Park Hyung-sik, a former member of the idol group ZE:A, has gained a solid reputation as one of Korea’s most successful idol-turned-actors. He has starred in dramas such as Strong Woman Do Bong Soon and Doctor Slump, and even taken on darker roles in shows such as Twelve, and remains in the spotlight for colleagues and fans alike, both locally and globally.
Recently though, Park Hyung-sik found himself at the center of a huge controversy as multiple outlets reported him as being paid around ₩400 million ($290,000) for his role in Twelve. His reported per-episode paycheck sparked a media frenzy and debate surrounding actor pay, production budgets and fairness in the K-drama world.
To quell speculation, Park Hyung-sik’s agency officially issued a statement negating these rumored appearance fees.
Salary Controversy Explained
The situation started when Dispatch revealed that Park Hyung-sik was receiving ₩400 million per episode for Twelve, which would imply a total of around ₩3.2 billion over 8 episodes. It was previously speculated that he might have been getting ₩500 million per episode for Doctor Slump as well; both stories gained traction and ignited a bit of debate amongst fans and netizens in many online spaces. Following this, Park Hyung-sik’s agency Rev / RÊVE Entertainment put out another official statement denying the claims: “These reports are not true. They have been made fact, which is why we have shed light on it”.
Fans often ask the same question: how much does Park Hyung-sik get paid per episode? The answer is that his agency stated both the mentioned ₩400m – ₩500m per episode claims are false. The precise amount is however unknown.
Idol to Actor Journey
Park Hyung-sik started off as a K-pop idol in the boy group, ZE:A (Children of Empire), performing as a singer and entertainer. He transitioned into acting fairly seamlessly, first taking on supporting roles in dramas before eventually landing leading roles in popular dramas, for example, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, Happiness, Doctor Slump, and most recently, Twelve. This transformation from idol to actor has drawn attention from fans and the media in terms of where Park Hyung-sik’s career is going, his net worth, popularity, etc.
Questions from fans addressed: “Was Park Hyung-sik an idol?” Yes, he was a member of ZE:A. “Did ZE:A disband?” ZE:A never officially disbanded, but members have begun pursuing solo careers, thus causing the group to be on hiatus.
Industry Context: Actor Fees in Korea
The discussion of high salaries for top K-drama actors is never finished. Some A-list actors, for example, are said to earn comparable to ₩200m–₩500m per episode. This is especially true when it comes to shows with distribution rights with large global audiences, especially Netflix or Disney+.
This is why the rumor that Park Hyung-sik earned ₩400m for his latest work seems believable to many. In reality, though, actor fees are rarely presented to the public due to NDAs, as well as industry customs. After reading the article, netizen responses on the forums were split: some were critical of “ridiculously high salaries” paid to idol-actors. Others argue that their popularity — especially as part of K-drama and Hallyu — represents huge financial payoffs for the global streaming and endorsements they represent.
Some of fans’ questions:
- “Who is the highest paid Korean actor in 2025?” → Kim Soo-hyun is seen to earn approximately ₩500m per episode.
- “Who is the richest Korean actor?” → Kim Soo-hyun, Lee Jong-suk, So Ji-sub, and more are seen as some of the richest based on acting, endorsements, and investments.
About Twelve Drama
Twelve is a fantasy-action series about twelve angels who fight against evil spirits in Korea. In a shocking turn, Park Hyung-sik plays the villain “O Gwi,” which showed us a darker and more intense side to him than we have seen from him in romances or heroic roles.
- Episodes: 8
- Budget: ₩20–23 billion
- Ratings: 8.1% initially, which fell to a dismal 2.4% by the end.
The series faced criticisms that the quality of the production had suffered because the apparently high costs of the actor guarantees (fee + contract) avoided having enough money for quality production, which led to another controversy related to salaries.
Official Agency Statement (Summarized)
Rev / RÊVE Entertainment, Park Hyung-sik’s agency, dispelled the reported ₩400m–₩500m per episode fees.
They stated:
- Park Hyung-sik always approaches every project with sincere effort and hard work,
- The media shouldn’t utilize fabricated figures as if they are fact.
- Fans should see and appreciate Park Hyung-sik’s potential regardless of speculated payment.
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Conclusion
The speculations regarding Park Hyung-sik’s salary, either ₩400m or ₩500m per episode, have been confirmed as false. Nevertheless, Park Hyung-sik remains one of Korea’s most popular idol-turned-actors with a solid fan base, fame outside Europe, and an array of dramas under his belt.
With dramas such as Desperados coming to the audience, Park Hyung-sik continues to keep the media buzzing. At the end of the day, the debate exemplifies the transparency vs. speculation dilemma in the K-drama industry overall.
Nonetheless, what really matters is that he values talent, sincerity, and hard work. These factors along with potential pay compared to others are what really provide Park Hyung-sik with economic worth, not the rumors.
