For those who have seen the recent Apple TV+ hit series – Pachinko, based on the novel of the same name by Lee Min-jin, the character of Koh Hansu tells his son – “Be better than everyone around you…not just the Koreans but the Japanese as well…”. That’s not just a dialogue delivered by the Hallyu superstar Lee Min-ho but the reality of the actor – which in due course of time has been credited with creating – the current Lee Min-ho net worth.
As you will navigate down, this post will explore the transformation of Lee Min-ho from a rookie newbie to typecast to finally one of the most-credited actors of not just the South Korean domain but South East Asia in general.
For most of the Hallyu lovers – he is the first ‘oppa’ who has a permanent place in our hearts!
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Lee Min-ho net worth – the basics
Ranking in the Top 10 of Korean highest-paid celebrities for a couple of years now – Lee Min-ho has a net worth of up to $26 million! With his primary sources of earnings being – as an actor, model, creative director, executive producer, and singer, the Korean superstar since his breakthrough role as Gu Jun-Pyo in Boys Over Flowers has not just minted some Korean Won but also won over hearts – all over South East Asia and now globally.
His impeccable acting style, charming persona, and attractive global image have only enhanced his global worth over time. Also – what is exceptional is his transformation – from insignificant side-actor to typecast roles to expanding the horizon with some classic roles – an ‘oppa’ everyone wants a slice of! So, are you with us till here? In that case – how about knowing a little more about Lee Min-ho net worth and the transformational journey he underwent – personally and professionally?
Image Credit: Celebface
Striving for the better always
To earn the amount of material wealth that Lee Min-ho has and invest and maintain it in the correct place is no joke, especially when one places it against the backdrop of the competitive film world. The statistics associated with Lee Min-ho net worth will be explored in the next segment; before that, it is important to understand the path to reach that goal.
Min-ho started his career with some minor roles in productions such as – NonStop 5 and Recipe of Love while waiting for his formal debut with EBS productions’ – Secret Campus. This was all back in the years 2002-2003. Just as he thought he was kickstarting his career in acting (fulfilling his father’s dream and enhancing his degree in film studies from Konkuk University) after an unsuccessful stint as a footballer (due to a previous injury) – came a fatal car accident in 2006!
He somehow survived the accident with another of his co-star and dear friend – Jung II Woo – with a couple of broken bones and fractures in his hip and ribs – but his career was nearly finished. In fact – even if the biggest soothsayer would have predicted Lee Min-ho net worth for the current financial year – none would have believed. However – it is from here that the journey to be ‘better’ than one and all started!
After a year of being tied to the bed, he received his first lead role in the SBS drama – Mackerel Run (2007). The drama received such negative reviews that it had to be canceled after a mere 8-episodes. Imagine the plight! Remembering this poor phase of his career, Lee Min-ho once stated that his mother held him strong – “constantly supporting me in the face of disaster after disaster” – which in return pushed him to be – ‘‘constantly striving to be better’’.
At the end of this bad phase, he gained unparalleled global glory with the 2009 KBS superhit drama series – Boys Over Flowers!! Gu Jun-Pyo and Jandi were a rage – not just in South Korea but in the other South East Asian countries of China, Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and partly India – resulting in multiple spin-offs of this series and skyrocketing Min-ho’s popularity. For a trial model who used to be paid a mere 300-500 Korean Won in the 2000s, Lee Min-ho was suddenly one of the highest-paid actors in the industry.
After this superhit series, he starred in some of the biggest global hits, such as Personal Taste, City Hunter, Heirs, Gangnam Blues, Bounty Hunters, The Legend of the Blue Sea, and the recent Netflix romantic fantasy – The King Eternal Monarch. He kept up the spate of hits with Apple TV’s Pachinko – his career’s first ‘grey’ role.
Image Credit: KDramastar
Now – for all his fans and people who have admired him – it is important to understand the ‘chameleon-like change that he has undergone in terms of his career. Though at one point in time, he was assorted with names such as – ‘the ideal chaebol son’, ‘rich-face-looking actor’, ‘an actor with a very limited range of expression’, ‘actor suitable for only specific roles’, – with time he has increased his acting range and improved incredibly in terms of his character choices – which again has shot up the Lee Min-ho net worth.
So, what are the statistics? Scroll down to get the details –
How much is Min-ho netting every year?
- Lee Min-ho net worth is set at $26 million (inflation inclusive data is not made available)
- As an actor – he rakes in somewhere between $62,000 to $80,000 from his television series, while he charges somewhere in the range of $58,000 to $60,000 for advertisements and other on-cover endorsements.
- He is the face of luxury brands such as – Fendi, Louis Vuitton, LG, Eider, Kia Motors, and Twosome Place, to name a few. He was the first Korean celeb to appear on the cover of Korean Cosmopolitan Magazine and also has been regularly featured on the covers of Vogue and Marie Claire, to name a few!
- He has a range of handsome investments in the form of real estates, such as – luxury apartments in Seongbuk-dong (which have a price tag exceeding 5 billion Won), as well as a villa in Gangnam district, Seoul (which has a price tag of over 3 billion Won).
- In terms of vehicles, it is known that the Mercedes Benz CLS – 350 adds to Lee Min-ho net worth.
- He has recently turned executive producer with the launch of his channel “Lee-Min-ho Film” on YouTube.
- As far as his films are concerned – most of them are hits and have netted something between $30 million to $50 million in the domestic market – making him one of the most profitable actors, thereby strengthening his finances.
#For the record – one of his initial web series – Line Romance, earned a gross amount of $20 million, one of the highest amounts for any web series made within the domains of South Korea.
Rest assured – the latest data on Lee Min-ho net worth shows that he has maintained the numero uno position in finances and hearts!
Hello Hallyu!
Well, that was all you wanted to know about Lee Min-ho net worth. As you may have seen already – that it is the man who has undergone multiple transitions and yet stood strong – quite like the North Star amidst the shining constellations. If you are a Hallyu fan and looking for more information on Lee Min-ho or other stars of the Korean world who are sending finger hearts around the globe – check this space for more!