K-pop idols with the highest-earning YouTube channels, ranked: BTS and Blackpink lead the pack, but how many millions did NCT Dream, Seventeen and IU rake in?

Nov 16 , 2021

Blackpink and BTS are, perhaps unsurprisingly, are on Forbes Korea’s list of celebrities with the highest-earning YouTube channels. Photos: @blackpinkofficial/Instagram, Big Hit Entertainment

Alongside Instagram and Twitter, YouTube is a major social media platform where we can stream all sorts of content – including videos by our favourite K-pop idols. Many of these stars have their own channels where they vlog about their lives or share exclusive behind-the-scenes clips. And, of course, they earn some extra dough in the process.

In August 2021, Forbes Korea revealed its list of celebrities estimated to have the highest-earning YouTube channels of 2021. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 16 out of 20 celebrities listed are K-pop singers.

Here, we round up the top 10. (All YouTube stats were referenced at the time of writing.) Can you guess who’s on the list, and who had the highest profit this year?

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10. Tomorrow X Together (TXT), US$989,000

No 10 on the list is Korean boy band TXT, who shares the same management company as BTS. Photo: Big Hit entertainment

Subscribers: 8.07 million

Videos: 874

Views: 551.4 million

Big Hit Entertainment’s second boy band after BTS, Tomorrow X Together ranked No 10 with an estimated annual earning of 1.1 billion Korean won (around US$989,000).

The boy band debuted in 2019 with five members, and consistently grabs attention from K-pop fans.

They even became the third K-pop group to surpass 10 million followers on TikTok, trailing behind BTS and Blackpink, according to Soompi.

Their official YouTube channel features a mix of content including vlogs like
To Do x TXT and T: Time, and behind-the-scenes clips of the making of their music videos.

9. Aespa, US$1.2 million

Aespa swept awards less than a year after their debut. Photo: @aespa_official/Instagram

Subscribers: 2.96 million

Videos: 94

Views: 406.3 million

Diehard K-pop fans will know Aespa as SM Entertainment’s “monster rookie” – a rookie group that excels from the very start, the most famous example being Blackpink. The four girls are known for their hit songs Black Mamba, Next Level and Savage.

Less than a year after their incredible debut in 2020, the group has already snagged multiple awards, including Asian Pop Music Awards’ best new artist last year and the recent Seoul Music Awards’ Rookie of the Year in 2021.

Like TXT, their YouTube channel has different kinds of videos, including dance videos, photoshoots, vlogs and even “what’s in my bag” videos.

8. IU, US$1.4 million

IU is one of the most popular and highest-earning K-pop solo artists. Photo: @dlwlrma/Instagram

Subscribers: 7.05 million

Videos: 132

Views: 1.09 billion

IU, who was once dubbed the “nation’s little sister”, ranked eight on the list with an estimated annual earning of 1.6 billion Korean won (around US$1.4 million) and more than 1.09 billion accumulated views on the channel.

The 28-year-old star’s YouTube channel includes various sub-shows like IU TV, IU’s Palette and Let’s Cook with Chef IU. She often collaborates with different K-pop stars.

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7. Exo, US$1.5 million

Exo’s channel highlights every member individually. Photo: @weareone.exo/Instagram

Subscribers: 8.47 million

Videos: 205

Views: 510.9 million

Another K-pop group from SM Entertainment ranking in the top 10 is the wildly popular Exo. The group’s nine members all get their moment to shine in the YouTube channel, with videos that highlight each member individually when they launch albums or embark on solo activities.

6. Mamamoo, US$1.5 million

With their many hit songs, it’s unsurprising that Mamamoo has a large audience. Photo: @mamamoo_official/Instagram

Subscribers: 6.29 million

Videos: 612

Views: 1.7 billion

Mamamoo, with its amazing singing and dance talent, ranked in the top six. Following IU, Mamamoo also achieved more than 1.7 billion accumulated views on its official YouTube channel. The group, which has had many hit songs like HIP, Egotistic and Mr. Ambiguous, is much-loved both locally and internationally – although they’ve had their fair share of controversy too.

Apart from music videos, their YouTube channel features fan-favourite vlogs such as MMMTV.

5. Got7’s BamBam, US$1.5 million

Got7’s BamBam is among Forbes Korea’s highest-paid K-pop stars on YouTube. Photo: @bambam1a/Instagram

Subscribers: 1.15 million

Videos: 94

Views: 83.5 million

Got7 member BamBam deserves a big round of applause for ranking in the top five just as an individual musician. The South Korea-based Thai rapper, singer and songwriter, who is also famously known as the childhood friend of Blackpink’s Lisa, is loved by many international fans. His YouTube channel features a variety of content such as vlogs and choreography videos.

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4. Seventeen, US$1.7 million

K-pop group Seventeen has made waves since their debut in 2015. Photo: Pledis Entertainment

Subscribers: 7.15 million

Videos: 951

Views: 2.3 billion

A boy band formed by Pledis Entertainment in 2015, Seventeen debuted as a monster rookie group who earned three rookie awards in their debut year, as well as six bonsangs, or main prizes, and one daesang, a grand prize, so far. Seventeen is among the top groups leading the K-pop wave.

With almost 1,000 videos, the beloved boy band is prolific on YouTube with content like V-logs named Inside Seventeen and fancams (a video close-up filmed by an audience member during a live performance), which happen to among the top content on their popular channel.

3. NCT Dream, 1.9 million

NCT Dream has gained more than four million YouTube subscribers. Photo: @nct_dream/Instagram

Subscribers: 4.18 million

Videos: 242

Views: 459.7 million

Another boy band from SM Entertainment, NCT Dream, nabbing the third spot on the list probably doesn’t come as a surprise. Among the different subunits of NCT, NCT Dream has received the most public attention on its channel, gaining more than 4.18 million subscribers and achieving more than 459.7 million accumulated views.

2. Blackpink, 11.6 million

Blackpink has amassed over 20 billion cumulative views on YouTube. Photo: @blackpinkofficial/Instagram

Subscribers: 69.3 million

Videos: 395

Views: 20.9 billion

Most K-pop fans already guessed it – leading girl band Blackpink ranks in the top two. (Oh, and they’re among the most-followed Korean stars on Instagram, too.) With numerous milestones and awards behind them, Blackpink is receiving worldwide love, and the massive number of YouTube views really proves this.

Their hugely successful YouTube channel has many different videos, including vlogs, films and behind-the-scenes clips.

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1. BTS, US$16.5 million

K-pop group BTS has the highest-earning YouTube channel on this list. Photo: Big Hit Entertainment

Subscribers:

Videos: 1,628

Views: 13.7 billion

Finally, No 1 on the list has been revealed, and it’s none other than K-pop legend BTS and its official YouTube channel BangtanTV – originating from their group name in Korean, Bangtan Sonyeondan, combined with TV. With their creative content, interviews, and vlogs (they even posted Jin’s tennis practice and “Study with BTS”), its YouTube audience has skyrocketed with plenty of love from global fans.

For K-pop amateurs who want to understand BTS better, YouTube is probably the best platform to start with.

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K-pop idols

With almost 1,000 videos, Seventeen comes in at No 4 with 2.3 billion views on Forbes Korea’s list, while hallyu fans love Aespa’s vlogs and ‘what’s in my bag’ videos
The childhood friend of Blackpink’s Lisa, Got7’s BamBam, is one of two individual artists who grace the list, but what about Mamamoo?