BTS and BlackPink's massive revenue

Forbes Korea has just released its list of the most powerful stars in South Korea. The group BTS topped the ranking with earnings far exceeding those of international artists.

Forbes Korea announced its ranking of the 10 most powerful celebrities in South Korea on May 27th. The results are based on estimated pre-tax earnings for the period 2025-2026, compiled from music sales, tours, advertising activities, and business ventures.

Standing at the top spot, the seven members of BTS proved their immense commercial appeal with estimated earnings of 334 billion won (approximately $222 million USD). This milestone marks the group's strong comeback after a four-year hiatus with their new album "Arirang," released in March 2026. The aforementioned massive revenue includes advance payments for the new album, contract renewal bonuses from international distributors, and profits from the nine concerts of the BTS World Tour "Arirang," which concluded in May.

BlackPink's estimated earnings are 151.8 billion won. (IG)

This tour began on April 9th ​​at Goyang Stadium (South Korea) and is expected to conclude in March 2027. The series of events will comprise approximately 79-85 performances in 34 cities across 23 countries, all held in large stadiums. Beyond music, the group also holds a total of 31 exclusive advertising contracts, serving as brand ambassadors for luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Valentino, Celine, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co.

After completing their military service, the members continuously signed or renewed numerous high-value agreements, generating revenue ranging from tens to hundreds of billions of won. Additionally, Forbes Korea noted income from exclusive live streaming and documentary collaborations with Netflix, as well as the restoration of old performance footage.

Internationally, the boy band's earnings have surpassed Taylor Swift, who earned $202 million in 2025, placing them second globally. Experts predict that by the end of their world tour in 2027, the group could even surpass the leader, The Weeknd, with $298 million. In their home country, they also surpassed footballer Son Heung-min in media discussion with 371,943 posts, widening the gap by 5,698 posts.

BlackPink takes second place on the list with an estimated income of 151.8 billion won (approximately $100 million USD). This financial result officially places the four girls in the "hundred-million-dollar club" of global music, alongside global superstars like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. The group's revenue largely comes from performance fees, ticket sales, and merchandise sales during their 33-night world tour from 2025-2026. Contributing significantly to this success are 33 luxury product endorsement deals for the four members, accounting for nearly 33% of their total earnings.

Impressive achievements of independent artists

Unlike the combined group revenue model of the top two representatives, G-Dragon ranks third with 92.6 billion won (approximately $61.5 million USD) entirely from his individual activities. The Big Bang leader's income comes primarily from his 22-night world tour scheduled for 2025 and a series of fan meetings held this year.

The digital music segment contributed significantly to revenue thanks to the success of songs that consistently topped the charts, such as "Home Sweet Home," "Too Bad," "Power," and "Crooked." In addition, the singer holds seven major brand ambassador contracts.

The remaining positions on the list of the ten most powerful individuals are largely occupied by individual members of the top-ranked boy groups. Specifically, these positions are held by Jin with $34.6 million, Jungkook with $33.2 million, V with $31.9 million, Jimin with $28.6 million, J-Hope with $27.3 million, and RM concluding the list with $25.3 million.

Rounding out the list is Jennie from BlackPink with $25.2 million. The singer of "Solo" is the only female artist to appear independently in the top ten, and also became the highest-earning female artist in the South Korean entertainment market this year.

Source: t/h

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