, Seventeenth Heaven, on October 23, with over 5.2 million pre-orders, making it the most pre-ordered K-pop album in history. The boost in sales has propelled their collective net worth to an estimated $17 million.
The members’ personal net worth also rose, with members like Vernon appointed as Kenzo‘s latest brand ambassador and DK named the newest global brand ambassador of Swiss luxury fashion house Bally. Also, since multiple members like Woozi and Vernon participate in songwriting and production, we bet the royalties must be very nice.
7. Stray Kids
Stray Kids has had a great career so far, and their recent mini album, Maxident, sold over 3 million copies. The boys proved their popularity in the U.S. when both Maxident and their previous mini, Oddinary, topped the Billboard 200 chart upon release. The group released their third studio album, 5-Star, in June 2023, which topped the charts in various regions, such as South Korea, France, and the U.S.— it was the group’s third consecutive number-one album in the country. As of June, more than 5 million copies had been sold.
Stray Kids also embarked on their highly anticipated “5-Star Dome Tour” in 2023, marking their tremendous popularity and success with these dome concerts in South Korea and Japan.
Additionally, the group has made significant strides in the world of endorsements. Their collaboration with Mahagrid’s 2022 Summer T-shirt Campaign and their role as Asian ambassadors for Tommy Hilfiger’s 2023 Fall Campaign highlighted their growing influence in the fashion industry.
It’s no surprise, given their success, that their current net worth is a sizable $30 million, as per several sources. Stray Kids has gained popularity as a self-producing idol group, and their success is even more impressive given this reputation.
6. TVXQ
TVXQ debuted in 2003 under SM Entertainment to massive success. Originally a five-member group, TVXQ gained popularity in both Korea and Japan and the two remaining members are still some of the richest idols in the industry. As one of the pioneers of the Hallyu Wave, TVXQ has had several top hits, such as “Mirotic” and “Hug.” At one point, TVXQ ranked as one of the top foreign artists in Japan.
Among the top ten best-selling records in 2004, TVXQ’s debut album, Tri-Angle, debuted at #1 on the Korean charts. It was followed by four further #1 Korean studio albums. The 2008 release Mirotic was the most popular. The record sold over 500,000 copies in South Korea alone, making it the first Korean record to achieve this in the last six years.
As TVXQ enjoyed success at home in South Korea, they expanded into Asia, especially Japan. “Purple Line,” the group’s first #1 pop single in Japan, was released in 2008. The song “Break Out!” continued to have strong sales in Japan, surpassing Elton John’s “Candle In the Wind” in 2010 as the biggest sales in a single week by an outside artist.
In 2018, TVXQ became the first international artist to sell a million tickets in a single tour in Japan.
For the first time, the duo charted on the country’s Oricon single and album charts with their new album “Utsuroi,” released in August 2022.
Their releases may have slowed down as the two focus on solo careers — and fatherhood, in Changmin’s case — but that hasn’t stopped the duo from achieving a net worth of $30 million. Among the brands TVXQ endorses are LG Mobile, Fila, Nike, Missha, Lacoste, and more.
5. Twice
Twice is one of the most popular girl groups both in Korea and abroad, and their latest album, Between 1&2, sold over 1 million copies. The group debuted in 2015 and shows no sign of slowing down; this year, the nine-member group embarked on a world tour and held multiple dates in New York and Los Angeles due to demand.
In 2016, the “Cheer Up” artists firmly established their presence in the K-pop sphere. Their subsequent releases, including “Talk that Talk,” “Likey,” “What is Love,” and more, brought them widespread recognition. They are the first Korean girl group to hold a Japan dome tour and landed top spots on Billboard global charts. A slew of luxury brand endorsements fuels their massive fortune.
As far as brands they’ve collaborated with are concerned, the girl group has a diverse portfolio. In addition to their first collaboration with Nexon Korea’s Elsword MMORPG, the group was also chosen to launch Dragon Xeneration (DX): War of the New Century by Efun.
Aside from that, the girls have become ambassadors for Estée Lauder from 2019 through 2021. They have also collaborated with the famous Japanese sports drink Pokari Sweat as well. Sales of the brand jumped from US$101 million to US$121 million as the girls led it for three years. In addition, TWICE were also appointed as brand ambassadors in 2022 for the Japanese haircare brand Lux.
The girls are currently worth $35 million, and since they recently renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment, we’ll likely see Twice succeed for years to come.
4. Blackpink
Given their worldwide success, it’s no surprise that Blackpink are included in this list. Debuting in 2016 under YG Entertainment, the group breaks streaming records every time they release a new single and are currently preparing for the European leg of their World Tour. The girls made history as the first K-pop girl group to perform at Coachella and were the first K-pop act to headline Hyde Park in July 2023. As of 2022, they have earned an estimated $62 million thanks to sponsored content, commercials, and music.
According to Forbes, Blackpink are among South Korea’s most powerful celebrities. In addition to their brand value as a group, all group members have high net worths individually. The group has topped charts since it debuted in 2016 and is now recognized as global crossover stars, ranking multiple times on the Billboard charts and collaborating with international artists like Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Dua Lipa, and Selena Gomez.
