Average South Korean YouTuber earnings jump 25% in 4 years to US$49,000 annually

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by The Korea TimesFebruary 16, 2026 at 03:50 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

In South Korea, the average annual income for single-person media creators like YouTubers has increased by 25% over four years, reaching approximately US$49,000 in 2024. Data released by People Power Party representative Park Sung-hoon shows total earnings reported by these creators amounted to 2.47 trillion won in 2024, with the number of YouTubers filing tax returns rising significantly from 2020. The growth in income accelerated after an increase in political broadcasts. However, income is heavily skewed, with the top 1% of creators earning an average of 1.29 billion won each, highlighting significant income disparity within the sector. The data underscores the growing importance of single-person media creation in South Korea and the need for increased tax oversight.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

martial law 40% United States Dollar 50% Kim Jong-kook 60% People Power Party 70% Park Sung-hoon 70% YouTube ×280% South Korea ×290%

Keywords

youtuber earnings 90% south korea 80% income polarisation 70% single-person media creators 60% tax returns 50% political broadcasts 40% income data 40%