BTS producer Pdogg out-earns Hyundai Motor Group honorary chairman, pocketing US$34 million in the first half of 2021

By bagging US$34 million in first-half 2021, Pdogg out-earned Chung Mong-koo, the highest paid employee of a major Korean conglomerate in the same period

Pdogg has worked with BTS as producer, composer and lyricist throughout their eight-year career, and his earning status reflects the boy band’s power

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Kang Hyo-won, known professionally as Pdogg, is a producer, composer, and lyricist for Big Hit Music who has worked with BTS since the boy band’s debut. Photo: Big Hit Music

Published: 2:13pm, 18 Aug 2021Updated: 2:35pm, 18 Aug 2021

South Korean music producer Pdogg is one of the highest earning individuals in South Korea in 2021 so far, a financial report revealed this week.

Pdogg (whose legal name is Kang Hyo-won) has worked with BTS throughout their eight-year career, and reportedly received 40 billion Korean won (US$34 million) in the first half of 2021 according to the latest financial report from Hybe Corp, formerly Big Hit Entertainment.

According to Korean media, Pdogg’s earnings outranked those of Chung Mong-koo, the honorary chairman of South Korean automotive giant Hyundai Motor Group. Chung was reported to be the highest paid person working for one of the country’s major conglomerates, or chaebol, in the first half of the year, earning 30.23 billion won, the majority of it severance pay.

Hybe was founded as Big Hit Entertainment in 2005, and is one of the fastest growing South Korean companies.

Pdogg has been a primary songwriter for BTS since their debut in 2013, and worked alongside executive Bang Si-hyuk for many years. He has been the composer and lyricist with the highest earnings from royalties in South Korea since 2018, and has worked with BTS on many of their biggest hits.