bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Choi Ha Rin

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?
5 Korean stars who gained weight for TV and film roles
10. Tomorrow X Together (TXT), US$989,000

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

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

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.
6 Korean celebrities who adopted abandoned dogs, from Rosé to Lee Do-hyun
7. Exo, US$1.5 million

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

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

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.
Spooktastic! 17 celebrities who won Halloween (and only 2 Squid Game looks)
4. Seventeen, US$1.7 million

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

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

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.
How Lee Young-ae became one of Korea’s highest-paid actresses
1. BTS, US$16.5 million

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.
Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.


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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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?


From K-pop veterans BTS, Exo and IU to “monster rookie” groups Blackpink and Aespa, these bands are bringing in millions from their YouTube channels
