How much do singers get paid on music shows?

Any typical viewer of K-pop’s ever-spectacular music shows would probably think the compensation for the artists is beyond imagination in numbers, especially for famous idol stars. However, a recent declaration by Korea’s National Singer Association begs to differ.

The Korea’s National Singer Association has recently elected trot artist Tae Jin Ah to be its next president. As the group’s new representative, Tae Jin Ah revealed, “I will make appearance fees for music programs more realistic now.”

What does he mean by that?

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Apparently, the artists who appear in those music shows actually get paid ridiculously little. Many artists have already proclaimed that by appearing on these shows, they actually lose money.

According to reports, each time an artist makes a performance on stage for a music show, he/she gets around $200. The rate is identical for all three broadcasting stations – MBC, SBS, and KBS – and the actual fee differs based on the artists’ years of experience in the music field rather than their fame.

The increments are as follows: debuted less than 5 years ago, debuted more than 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, and 40 years ago. Each group receives around $100 more than the lesser group, depending on the year that you debuted in.

Also, the rate does not differ for solo artists and group artists. Although the group artists receive a tad more than the solo artists, they are not enough to compensate each member of the group with a fair amount of money. To give an example, a member of SNSD only receives about $100 for each stage (including a handful amount of bonus for their high popularity).

Due to such low compensation, many artists have filed complaints toward the broadcasting stations for a long period of time. Typically, a dance artist would spend around $5,000 for each stage due to various stylists, backup dancers, and stage wardrobes. Although they technically lose money, they would do it anyway since appearing on music shows for artists are crucial for their promotions.

What do you think – too low or just right?

credit:rameninmybowl@allkpop+as labeled