Kim Soo Hyun's appearance fee for 'Queen of Tears' sparks discussion amid drama's popularity

Amid the widespread love for the tvN drama 'Queen of Tears', which features actor Kim Soo Hyun in a leading role, attention has been drawn to his appearance fee.

Reportedly, Kim Soo Hyun negotiated a fee of 5 billion won for his role in 'Queen of Tears', which spans a total of 16 episodes. This amounts to over 300 million won per episode, making it a topic of interest in the industry.

Recent media reports suggested that Kim Soo Hyun received 800 million won per episode for his appearance in 'Queen of Tears', but this information was found to be inaccurate. Notably, it's been highlighted that his appearance fee for this project is lower than what he received for his previous work 'One Day', raising eyebrows among industry observers.

The escalating salaries of actors have become a concern for production companies due to the strain they put on production budgets. In the case of Kim Soo Hyun, there was significant attention when it was reported that he received 500 million won per episode for his role in 'One Ordinary Day'. However, his agency remained tight-lipped about the specifics of his appearance fee.

'Queen of Tears', written by Park Ji Eun, is known for its hefty production cost of 40 billion won. Out of this budget, 5 billion won, or one-eighth, was allocated for Kim Soo Hyun's role in the drama.

Episode 6 of 'Queen of Tears', which aired on March 24 KST, achieved its highest viewership rating to date, reaching 14.1% (according to Nielsen Korea's nationwide standard). Episode 7 is scheduled to air on March 30 at 9:20 PM KST, continuing to captivate audiences with its compelling storyline.