The Salaries of SM Entertainment's Executive Board Members

They’ve created your favorite idols such as TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, f(X), and EXO, but weren’t you curious about how much the executive board members earn each year? Well, recent data showed that the top leaders of SM Entertainment earn quite a lot. In the March 31 business report submitted by the agency to the Financial Supervisory Service, the annual salaries of SM Entertainment’s CEO Kim Young Min, SM C&C‘s CEOs Han Seh Min and Jung Chang Hwan, and SM Japan‘s CEO Nam So Young.

According to the report, SM Entertainment’s CEO Kim Young Min was paid 1.312 billion won (~ 1,239,197 USD) last year. The total wage came from a combination of his annual salary of 139 million won (~ 131,286 USD), a performance bonus of 160 million won (~ 151,121 USD), and stock profits of 1.013 billion won (~ 956,788 USD). 

Moreover, SM C&C’s co-CEO Han Seh Min was paid 589 million won (USD) last year. The co-CEO collectively earned such pay through a combination of his annual income of 89 million won (~ 84,061 USD), bonus of 95 million won (~ 89,728 USD), and stock option profit of 405 million won (~ 382,526 USD).

The other co-CEO of SM C&C  was also paid a total of 690 million won (~ 651,711 USD). Last year, Jung Chang Hwan earned his income of 69 million won (~ 64,171 USD), a bonus of 135 million won (~ 127,508 USD), and a stock option profit of 450 million won (~ 425,029 USD). 

Lastly, SM Japan CEO Nam So Young collectively earned 592 million won (~ 559,149 USD) in 2013. The SM Japan CEO earned the total amount from her annual income of 52 million won (~ 49,114USD), bonus of 135 million won (~ 127,508 USD), and stock option profit of 405 million won (~ 382,526 USD).

This is the first time a  Korean entertainment agency has released the annual incomes of its executive board members. The reason for the reveal was because recent changes required that registered executive board members who annually earned more than 500 million won were  to release their information.

With SM Entertainment’s packed schedule for 2014, we hope that these high wages of the company’s executive board members will reflect on the quality of their artists, dramas, and movies. 

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