BTS’ Label HYBE Tops Salary Rankings in Entertainment Industry

HYBE has emerged as the top salary leader in the entertainment industry, followed by JYP and SM, with YG showing significant differences from other agencies

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The recent Min Hee Jin incident has put HYBE at the center of controversy, drawing attention because its employees’ salaries surpass those of the top three entertainment agencies.

The big three, SM, YG, and JYP, dominated the K-pop industry for a long time. However, a company has broken this structure and established itself as one of the four major entertainment companies. It is HYBE, the agency of BTS and the builder of a multi-label.

Since changing its name in 2021, HYBE has acquired various entertainment companies and continued pioneering artist activities.

Over the years, HYBE’s leader, producer Bang Si Hyuk, has often expressed his desire to eliminate the widely accepted practice of passion pay in the music industry.

So, did Bang Si Hyuk, sitting comfortably after BTS’s global success, implement his ideals?

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According to the semi-annual report last year, the salary rankings of the employees of the four major entertainment companies were released in the order of HYBE, JYP, SM, and YG Entertainment. This is in line with the market capitalization scale.

Some have criticized the fact that despite the industry’s significantly higher proportion of female employees, there is a significant salary gap between men and women.

As of the first half of 2023, the average salary per person at HYBE was about $51,200. Among male employees, the average salary for 209 regular and 19 contract workers was about $60,800. Despite having more female employees—466 regular, 13 contract, and one part-time—the average salary was around $40,800, marking a $20,000 gender pay difference.

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The average salary per person at JYP Entertainment, which ranked second, was calculated to be $46,000. Male employees, including 126 full-time and seven part-time employees, received an average salary of $49,000.

For female employees, 215 full-time employees, three contract employees, and two part-time employees received an average salary of $44,000, and the salary difference between men and women was estimated to be $5,000.

SM Entertainment ranked third with an average salary per person of $39,000. Male employees, including 202 full-time employees and seven contract employees, received $47,000, while female employees, including 427 full-time employees and 13 contract employees, received $30,000. The salary difference between men and women at SM Entertainment was $16,500, the second largest after HYBE.

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Among the four major entertainment companies, YG Entertainment was found to have the lowest salary. The average wage per person was $30,000, showing a difference from other major entertainment companies.

Male employees, including 164 full-time employees and 24 contract employees, received $35,000, while female employees, including 230 full-time employees and 26 contract employees, remained at $24,000. The salary difference at YG Entertainment was $11,000.

Despite recent setbacks, including failed contract renewals with Blackpink members, YG Entertainment is hopeful for a rebound with the spectacular debut of Baby Monster.

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HYBE, which has worked hard to create a free corporate culture, has changed the industry culture by eliminating titles by rank and unifying the titles of Nim. It also has guaranteed employees’ freedom by implementing a flexible work system.

In addition, a maternity leave system has been introduced, which provides up to 180 days of total salary, and they also conduct a culture day every month to support the cultural life of employees.

Although there has been recent noise surrounding HYBE, it is judged that CEO Bang Si Hyuk has tried to reflect his words of eliminating the passion pay practice in the industry, such as guaranteeing the highest salary.