"Event fee 50 million, only 2 million won in my pocket" Momo Land's Hye-bin reveals the income structure of idols [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Hye-bin from the group Momo Land has revealed the truth about idol activity income.

On the 6th, Hye-bin posted a video titled "Why Idols Can't Make Money" on her SNS.

That day, Hye-bin began by saying, "It's been over 10 years since I became an idol," and added, "You must be curious about how much money idols make. It seems like they earn a lot, but that's not the case."

She explained, "Except for major agencies, all costs incurred during trainee days—lesson fees, food expenses, accommodation, and practice room rental—are billed in full after debut. In simple terms, it's post-payment. The structure is such that idols debut with hundreds of millions of won in debt."

She continued, "Idols share all costs with the company on an N-way split. Costs for songs running into the thousands, music videos, manager salaries, vehicle fuel, hair, and makeup are all paid jointly by the company and the idols. Each time a music video is filmed, hundreds of millions of won are spent, which is then split 50-50 with the company, and further divided among the members."

Hye-bin also mentioned idol event income, stating, "Even if the average event fee is around 50 million won, after deducting various expenses, only about 2 million won ends up in my pocket per event. That money must be used again when shooting the next album's music video. It's like money that enters my bank account immediately turns around and leaves."

She added, "Only the top 1% of ordinary people who are extremely competitive become idol trainees; among them, only the top 1% debut; and among debuted idols, only the top 1% actually make money. I was not part of that 1%."

Meanwhile, Hye-bin debuted in the music industry in 2016 with Momo Land and gained love through hit songs such as "Poom Poom," "BAAM," and "Thumbs Up." The group disbanded in 2023 when her exclusive contract with the agency expired.

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*This content was translated by AI.