1. EXO
SM Entertainment’s pride and joy Exo, which is officially known as “Nation’s Pick,” has dominated the K-pop scene thanks to the members’ exceptional vocals, impressive dance choreography and stunning visuals.
It is astonishing when you consider that Exo’s value may be much greater than BTS’ at a billion dollars, putting them on the same level as celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Jay-Z. While there is no way to confirm this, Korean media outlets such as KpopStarz have widely reported this figure.
2. BTS
As per the Free Press Journal, BTS has a net worth between $120M and $150M, earned through album sales, tours, brand endorsements and royalties. Their impact on South Korea’s economy is said to be so significant that contribute $5B to South Korea’s GDP, per NPR.
In 2019, BTS earned a staggering $170M from their ‘Love Yourself’ World Tour, making them the highest-earning band that year, except for Metallica, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The members have also collaborated with various brands, including Baskin-Robbins, LeSportsac, Sketchers, Mattel, Casetify, Tamagotchi, VT Cosmetics and Jamie Wander.
3. BLACKPINK
Fans have dubbed YG Entertainment’s girl group BLACKPINK as the company’s “main breadwinner” due to its impressive $62M net worth, as per Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong. Since its debut in 2016, the group has been dominating charts and has become a global sensation, collaborating with international artistes such as Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Dua Lipa and Selena Gomez while appearing on multiple Billboard charts.
In 2020, Blackpink made Spotify history when their pre-release single, ‘How You Like That’, debuted at No 5 on Spotify’s daily Global Top 50 chart. This set a record not just for K-pop groups, but for girl groups overall. It eventually reached No 2, making it the highest-ranking K-pop song in Spotify history.
4. TWICE
Known as the “Nation’s Girl Group”, JYP’s girl bosses, Twice, are reportedly worth an impressive $35M, according to K-pop Starz.
Their impact was so significant that they were the only K-pop group to make it onto Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list. In 2019, they made history as the first K-pop girl group to hold a blockbuster Japanese “dome tour.”
5. TVXQ
TVXQ, a K-pop icon that debuted in 2003, remains one of the richest groups in the industry, with a net worth of $30M, as per South China Morning Post. Although once a five-member band, the last two members,
U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin, continue to be popular. In fact, in 2018, TVXQ set a record in Japan as the first international artiste to sell a million tickets to a single tour. It has been 20 years since their debut, but TVXQ still holds a strong presence on the charts today.
