Netflix’s Korean drama production is making headlines again, this time for lowering actor salaries after setting a record high of approximately 400 million Korean won (around 8.71 million New Taiwan dollars) per episode not long ago. The new maximum salary is reportedly reduced to 300 million Korean won (about 6.53 million New Taiwan dollars) per episode. This adjustment has caught the attention of the industry, especially for actors like Yoo Ah-in, who is set to star in Netflix’s upcoming series “I’m Alone But Not Lonely.”
According to the report from Korean media outlet “OSEN” on September 12th, Netflix has officially entered the phase of “pressuring down actors’ value” as the salary cap for their series and films has been reduced from 400 million to 300 million Korean won. Industry insiders have revealed that this policy change is in response to the overall increase in production costs. Another source mentioned that in recent years, Netflix’s actor salaries have been on the rise, but starting this year, there has been a shift in policy with the internal understanding that the upper limit is set at 300 million.
Yoo Ah-in, who gained immense popularity from “Burning,” has confirmed his role in the new Netflix series “I’m Alone But Not Lonely,” making his salary a topic of interest. Insiders speculate that despite his star power, it might not be so easy for him to secure a salary exceeding 300 million given Netflix’s recent policy adjustments.
However, it should be noted that the 300 million Korean won “salary ceiling” is not a rigid rule, and salaries can still vary. For sequels, actors typically receive 40% more than in the previous season, meaning that some A-list actors still have the opportunity to break through the restrictions.
Netflix responded to the reports by stating, “Salaries are not solely based on the number of episodes but reflect the actual time and contribution of creators and actors. We do not have a set upper limit for salaries, but rather negotiate flexibly with our partners based on the nature of the work, character requirements, and production period.”