Blackpink is known for their brand deals with multiple luxury brands, collectively and individually, working with labels like Dior, Calvin Klein, Chanel, YSL, Celine, Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, and more.
Having millions of dollars to their name, the girl group reportedly had a dorm room in one of Seoul’s most prestigious residences, Han River Bamseom Apartments.
3. Girls’ Generation
The “Nation’s Girl Group” has been applied to many girl groups over the years (including Twice), but Girls’ Generation held the title for years after exploding in popularity with “Gee” in 2009. They have had multiple successful tours and sold out the Tokyo Dome in 2014. Despite infrequent group activities since Sooyung, Tiffany, and Seohyun left SM Entertainment in October 2017, Girls’ Generation’s combined net worth is estimated to be a staggering $100 million. Lately, the girls have focused on their solo careers but reunited to release their seventh Korean full-length album, Forever 1, in August 2022, which peaked at number two on Korea’s Circle Chart and sold over 185,600 copies in just its first week, doubling the first week sales of their last full album, Holiday Night.
Endorsements have contributed significantly to the group’s net worth. Girls’ Generation’s members have appeared in many commercials and have promoted brands like LG, Casio, Intel, Goobne Chicken, Domino’s Pizza, Samantha Thavasa, and others. Live concert tours are another source of income for them. Last year, the group performed at the SM Town Live concert and held a sold-out special event, “Long Lasting Love,” in September 2022.
It has been since 2017 that the members have begun exploring their individual careers in various aspects of the entertainment industry. The activities include starring roles in movies, dramas, and plays, appearing on variety shows, creating personal YouTube channels, and releasing solo albums. Among them, Yoona, Sooyoung, Yuri, and Seohyun have received attention because of their growth as actresses as well as the diversity of their roles.
2. BTS
BTS is arguably the most famous K-pop group of all time, and understandably, they’re high-earners. The seven-member boy group debuted under Big Hit Entertainment in 2013 and initially achieved only moderate success. Now, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard of the group after their successful singles, world tours, and marketing campaigns. They have worked with brands such as Baskin-Robbins, LeSportsac, Sketchers, Mattel, Casetify, Tamagotchi, VT Cosmetics, Jamie Wander, McDonald’s, Baskin Robbins, and Casetify over their career. As of 2022, the group’s net worth is thought to be anywhere from $100 million to $150 million.
In 2018, the Hyundai Research Institute reported that BTS generates $3.5 billion worth of economic value to South Korea each year. This number is reportedly increasing by $1.2 billion every year. In addition, they have also been credited with being one of the main reasons for the growth in music sales worldwide in 2018, amounting to a total of $19 billion in sales.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the BTS boys made US$170 million in 2019 from their Love Yourself World Tour, more than any other American band except Metallica.
Many K-pop groups live together in dorms, but BTS secured one of South Korea’s most expensive at Hannam the Hill thanks to its multimillion-dollar fortune. Per Allkpop, this complex houses other celebrities, such as Psy and actress Han Hyo-joo, as well as some high-rolling businessmen. Lifestyle Asia reports that the members also purchased their own luxury apartments for as much as US$7 million.
1. EXO
It may come as a surprise to some, but SM Entertainment’s boy group, EXO, is easily the richest K-Pop group. If reports are to be believed, the group is worth an insane $1 billion. EXO debuted in 2012 with “MAMA” with both Korean and Chinese versions and were the most popular boy group in South Korea for years after their debut, so it’s understandable that they’d be high-earners. It’s possible the high net worth could be inflated as a few media outlets think the number is closer to $100 million but the majority of media outlets report that EXO is a billion-dollar boy group. For example, Popnable examined the band’s earnings from the past seven years and found that they earned an average of US$2.5 million from 2016 to 2022.
They are also involved in a variety of activities and projects, such as acting and solo music releases, in addition to their idol duties. “Don’t Mess Up My Tempo,” EXO’s best-selling album, sold more than 1.9 million copies. They’ve held many world tours and contributed greatly to SM Entertainment’s financial success. According to reports, SM made $188 million during the 4th quarter of 2018, with EXO contributing 31%.
Because of the group’s widespread influence, Forbes’ Korea Power Celebrity listed Exo among the top five most influential Korean celebrities from 2014 to 2018. Their album “Don’t Fight the Feeling” topped the iTunes Top Albums charts in at least 85 countries in 2021, according to Soompi.
As a result of their enviable reputation in K-pop, they have been endorsed by the likes of Nature Republic and Skechers, among others. One of the biggest brand deals EXO landed was with Samsung, serving as the company’s ambassador for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics. It paved the way for future partnerships, including an EXO-themed Galaxy S8. In addition, Skechers endorsed EXO’s D’Lites 2 Sweet Monster Collection. It later became popular as “EXO sneakers.”
Moreover, EXO acted as South Korea’s tourism ambassadors for 2018, appearing in a number of international campaigns and advertisements. They’ve also been the poster boys for Kessler, SPAO, The Face Shop, and other brands. Their extensive brand collaboration list, along with their band activities, has greatly increased their net worth.
Published: Nov 3, 2023 02:08 pm