Song Hye-kyo, Son Ye-jin, Park Shin-hye … which luxury fashion brands sponsor K-drama’s best-paid stars – and how much extra do they earn?
Actresses like Jun Ji-hyun and Song Hye-kyo have gone from leading ladies to cover girls: meet South Korea’s commercial queens, or CFs, who earn a fortune from endorsing brands like Chanel, Chaumet and Piaget
One of the unwritten added bonuses of being a K-drama star? The ability to influence millions of fervent fans – and earn a pretty penny while doing so.
Following The Toplists’ round up of the highest-paid actresses in 2020, STYLE looks into the luxury labels and Korean brands that pay out big bucks for star endorsements or commercial appearances – or CFs as they are called in South Korea.
Jun Ji-hyun
Sitting atop the highest-paid actresses’ list is Jun, who earns an estimated US$84,000 per episode. Jun is currently Alexander McQueen's queen, according to W Korea, becoming the first Korean ambassador of the luxury label. “McQueen's woman is independent, strong, confident, and influential,” goes the brand’s slogan, and there was no better fit for that than the actress who put the sass into breakout hit My Sassy Girl.
Song Hye-kyo
Receiving an estimated US$42,000 per episode, Song remains one of Korea’s most sought-after actresses and endorsers. She is the Asia-Pacific brand ambassador of heritage jeweller Chaumet.
Song also starred in Bottega Veneta’s recent spring fashion film called La Donna Che Amiamo or The Woman We Love.